Raman analysis of pigments from the Egyptian Old Kingdom

Abstract

Abstract Raman spectrometry, with its small sample size requirements and high spatial resolution, has proved an invaluable means of identifying the pigments used in ancient Egyptian art. This paper describes the use of the technique to investigate the pigments on a group of objects and paintings from the Old Kingdom period held within the British Museum collections. A wide range of typical ancient Egyptian pigments, including haematite, goethite, carbon, Egyptian Blue, gypsum and anhydrite, have been found, together with others previously thought of as ‘rare’ in this context, such as huntite and jarosite. The jarosite occurs in a context which makes it extremely unlikely to be an alteration product, as had been suggested previously. There is also evidence of sophisticated mixing of a range of raw materials to produce desired colours. Additionally, huntite appears to have been used as a ground under some of the less opaque pigments to produce a stronger hue. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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