Archéosciences Bordeaux has launched an interdisciplinary and exploratory research project named Archéo-Pigments, focusing on laboratory recreation to simulate the chemical reactivity of ancient pigments against future environmental stressors. As part of this ongoing initiative, the research program is actively recruiting a materials science and characterization engineer to synthesize high-purity inorganic pigments with controlled crystallinity.
Project Goals and Material Synthesis
According to project documentation from Archéosciences Bordeaux, the Archéo-Pigments program aims to recreate specific mineral compositions to accurately characterize ancient pigments found on archaeological artifacts. Understanding the nature and degradation mechanisms of these historical pigments helps researchers identify raw material sources, ancient preparation methods, and the technical and aesthetic choices of past eras. The incoming materials science engineer will develop and implement synthetic pathways to produce these high-purity inorganic compounds, characterize their crystal structures, and investigate the physico-chemical origins of their color.
Simulating Climate Stress and Spectral Analysis
The research methodology involves designing and conducting accelerated aging protocols that subject the synthesized pigments to environmental stressors such as humidity, carbon dioxide, ultraviolet radiation, temperature fluctuations, acidity, alkalinity, and the addition of salts. Researchers will then acquire and select ultraviolet-visible-near-infrared (UV-Visible-NIR) spectra of the reproduced and altered pigments to build a structured database. This experimental data will be directly compared against real polychromy analyses conducted by Archéosciences Bordeaux both in their laboratory and on historical sites in France and Greece, including the Saint-André Cathedral in Bordeaux, the church in Saint-Émilion, and the Temple of Apollo at Delphi.
Broader Applications and Scientific Valorization
Beyond archaeological analysis, the project explores several related technological applications. These secondary avenues include studying reflective pigments in the infrared spectrum, thermal effects, carbon dioxide storage, luminescence, photoemission, and near-infrared up-conversion. The recruited engineer will document these experiments through detailed reports and contribute to the broader dissemination of results via scientific publications and presentations.
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