Rock Art Research
ELEMENTAL CHARACTERISATION OF PRE-HISPANIC ROCK ART AND ARSENIC IN NORTHERN CHILE
(1)
Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Social and Juridical Sciences, Centro de Investigaciones del Hombre en el Desierto, CIHDE, Chile
(2)
Palais du Louvre- Porte des Lions, France
(3)
Laboratorio de Investigaciones Medioambientales de Zonas Áridas, LIMZA Centro de Recursos Naturales y Medioambiente, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Tarapacá, Chile
(4)
Laboratorio de Investigaciones Medioambientales de Zonas Áridas, LIMZA Centro de Recursos Naturales y Medioambiente, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Tarapacá, Chile
Abstract
We present results of elemental physicochemical characterisation (by SEM-EDX) from two rock painting sites in northern Chile, Tangani and Vilacaurani. Different pigments have been identified, specifically iron and manganese oxides, commonly found worldwide. The presence of minor elements, such as arsenic, is also observed. Analysis of possible sources (by ED-XRF) enables us to infer that arsenic came from water used as a possible diluent. These results bring new information about the paint technologies developed by the pre-Hispanic peoples in northern Chile.