Isotopic analysis of lead present in the cinnabar of Roman wall paintings from the Xth Regio "(Venetia et Histria)" by ICP-MS

Talanta. 2008 Jan 15;74(4):690-3. doi: 10.1016/j.talanta.2007.06.048. Epub 2007 Jul 25.

Abstract

The analysis of Roman wall paintings coming from Verona, Vicenza, Padova, Pordenone and Trieste evidentiated the presence of cinnabar. In this work, the isotopic composition (206)Pb, (207)Pb and (208)Pb of trace of lead present in cinnabar is reported, via ICP-MS measurements. The isotopic ratio values are compared with the values obtained from samples coming from Roman wall paintings of Pompeii and from the mines of Almaden (Spain) Monte Amiata (Grosseto Italy) and Idria (Slovenia). All the isotopic data can be represented by a "field" ranging from Huelva, to Almeria Spanish provinces. This trend could be due to the mixing of cinnabar products treated in Rome.