Technological Practices in the Production of Cave Paintings: An Archaeometric Approach Using Experimental Archaeology

This paper was presented at the YRA Workshop 2025 in Budapest.

In the last decade, new information has been generated in South America on the technology of rock painting production using archaeometric techniques. This has meant an advance in the understanding of the materials and methods embedded in their production and has contributed to generating new questions about human intentionality derive from the visibility of certain physicochemical aspects. In Chile and particularly, recent work in the semi-arid north on the tradition of rock paintings, the application of archaeometric techniques has made it possible to broaden the discussion on the variability of methods of production through the identification and characterization of the raw materials used. Based on this, the present research, used the concept of technological practices, sought to approach methods of production, addressing microscopic and chemical attributes using SEM-EDS microscopy. Founded on experimental archaeology, different pigment mixtures were produced to evaluate the visibility of certain technological practices, such as pigment selection, grinding methods, extenders, and techniques, among others. The main results indicated greater variability based on optical microscopy, while SEM-EDS results tended to homogenize technological practices. Started on these results, we propose a discussion based on the advantages and limitations of archaeometric analysis and additionally the classical concepts used in the technological study of paintings, with the aim of generating a methodological discussion on the study of cave paintings.

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