玛雅蓝是古代玛雅人创造的具有高稳定性的一种蓝绿色颜料，被认为主要由坡缕石和靛蓝组成。但迄今为止，玛雅蓝的颜色成因和稳定机制尚未完全破解。申请者对5份玛雅蓝文物样品的初步分析发现一个前人未发现的现象：玛雅蓝中普遍存在纳米棒状的方解石。申请者通过分析提出：石灰很可能是制备玛雅蓝的重要助剂，它溶于水后形成氢氧化钙，钙离子在靛蓝有机质的诱导作用下吸收二氧化碳形成纳米棒状的方解石；且其强碱性很可能对玛雅蓝颜料的性质产生重要影响。为了探明纳米方解石在玛雅蓝颜色成因和稳定机制中的作用，本课题以玛雅蓝文物样品为研究对象，采用高分辨显微技术和精细谱学方法，研究玛雅蓝的组成和微观结构，结合实验模拟探明玛雅蓝中纳米方解石的形成机制，解析石灰对坡缕石-靛蓝界面反应性的影响，以期揭示纳米棒状方解石的形成对玛雅蓝颜色和稳定性的影响及其机理；从而，为进一步破解“玛雅蓝之谜”以及为新型矿物基颜料的研制提供理论依据。

Maya blue (MB), which was invented by Mayan people, is an ancient greenish blue pigment with remarkable durability. It is considered to be a hybrid pigment of palygorskite and natural indigo dye. However, the coloration and stabilization mechanisms of MB are still unrevealed. By analyzing five archaeological specimens of antique MB, considerable nanofibrous calcite，which has never been reported before was found in MB. Based on this phenomenon and literature review, a hypothesis is proposed: lime probably is the key additive for preparing MB pigment. Lime dissolves into water and forms calcium hydroxide, and calcium ions were mineralized to nanofibrous calcite by adsorbing carbon dioxide. But the alkali calcium hydroxide should also affect the properties of MB. In order to investigate the role of nanofibrous calcite in the coloration and stabilization of MB, high-resolution electronic microscopy and fine spectroscopy techniques, as well as experimental simulation, are carried out to investigate the archaeological MB samples, analyze the structure and formation mechanism of nano calcite, and finally ascertain the influence of lime on the structural change of palygorskite and clay-dye interaction. In this way, the coloration and stabilization mechanisms of MB pigment will be revealed. This project not only helps to uncover the “Puzzle of MB”, but also provides the theoretical supports for developing new mineral-based pigments.