An approximation to the study of black pigments in Cova Remigia (Castellón, Spain). Technical and cultural assessments of the use of carbon-based black pigments in Spanish Levantine Rock Art

Abstract

a b s t r a c tSpanish Levantine Rock Art is a unique pictorial expression within the prehistoric European context. Located in shelters in the inland regions of the Iberian Mediterranean basin, this art form, which must be necessarily studied in the frame of the process of neolithization of this territory, still lacks direct dating, and therefore its authorship is still open to debate.In this paper we present the first characterization of black pigments used in the Cova Remigia shelters in the Valltorta-Gassulla area (Castell on, Spain) by means of EDXRF spectrometry combined with SEM-EDS and Raman spectroscopy. Our aim is both to identify the raw material used for the preparation of black pigments and to make a first approach to the cultural choices involved in its use.The results are relevant for several reasons. Firstly, carbon-based black pigments have been identified for the first time in northern regions of Levantine rock art. Secondly, the recurrent use of black pigments in Cova Remigia questions the assumption of its restricted use in Spanish Levantine art. Thirdly, posterior repainting and graphic re-appropriation of black figures have been observed in Cova Remigia, giving rise to the combination of two colours, black and red, fact that is extremely rare in this rock art tradition. Finally, the identification of organic matter in the black pigments opens the possibility of radiocarbon dating.

Documenting the light sensitivity of Spanish Levantine rock art paintings

“…The arrow indicates the approximate location of the irradiated spot shown as a black dot. The result obtained for the red zones is expected since red pigments most likely are Fe-based since it is known that these pigments prevail throughout the Levantine rock art zone (López-Montalvo et al, 2014). These systems containing Fe-based pigments generally exhibit good lightfastness properties.…”

“…On the other hand, energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) and Raman analysis of these black figures has revealed the use of a black pigment of vegetable origin, an unknown practice in this area so far, and very rare in the rest of the Spanish Levantine rock art territory. The identification of this pigment opens the prospect to obtain a first absolute dating of these paintings whose cultural and chronological framework remains imprecise (López-Montalvo et al, 2014).…”

“…The most adequate shelter, scenes, and rock/pigment systems were selected taking into account variables including color and pigment composition derived from previous chemical analysis ( López-Montalvo et al, 2014); position and accessibility of the figures considering the limitation of the instrument; exposure of the depictions to light and other environmental factors. A total of six points were determined: 3 in red areas containing Febased pigments and another 3 in dark areas containing a black pigment of vegetable origin, most likely coming from charred wood.…”

Digital Image Analysis of the Visible Region Through Simulation of Rock Art Paintings

“…For the simulation of rock art paintings in laboratory, the sketches were painted based on the procedures developed by several authors (López-Montalvo et al 2014;Vicent et al 1996). In that way three different pigments were made:…”

Spectroscopic analysis used to uncover the original paint colour of the Helsinki Government Palace tower clock faces

“…Recent research using this methodology in the cultural heritage field includes the determination of Sibyks [17], rock art [18,19], bronzes [20] and miniatures [21]. The sample can be explored more extensively, as the combined techniques provide information about the distribution of either an element (SEM-EDS) or a compound (Raman spectroscopy) along the paint cross-sections.…”