Raman Microscopy Study of the Pigments on Three Illuminated Mediaeval Latin Manuscripts

Abstract

The palettes of three Latin manuscripts (MS Lat 8, MS Lat 14 and MS Lat 17) from the collection in the D. M. S. Watson Library at University College London were analysed by Raman microscopy. The pigments vermilion (HgS), kermes (kermesic acid), azurite [2CuCO3·Cu(OH)2], malachite [CuCO3·Cu(OH)2], ivory black (a pigment based on amorphous carbon), white lead [2PbCO3·Pb(OH)2] and lead tin yellow type I (Pb2SnO4) were identified by Raman microscopy. The Raman spectra of two types of ‘mosaic gold,’ synthetic tin sulphide (SnS2), are also given, but were shown not to be present; the illuminations were obtained with gold itself. A second black pigment could not be identified. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.