The rarest blue: An exceptional find of lapis lazuli in the polychromy of a funerary portrait from ancient Palmyra. (16th January 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Brøns, C.; Hedegaard, S. B.; Bredal‐Jørgensen, J.; Buti, D.; Pastorelli, G.
• Is Part Of: Archaeometry. Volume 62:Number 3(2020)
• Page Start: 506
• Page End: 520
• Publication Date: 2020-01-16
• Subjects: polychromy -- Palmyra -- lapis lazuli -- SEM/EDS -- Raman spectroscopy -- FTIR; Archaeometry -- Periodicals; Archaeology -- Expertising -- Periodicals; 930.1
• DOI: 10.1111/arcm.12533
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0003-813X

Abstract

Abstract : The current interdisciplinary study of a funerary portrait has provided the first identification of a blue pigment on Palmyrene sculpture. The exceptional attestation of lapis lazuli on the examined portrait confirms the use of this highly valuable semiprecious stone in ancient polychromy, which was previously thought to be a later addition to the painter's palette. Considering that the archaeological record contains numerous minor objects carved from lapis lazuli, there are astonishingly few known instances of its use as a pigment. This Palmyrene discovery is only the third known example from Antiquity.