Identification of organic material in Los Buitres 1 rock art shelter, Badajoz, Spain.

  • Sara Garcês Tomar Polytechnique Institute; Geosciences Centre, Coimbra University https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0822-5012
  • Hipólito Collado ACINEP. Geosciences Centre, Coimbra University
  • Pierluigi Rosina Tomar Polytechnique Institute; Geosciences Centre of Coimbra University
  • Hugo Gomes Geosciences Centre, Coimbra University
  • George Nash Tomar Polytechnic Institute; Geosciences Centre, Coimbra University
  • Maria Nicoli University of Ferrara
  • Carmela Vaccaro University of Ferrara
Keywords: Schematic Rock Art, Iberian Peninsula, ATR-FTIR, Micro-Raman, Organics, Burnt Umber

Abstract

This research aimed to characterize the chemical and mineralogical nature of prehistoric painted figures from the Los Buitres 1 rock shelter and to identify organic material from the pigment samples. Micro-Raman spectroscopy and ATR-FTIR analysis were made. Four pigment samples were selected: three red and one dark-red granules of pigment. Micro-Raman spectroscopy was applied to determine the mineralogical composition of selected samples while ATR-FTIR was applied in order to identify organic material present in each. Samples 1 and 2 are almost identical and registered montmorillonite being present. Analyses by ATR-FTIR points to organic components in sample 3 while sample 4 was identified as burnt umber. A comparison with a nearby shelter with the same organic compounds in the same type of figure causes some alarms to sound due to the possibility that a real pigment recipe has been in use in the same region for the same time spectrum.

Author Biography

Hipólito Collado, ACINEP. Geosciences Centre, Coimbra University

Grupo Investigación Patrimonio & ARTE, Universidad de Extremadura

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Published
2022-12-14
How to Cite
Garcês, S., Collado, H., Rosina, P., Gomes, H., Nash, G., Nicoli, M., & Vaccaro, C. (2022). Identification of organic material in Los Buitres 1 rock art shelter, Badajoz, Spain. . Complutum, 33(2), 347-361. https://doi.org/10.5209/cmpl.84153
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Articles