An extensive micro-Raman spectroscopic study of prehistoric rock paintings found in Hararghe region, Ethiopia, was carried out, with the aim to evaluate the production skill of the local artist and the period of production of the discovered paintings. Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) Spectroscopy and Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) were used as auxiliary techniques. Micro sampling were carried out on parts of red, white, black painting figures representing domestic and wild animals. The pigments used by artists were hematite for red color, calcite or gypsum for white color, and carbonaceous material for black coloration. A green pigment was also investigated; it resulted made of green earth. A consistent amount of Ca-oxalate was found particularly on red samples as well as on the white ones. Former studies attributed oxalates origin to a biological substrate attack, whereas in the present case Ca-oxalate is ascribed to the use of an organic stuff to spread properly the pigments on the substrate.Principal Component Analysis was performed on the hematite spectra; it evinced that the spectral features could be indicative of different sites and of the relative age.1These novel evaluations put into new perspective the knowledge about rock art pictorial technology of the Horn of Africa

The first spectroscopic analysis of Ethiopian prehistoric rock painting / C. Lofrumento; M. Ricci; L. Bachechi; D. De Feo; E.M. Castellucci. - In: JOURNAL OF RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY. - ISSN 0377-0486. - ELETTRONICO. - 43:(2012), pp. 809-816. [10.1002/jrs.3096]

The first spectroscopic analysis of Ethiopian prehistoric rock painting

LOFRUMENTO, CRISTIANA;RICCI, MARILENA;BACHECHI, LUCA;CASTELLUCCI, EMILIO MARIO
2012

Abstract

An extensive micro-Raman spectroscopic study of prehistoric rock paintings found in Hararghe region, Ethiopia, was carried out, with the aim to evaluate the production skill of the local artist and the period of production of the discovered paintings. Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) Spectroscopy and Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) were used as auxiliary techniques. Micro sampling were carried out on parts of red, white, black painting figures representing domestic and wild animals. The pigments used by artists were hematite for red color, calcite or gypsum for white color, and carbonaceous material for black coloration. A green pigment was also investigated; it resulted made of green earth. A consistent amount of Ca-oxalate was found particularly on red samples as well as on the white ones. Former studies attributed oxalates origin to a biological substrate attack, whereas in the present case Ca-oxalate is ascribed to the use of an organic stuff to spread properly the pigments on the substrate.Principal Component Analysis was performed on the hematite spectra; it evinced that the spectral features could be indicative of different sites and of the relative age.1These novel evaluations put into new perspective the knowledge about rock art pictorial technology of the Horn of Africa
2012
43
809
816
C. Lofrumento; M. Ricci; L. Bachechi; D. De Feo; E.M. Castellucci
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
etiopia.pdf

accesso aperto

Tipologia: Versione finale referata (Postprint, Accepted manuscript)
Licenza: Open Access
Dimensione 411.35 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
411.35 kB Adobe PDF

I documenti in FLORE sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificatore per citare o creare un link a questa risorsa: https://hdl.handle.net/2158/573699
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 56
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 51
social impact