Dama de Elche: Pigments, surface coating and stone of the sculpture

The Dama de Elche (4^sup th^-5^sup th^ century B.C.), an emblematic piece of the ancient Iberian culture, was first sculpted in fossiliferous limestone of Tertiary Age. In this first systematic study, two classic pigments have been identified: Egyptian blue, prepared with a potassium flux, and natur...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inMaterials and structures Vol. 38; no. 3; pp. 419 - 424
Main Authors Luxán, M. P., Prada, J. L., Dorrego, F.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Dordrecht Springer Nature B.V 01.04.2005
Subjects
Building construction
Building materials
Calcium carbonate
Civil engineering
Coatings
Culture
Flux
Gypsum
Limestone
Pigments
Statuary
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Summary:The Dama de Elche (4^sup th^-5^sup th^ century B.C.), an emblematic piece of the ancient Iberian culture, was first sculpted in fossiliferous limestone of Tertiary Age. In this first systematic study, two classic pigments have been identified: Egyptian blue, prepared with a potassium flux, and natural vermilion applied over a preparation layer of gypsum, mixed with calcium carbonate, that migrated and recrystallized on the polychrome surface of the bust, process favoured by the change suffered after its disinterment. No anachronisms have been found on the identified polychromy, the existing coating surface nor any other element that might suggest it to be a modern forgery.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-2
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-1
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ISSN:1359-5997
1871-6873
DOI:10.1007/BF02479310