Artisanal experiences in Arpi: Colours and raw materials of Apulian red figure production

This work aims at studying the manufacturing and technology peculiarities of Apulian red figure (4th - 3rd century BCE) production from Arpi. In particular, the relationship between the red figure production from Arpi with coeval pottery of different classes retrieved in the same contexts in Arpi is investigated, as well as the connection between the red figure production from Arpi and same class vases from different Apulian sites. This goal has been achieved through widening the archaeometrical studies so far performed to red figures finds from two more tomb complexes in Arpi – i.e. tomb of the Niobids vase and 4/2004 tomb – and also organically reorganizing the so far obtained experimental data on Arpi findings of various ceramic classes. The systematic characterization of red figure vases was obtained by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and Raman Spectroscopy. Analytical data allow to define the elemental and mineralogical composition of ceramic pastes and identify pigments and coatings. The results allow to validate the archaeological hypotheses that Arpi red figure production is different from the one from other Apulian areas and that pictorial experiences were shared among tombs, domus and ceramic production in Arpi.