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The role of Microstructure, Nanostructure and Composition in the Brilliant Red Slip of Roman Terra Sigillata Pottery from Southern Gaul

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Philippe Sciau ,
Sabrina Relaix ,
Yolande Kihn  and
Christian Roucau
Philippe Sciau
Affiliation:
CEMES-CNRS, 29 rue J. Marvig, BP 94347, F-31055 Toulouse Cedex, France
Sabrina Relaix
Affiliation:
CEMES-CNRS, 29 rue J. Marvig, BP 94347, F-31055 Toulouse Cedex, France
Yolande Kihn
Affiliation:
CEMES-CNRS, 29 rue J. Marvig, BP 94347, F-31055 Toulouse Cedex, France
Christian Roucau
Affiliation:
CEMES-CNRS, 29 rue J. Marvig, BP 94347, F-31055 Toulouse Cedex, France
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Abstract

Terra sigillata ceramic is a fine ware produced during the Roman period. Its great success was due to its remarkable gloss, also called slip, which provides a bright deep red aspect. TEM-EELS and XRD techniques were used to understand the sub-microscopic origins of this singular aspect. Analysis investigations on five samples of two important Gaul workshops are described here. It appears that those samples have the same slip structure: sub-microscopic hematite and corundum crystals in a glass matrix. The matrix does not contain metallic ions, hematite is substituted in Al and Ti while corundum is substituted in Fe. The two crystal populations are homogeneously dispersed in the matrix and, together, give the specific red-orange colour to the sigillata.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 852 , 2004 , OO6.5
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2005

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References

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