Painted plaster and glazed brick fragments from Achaemenid Pasargadae and Persepolis, Iran

Achaemenid artisans employed diverse materials and techniques to achieve polychromatic finishes in their architecture, as revealed by the analysis of painted plaster and glazed brick fragments from Pasargadae and Persepolis. The study identified up to five layers of paint on Pasargadae plaster, including pigments like Egyptian blue, malachite green, red ocher, and cinnabar red, while Persepolis floor fragments featured lime plaster with hematite-rich paint layers. Glazed bricks from Persepolis were found to be composed of high-silica material similar to faience, decorated with alkaline glazes containing lead antimonate, magnesium-iron, and copper. The research used non-invasive X-ray fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy to examine the fragments' layering stratigraphy and composition, providing insights into Achaemenid material technology and informing long-term preservation efforts.

Aloiz, E., Douglas, J. G., & Nagel, A. (2016). Painted plaster and glazed brick fragments from Achaemenid Pasargadae and Persepolis, Iran. Heritage Science, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-016-0072-7