Caterina Laganara

Raman microscopy: The identification of lapis lazuli on medieval pottery fragments from the south of Italy

Abstract The technique of Raman microscopy has been used to investigate the pigments used in the glazes of fragments of medieval items of pottery dating back to the second half of the 13th century, which were found buried beneath a church in the abandoned village of Castel Fiorentino, near Foggia, in Southern Italy. The research has led to the first identification of lapis lazuli in a blue pigment pottery glaze; the identification was confirmed for six other shards from the same site. The brown—black pigment in these shards could not be identified.

Characterization of Brown–Black and Blue Pigments in Glazed Pottery Fragments from Castel Fiorentino (Foggia, Italy) by Raman Microscopy, X-Ray Powder Diffractometry and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy

Fragments from the archaeological site of Castel Fiorentino (Foggia, Italy) were analysed by Raman microscopy x-ray powder diffractometry and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to determine the pigments used in the decoration of this medieval (13–14th century) pottery. Lapis lazuli was identified as the blue pigment and such decoration was established as a characteristic of this pottery class. The brown–black pigment was identified as a manganese oxide, probably MnO2. The qualitative composition of the glaze was also shown to include tin(IV) oxide (cassiterite) and lead-containing oxides, along with other oxides.