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Replication of Glazed Quartzite from Kerma, Capital of Ancient Kush (Sudan)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Lisa Ellis ,
Richard Newman  and
Michael Barsanti
Lisa Ellis
Affiliation:
lisa_ellis@ago.net, Art Gallery of Ontario, Conservation, 317 Dundas Street West, Toronto, M5T 1G4, Canada, 416 979-6660, x223
Richard Newman
Affiliation:
rnewman@mfa.org, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Scientific Research, 465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
Michael Barsanti
Affiliation:
mbarsanti@smfa.org, School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Ceramics, 230 The Fenway, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
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Abstract

Glazes found on ancient Nubian quartzite sculpture were characterized in a previous study by scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM/EDS). Now in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, these objects were excavated in the early 20th century by the joint Harvard University-Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition, in ancient Kerma, the capital of ancient Kush. The project presented here attempts to recreate the ancient technology used to glaze quartzite with compositions determined in the previous study. Raw and fritted experimental glazes were prepared, as well as an alkali paste mixed with a copper colorant. All of the samples were fired in modern kilns. After firing, samples of the glazes and their quartzite substrates were examined with SEM/EDS.

Keywords

archaeologygeologicchemical composition
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1047: Symposium Y – Materials Issues in Art and Archaeology VIII , 2007 , 1047-Y07-03
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2008

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References

1. Reisner, George A., Excavations at Kerma, Vol. VI, (Kraus Reprint Co., Millwood, N.Y., 1975) pp. 49–50, 153.Google Scholar
2. Lucas, A., Ancient Egyptian Materials and Industries, 4th Ed., revised and enlarged by Harris, J. R.. (1964) pp. 172–4.Google Scholar
3. Beck, Horace C., Ancient Egypt and the East: British School of Archaeology in Egypt, Notes on Glazed Stones, Part II.-Glazed Quartz (June 1935) p. 23.Google Scholar
4.Beck, Ibid., 1935, p. 21.Google Scholar
5.Ellis and Newman (MRS 2004).Google Scholar
6.After firing, experimental glazed quartzite pebbles were sampled in one or more places, removing glaze and substrate where possible. Samples were mounted in Buehler Epothin epoxy resin and prepared as cross sections, which were coated with carbon for analysis. These were examined in a JEOL JSM-6460 LV scanning electron microscope with an Oxford Instruments ‘INCA x-sight’ energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer (SEM/EDS) at 20 KeV. A variety of synthetic glass and pure element standards were used; matrix corrections were carried out using the XPP procedure. Two small glazed stone fragments were placed directly in the SEM in low-vacuum mode (chamber pressure 35 pascals). All samples were observed using the JEOL back-scattered electron (BSE) detector in ‘shadow’ mode, which combines the traditional BSE image with some topographical information.Google Scholar
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8.Cone refers to the temperature reached in a kiln as gauged by the reaction of pyrometric cones manufactured by Orton, (see www.ortonceramics.com) when heated at 150°C/hour.Google Scholar
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