Analysis of lustred ceramics of the Galleria Regionale di Palazzo Bellomo di Siracusa, Italy

Several fragments of lustred pottery coming from the collection of the Galleria Regionale di Palazzo Bellomo and excavated in Siracusa, were studied through non-invasive ion beam techniques in the Centre de Recherche et de Restauration des Musees de France in Paris. Up to now only aesthetic and stylistic analysis were available for these objects, and their provenances and dating were unknown or uncertain; moreover, the question concerning a possible local production was still debated. Compositions of pottery and glazed parts were thus obtained by Particle Induced X-ray Emission analysis, while the depth distribution of element of the lustre was analyzed by the Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry technique. The obtained results provided important information on possible origin and production period of the objects. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.