Comparative Study of Architectural Bricks from Khorsabad and Susa Sites: Characterization of Black Glazes

A comparative analysis of black glazes on architectural bricks from Susa and Khorsabad reveals distinct coloring techniques between the Neo-Assyrian (Khorsabad) and Achaemenid Persian (Susa) periods. At Susa, black glaze composition varies by function: manganese oxide for colored fields and iron-rich compounds for raised lines separating glazed areas. In contrast, Khorsabad's black glazes contain spherical copper sulfide and galena nanoparticles, a rare technique with poorly understood formation mechanisms. The study employed optical microscopy, SEM-EDX, synchrotron µ-XRD, and µ-Raman spectroscopy to characterize these glazes, offering new insights into ancient brick manufacturing processes.

Beauvoit, E., Bouquillon, A., Majérus, O., Caurant, D., Cuny, J., & Thomas, A. (2023). Comparative Study of Architectural Bricks from Khorsabad and Susa Sites: Characterization of Black Glazes. Heritage, 6(9), 6291–6310. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage6090329