PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION OF ANCIENT PIGMENTS FROM THE MORTUARY TEMPLE OF SETI I, EL‐QURNA (LUXOR, EGYPT)

Abstract

The present paper aims to apply different analytical techniques to characterize some ancient pigments from the first group of samples collected on the wall paintings of the mortuary temple of Seti I (c.1291–1278 BC), El‐Qurna (Luxor, Egypt). The analytical characterization has been carried out by means of optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with an energy dispersive X‐ray detector (EDS),  μ‐Raman spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results allowed the identification of different pigments used in the poly‐chromatic decorations of the temple and to establish a preliminary analytical database of the chro‐matic palette used in this period of the Egyptian history.