The rediscovery of colors at Kainua-Marzabotto

The city of Kainua (Marzabotto), inhabited between the end of the 6th century BC and the beginning of the 4th century BC, is one of the most important and best-preserved Etruscan centers. During the excavations performed by the University of Bologna in the area of the temple of Uni, masses of rare red ochre and Egyptian blue pigments have been found. After this discovery, a series of analyses has been carried out in order to study the polychromy of the architectural terracottas of the site. Thanks to spectroscopic analysis, it has been possible to examine the composition of the pigments that were employed. Moreover, the Visible-Induced Luminescence (VIL) technique not only confirmed the use of Egyptian blue, but also allowed to rediscover the decoration pattern of some painted tiles which belonged to one of the temples of the acropolis. This discovery is very important because the use of Egyptian blue had never been attested before in the Etruscan Po Valley. Lastly, the study has allowed to create a 3D reconstruction of some painted architectural elements, which are preserved nowadays in fragments.