Characterization of coral red slips on Greek Attic pottery

Samples of red and black gloss from Greek Attic pottery of the late sixth to fifth centuries bc were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM and FIB/STEM). The focus of the study was the chemical and microstructural characterization of the red gloss that was first produced during this period. Two groupings of red gloss were revealed. One red was found to be compositionally similar to the black glosses (labelled 'LCM coral red'). The other red showed more significant chemical differences, such as higher calcium and magnesium, in comparison to the black (labelled 'HCM coral red'). The existence of two chemically distinct reds - otherwise identical in colour and texture - suggests that there was more than one source of clay available to the Attic potters for producing red.