Baking Pot Codex Restoration Project, Belize

Technical Study of Paint Flakes

The technical study was carried out at SCMRE using the 13 containers of paint flakes, 11 associated with Artifact R, and 1 each for Artifacts S and T [Chemello 2004] (Figure 21). The following chart shows the types of paint color and ground, referenced to artifact, documented from examination of hundreds of disassociated fragments.

Approximately 80 flakes, representative of each pigment and ground type per location, were selected for analytical procedures. Compositional information was derived from optical microscopy of paint flakes and embedded cross-sections; energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy [EDS] and scanning electron microscopy [SEM] of mounted flakes (for elemental information and high-magnification imaging, respectively); x-ray diffraction [XRD] (mineralogical information); Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy [FTIR] (general organic constituents) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry [GC/MS] of one sample (organic identification). Information about the painting technique relied primarily on microscopy, especially of cross-sections. Inferences about the nature of the original substrate were based on microscopy observations and FTIR analysis.

The range, grouped by ground type, is illustrated as follows: white (Figure 22, Figure 23 and Figure 24); white with red flecks (Figure 25); smooth cream (Figure 26); rough cream (Figure 27); and brown with red intermediate layer (Figure 28 and Figure 29).

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