Abstract

A combination of optical microscopy, SEM-EDS, XRD, and Raman Spectroscopy analyses were applied to a set of rock painting samples and pigments from funerary sites from Initial Late Holocene hunter-gatherer contexts in North-Central Chile. We identified manganese oxides for black and hematite as well as iron-rich clays for red pigments. The mineral and chemical particularities of the samples are discussed regarding their potential for identifying painting events in the rock art sites. We propose that this approach offers the possibility to discuss not only technical aspects of pigments technologies, but also re-painting of the sites as part of the process of rock art production. Also, the comparison with pigments from funerary sites gives some first ideas about pigments selection for different uses in the area.