Investigations of the relics and altar materials relating to the apostles St James and St Philip at the Basilica dei Santi XII Apostoli in Rome

Heritage Science

Johannes van der Plicht¹  Thomas Delbey²  Erika Ribechini³  Jacopo La Nasa³  Maria Perla Colombini³  Lautaro Roig Lanzillotta⁴  Kaare Lund Rasmussen⁵  Lilian Skytte⁵  Ulla Kjær⁶  Poul Grinder-Hansen⁶  Simone Schiavone⁷ 

[1] Center for Isotope Research, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 6, 9747 AG, Groningen, the Netherlands;Cranfield Forensic Institute, Cranfield University, Defence Academy of the UK, SN6 8LA, Shrivenham, UK;Dipartimento Di Chimica E Chimica Industriale, Università Di Pisa, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi, 3, 56124, Pisa, Italy;Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies, University of Groningen, Oude Boteringestraat 38, 9712 GK, Groningen, The Netherlands;Institute of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230, Odense M, Denmark;National Museum of Denmark, Middle Ages, Renaissance & Numismatics, Copenhagen, Denmark;Pontifical Institute of Christian Archaeology, Via Napoleone III, 1, 00815, Roma, Italy;

关键词: Relics;    St James;    St Philip;    Basilica dei Santi XII Apostoli;    Radiocarbon;    TL;    Chemical analyses;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s40494-021-00481-9

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

Two types of materials were sampled as part of an investigation of the relics of the Holy Catholic Church of the Apostles St Philip and St James in the Basilica dei Santi Apostoli in Rome: bone- and mummy-materials and architectural samples. The analyses encompassed radiocarbon dating, thermoluminescence dating, gas and liquid chromatographic separation with mass spectrometric detection, X-Ray fluorescence, X-Ray diffraction, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, Raman spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results show that the samples were subjected to a number of conservational and exhibition-related treatments. The alleged femoral bone of St James was dated between AD 214 and 340 (2σ confidence), which shows that this cannot be the bone of St James. An encrustation found in a canal in the reliquary in the high altar construction showed the presence of heavily oxidized rapeseed oil, which was radiocarbon dated between AD 267 and 539 (2σ confidence), and a ceramic shard also found in the high altar construction was TL-dated to AD 314–746 (2σ confidence). The two latter dates are consistent with a translation of the relics following the erection of the church at the time of Pope Pelagius I in AD 556–561.

【 授权许可】

CC BY