Archaemineralogical study of plasters and paints from the Thracian tomb Maglizh (4th–3rd century BC), Bulgaria

Abstract

Fragments of plasters and paints from the decoration of the chamber and the grave of the Thracian tomb Muglizh (4th–3rd century BC) were studied. It was established that the plasters are two or three-layered and consist of coarse plaster, pink colored plaster and white putty (stucco). The binder in all three layers is a lime prepared from organogenic limestone. Crushed materials from rocks and minerals were used as fillers in the coarse and pink plasters, and only white-colored minerals such as quartz, calcite, albite were used in the stucco. A mixture of red earth ocher and cinnabar was used as pigment in the red paint and pink plaster. For the black paint, a mixture of crushed charcoal and Egyptian blue was used. The binder in the red and black paints is lime. In pink paint, the binding material is gypsum, and the pigment is cinnabar.