Rock Art Research

Vol. 36 No. 2 (2019)
Published : Nov 13, 2019

A MULTI-ANALYTICAL STUDY OF ROCK PAINTINGS FROM LEANDRO 5 MEGALITHIC BARROW, NORTH-WESTERN PORTUGAL

César Oliveira (1), Ana M. S. Bettencourt (2), Luís Gonçalves (3), M. Isabel Caetano Alves (4), André T. Ribeiro (5), Aléssia Barbosa (6), Maria Martín Seijo (7), Jorge Ribeiro (8), Jorge Guedes (9), Cristina Delerue-Matos (10)

(1) Department of Heritage Studies, University of Porto, Portugal
(2) Landscapes, Heritage and Territory Laboratory (Lab2 PT), Braga, Portugal
(3) Institute of Earth Sciences (ICT), Department of Earth Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
(4) Landscapes, Heritage and Territory Laboratory (Lab2 PT), Braga, Portugal
(5) Municipality of Maia, Portugal
(6) University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
(7) University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain
(8) Independent researcher, Portugal
(9) University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
(10) REQUIMTE/LAQV, Portugal
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Abstract

The colourant composition of a northern Portugal megalithic barrow decorated with ‘solar’ motifs was studied using a multi-analytical approach, allowing the characterisation of the painting techniques, pigments and binders. The red pigment was prepared with iron oxide minerals, using vegetal oils as organic additives, while the black pigment was charcoal without any organic additives or binders. The solar motif was first drawn with charcoal and subsequently painted with a red pigment.