Color in a New Light - Origins, Trade and Cultural Significance of Ancient Pigments

Introduction

The ancient world was fascinated by color. People processed certain raw materials to use them as pigments. Their material qualities and provenance mattered. Yet little is known about where these materials came from: some might have been broadly available, others rare and traded far. Along the way from resource to artwork, much is still unknown.

Mineral Pigments

A plethora of mineral pigments was used in the past; materials were processed ranging from powdered cinnabar to pyrotechnological multi-component materials. They came together to color walls and sculptures alike and now enable the understanding of interaction across production technologies, trade networks, and cultural relations in a new way.

Provenance Identification

So far, identifying the provenance of pigments relies on metal reference. But metals and pigments are not the same. It is thus essential to develop a pigment-specific reference database paired with a proper toolset to push this new avenue in archaeological science to its full potential.

Egyptian Blue

Among other pigments, Egyptian blue serves as a cornerstone indicator of cross-craft interaction between metal and glass work. HUE probes material provenance and production technology by looking at the Mediterranean from the Bronze Age to the Roman period until the 1st century BC-AD, a time of great political reorganization and significant change in the organization of pigment production.

HUE Analysis

HUE analyzes raw and processed pigments from original artifacts, workshops, and trade nodes to bridge the gap from resource, market, and workshop to art.

Relevance of Results

The results are not only relevant for polychromy research, but also for an archaeological evaluation of workshops, discussion of market- and trade network theories, and people-environment interaction. The PI has already shown the significance of this approach in pilot studies. Supported by a network of international specialists, new light will shine on ancient pigments to reveal the cultural significance of color in economic and technological developments.