A compositional and archaeometric study of the Third Pompeian Style located at the Mons Saturnus of Carthago Nova (Cartagena, España)

• Published in: Journal of archaeological science, reports Vol. 46; p. 103670
• Main Authors: Castillo Alcántara, Gonzalo, Fernández Díaz, Alicia, Cosano Hidalgo, Daniel, Rafael Ruiz Arrebola, José
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2022
• Subjects: Carthago Nova; Mortar; Pigment; Raman; Roman wall painting; Third Pompeian Style; Pigment; Raman; Mortar; Roman wall painting; Carthago Nova; Third Pompeian Style
• ISSN: 2352-409X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103670

In this study we analyse of three sets of paintings from a domus in the Monte Sacro of Cartagena (southeastern Spain) in order to determine not only their chronology and ornamental programme, but also the execution techniques and raw materials used. The archaeological context and pictorial ensemble was analysed based on the description of their elements and their compositional and ornamental study, in order to draw technical, stylistic and chronological conclusions to serve as the basis for their complete archaeometric study. Six samples were selected and analysed using semi-destructive techniques including X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and binocular loupe for the study of the mortars and Raman spectroscopy for the pigments. The results revealed a majority use of quartz and the remains of marine fauna in the mortars, while in the pigments the use of cinnabar, hematite, graphite carbon, goethite, Egyptian blue and celadonite was documented, all of them common in Roman pictorial production in Hispania.