Study of wall-painting pigments from Feng Hui Tomb by Raman spectroscopy and high-resolution electron microscopy

The structures and components of different pigments from the Feng Hui tomb situated in Bin County, Shaanxi Province, dated in the Five Dynasties (907-960 AD), were analyzed by Raman spectroscopy and high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM). It is shown that the red, yellow and black samples are cinnabar, PbSO4-PbO and carbon black, respectively, and well preserved, which provide scientific data for later conservation. Moreover, the results indicate that HREM and Raman analysis are very effective for identifying ancient inorganic pigments at low concentrations. Copyright (C) 2004 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.