Multianalytical and multiproxy approach to the characterization of a Paleolithic lamp. An example in Nerja cave (Southern Iberian Peninsula)

Medina‐Alcaide, Ma Ángeles; Cabalín, Luisa Ma; Laserna, Javier; Sanchidrián, José Luis; Torres, Antonio; Intxaurbe, Iñaki; Cosano, Sonia; Romero, Antonio J.

doi:10.1016/j.jasrep.2019.102021

Cited by 9 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Only prolonged use, as well as a particular lithology of the stone, would cause the appearance of combustion traces such as rubefaction [ 70 ]. In this sense, a multi-analytical methodology for the proper characterization of these objects, through the determination of the combustion residue, especially charcoal and soot marks, has been recently proposed [ 19 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Nerja Cave (Andalusia, Spain), for example, some residues of fire have been found in a natural concavity on a speleothem ( Fig 1G ). A multi-analytical methodology has characterized this fireplace and its remains of ashes, charcoals, and soot, dated by C14-AMS between 22,500–22,200 years cal BP, in the Solutrean period [ 19 ]. In Enlène Cave (Ariège, France), fireplaces inside clay hollows excavated in the floor in the cave’s deep parts have been found ( Fig 1H ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, in the previously mentioned fireplace from Nerja cave, with a Solutrean chronology (22.5–22.2 ky Cal BP), the exclusive use of Pinus tp. sylvestris as woody fuel has been identified [ 19 ]. For the Magdalenian period, the use of Juniperus sp .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The conquest of the dark spaces: An experimental approach to lighting systems in Paleolithic caves

et al. 2021

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Artificial lighting was a crucial physical resource for expanding complex social and economic behavior in Paleolithic groups. Furthermore, the control of fire allowed the development of the first symbolic behavior in deep caves, around 176 ky BP. These activities would increase during the Upper Paleolithic, when lighting residues proliferated at these sites. The physical peculiarities of Paleolithic lighting resources are very poorly understood, although this is a key aspect for the study of human activity within caves and other dark contexts. In this work, we characterize the main Paleolithic lighting systems (e.g., wooden torches, portable fat lamps, and fireplaces) through empirical observations and experimental archeology in an endokarstic context. Furthermore, each lighting system’s characteristic combustion residues were identified to achieve a better identification for the archaeological record. The experiments are based on an exhaustive review of archaeological information about this topic. Besides, we apply the estimated luminous data of a Paleolithic cave with Paleolithic art (Atxurra in northern Spain) in 3D through GIS technology to delve into the archeologic implications of illumination in Paleolithic underground activities.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The conquest of the dark spaces: An experimental approach to lighting systems in Paleolithic caves

et al. 2021

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“…The same applies at El Pendo, where all of the analysed images are located on an 8 m wide panel. Although recent studies suggest that lighting systems (multiple spots for fixed lamps) could illuminate the entirety of this large panel at one time (see Medina Alcaide et al 2012; 2019), whether or not Palaeolithic people employed such a lighting system to view ‘the frieze’ in El Pendo is unknown. If it was not the case for El Pendo, in order to ‘read’ such a wide visual space with limited illumination, viewers must have moved along the wall from one end to the other to view its images in succession.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Upper Palaeolithic Installation Art: Topography, Distortion, Animation and Participation in the Production and Experience of Cantabrian Cave Art

Sakamoto¹,

Pettitt²,

Ontañon-Peredo³

2020

CAJ

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The physical nature of cave walls and its impact on Upper Palaeolithic image making and viewing has frequently been invoked in explanations about the function of cave art. The morphological features (convexities, concavities, cracks and ridges) are frequently incorporated into the representations of prey animals that dominate the art, and several studies have attempted to document the relationship between the cave wall and the art in a quantitative manner. One of the effects of such incorporation is that undulating walls will distort the appearance of images as viewers change their viewing position. Was this distortion deliberate or accidental? Until now, the phenomenon has not been investigated quantitatively. We address this here, analysing 54 Late Upper Palaeolithic animal images deriving from three Cantabrian caves, Covalanas, El Pendo and El Castillo. We introduce a novel use for photogrammetry and 3D modelling through documenting the morphology of these caves’ walls and establishing the specific relationship between the walls and the art created on them. Our observations suggest that Palaeolithic artists deliberately placed images on very specific topographies. The restricted nature of these choice decisions and the fact that the resulting distortions could have been avoided but were not suggest that the interaction between viewer, art and wall was integral to the way cave art functioned.

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“…Recently, the development of modern analytical methods has contributed to the growth of archaeology [2][3][4][5]. The most widely used techniques in the inspection, analysis, and dating of objects of heritage value include: scanning auger microscopy (SAM) [6], X-ray fluorescence (XRF) [7,8], X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), inductively coupled plasma coupled to optical emission (ICP-OES) [9], X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman microscopy, [3][4][5][6][7][8][9] nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) [10,11], and X-ray computed tomography (XCT) [12][13][14]. The application of these methods in the cultural heritage field has provided information about the spatial distributions of elements, structures of materials, the origins of objects, their usage, and the levels of degradation in artworks.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fast and In-Situ Identification of Archaeometallurgical Collections in the Museum of Malaga Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy and a New Mathematical Algorithm

2020

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This paper reports the use of an advanced statistical algorithm for the recognition and classification of a set of 30 archaeological metallic objects from the Museum of Malaga. In-situ laser-induced breakdown spectrometry (LIBS) analysis was performed using a portable analyzer. The coordinate-obtaining method provided the statistical weights of each element in the sample. A comparative study between the coordinate-obtaining method and the linear correlation method is also discussed in order to corroborate the applicability of the proposed approach to the field of cultural heritage. The possibility of fast identification based on the simultaneous comparison of all the spectra in the reference LIBS library while allowing the analysis of heterogeneous materials is the main advantage of the method. In addition, statistical analysis (Euclidean distance analysis and binary diagrams) suggested that differentiating between archaeological sites is feasible.

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Multianalytical and multiproxy approach to the characterization of a Paleolithic lamp. An example in Nerja cave (Southern Iberian Peninsula)

Cited by 9 publications

References 20 publications

The conquest of the dark spaces: An experimental approach to lighting systems in Paleolithic caves

The conquest of the dark spaces: An experimental approach to lighting systems in Paleolithic caves

Upper Palaeolithic Installation Art: Topography, Distortion, Animation and Participation in the Production and Experience of Cantabrian Cave Art

Fast and In-Situ Identification of Archaeometallurgical Collections in the Museum of Malaga Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy and a New Mathematical Algorithm

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