Abstract

MASSAFERRO, Gabriela I.; SCHUSTER, Verónica  and  PEREZ, Alberto E.. FIRST PORTABLE X RAY FLUORESCENCE ANALYSIS OF ROCK ART IN PATAGONIA ARGENTINA. Comechingonia [online]. 2022, vol.26, n.2, pp.71-80. ISSN 1851-0027.

The first results of portable in situ XRF analysis performed in rock art in the Argentinean Patagonia, with the aim of determine the pigments of the paintings, are presented in this work. Five archaeological sites with rock art in Las Chapas, Chubut, were studied. The paintings are characterized by red monochrome geometric and abstract motifs. As the paintings are very deteriorated or in very thin layers no other technique could be applied to study them before. The results are only indicative and they require additional techniques to determine mineral pigments, however in the well preserved red and yellow paintings, the color is attributed to the presence of minerals with Fe, like hematite or limonite respectively. Additionally, potentially primary sources of black and yellow pigments are given to know for the first time.

Keywords : rock art; x-ray fluorescence pigments Chubut river hunter gatherers.

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