Integrated analytical approach to unveil the secrets of the recently discovered “Sphinx Room”: a new piece of Domus Aurea puzzle

Caggiani, Maria Cristina; Coccato, Alessia; Mazzoleni, Paolo; D’Alessio, Alessandro; Russo, Alfonsina; Barone, Germana

doi:10.1186/s40494-020-00465-1

Heritage Science

Table 1 pXRF chemical characterization of the Sphinx Room

From: Integrated analytical approach to unveil the secrets of the recently discovered “Sphinx Room”: a new piece of Domus Aurea puzzle

LLD (ppm)			75	75	75	75	10		60		1		3	1	75	3	3
Color	Wall	Point	K	Ca	Ti	V	Cr	Fe	Cu	Rb	Sr	Zr	As	Sn	Ba	W	Pb
Blue	S	1	1701	26,030	113	bld	160	626	1,353,709	33	1857	15	12	1	bld	19	126
Blue	S	2	1173	26,360	98	bld	152	425	1,290,183	31	1825	10	16	98	122	9	89
Greyish	N	3	489	78,250	bld	bld	bld	54	bld	18	324	19	bld	159	bld	7	38
Greyish	N	4	1409	54,300	bld	bld	bld	274	bld	12	572	13	bld	76	739	4	49
Greyish	N	5	1052	68,940	bld	bld	bld	233	bld	26	584	23	3	126	473	8	51
Greyish	N	6	437	81,910	bld	bld	bld	111	bld	17	400	12	bld	193	271	11	55
Greyish	N	7	531	51,650	347	bld	bld	265	bld	19	501	14	bld	40	4539	bld	58
Greyish	vault	8	2666	46,040	81	bld	17	703	71	43	933	16	5	28	bld	bld	37
Greyish	vault	9	1731	54,650	bld	bld	11	414	2424	28	861	18	6	80	bld	9	44
Greyish	vault	10	1416	39,570	bld	bld	15	450	557,549	16	968	6	24	45	bld	10	434
Yellow	N	11	601	81,580	bld	bld	bld	100	bld	22	408	20	bld	158	196	bld	50
Yellow	N	12	525	51,790	187	bld	bld	458	96	18	703	13	182	39	2702	bld	2255
Yellow	N	13	423	43,650	242	bld	bld	908	352	17	607	23	117	5	2992	bld	1733
Yellow	E	14	362	18,830	bld	bld	bld	162	bld	10	739	8	bld	15	bld	15	33
Yellow	vault	15	475	24,800	bld	bld	bld	724	134	12	569	8	bld	48	bld	bld	55
Yellow	vault	16	765	35,890	bld	bld	bld	711	1117	20	698	12	bld	27	bld	3	56
Orange	N	17	284	58,720	89	bld	bld	176	bld	6	292	9	517	115	938	bld	5857
Red	N	18	358	76,820	bld	bld	bld	237	bld	13	325	16	62	31	bld	18	54
Red	N	19	468	77,710	bld	bld	bld	210	bld	14	344	15	78	121	bld	16	61
Red	E	20	577	51,410	80	bld	10	1609	99	18	541	16	797	38	bld	11	3135
Red	vault	21	936	50,360	bld	bld	bld	1861	98	21	1043	15	971	35	bld	69	37
Red	vault	22	463	45,290	bld	bld	11	857	2514	6	715	9	396	11	bld	4	3668
Red	vault	23	977	55,940	bld	bld	bld	839	367	19	1102	12	85	48	bld	13	275
Red	vault	24	489	45,280	bld	90	bld	925	578	12	1027	6	1700	11	bld	26	4853

Data are expressed as ppm. LLD provided by the pXRF manufacturer are reported; bld = below limit of detection. The sample names correspond to Fig. 4. Elements in bold are related to common Roman age pigments

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