STUDY OF MESOAMERICAN PIGMENTS OF THE PRE-COLUMBIAN PERIOD IN ROCK ART AND CAVE PAINTING BY THE NATURAL SCIENCE METHODS

Abstract

The paper investigates the methods for obtaining pigments that were widely used in the cave and open air rock art in Mesoamerica. Cueva la Conga (Nicaragua), the Casa de las Golondrinas (Guatemala) and Naj Tunich (Guatemala) are under consideration. The method of thermal hydrolysis methylation – gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (THM-GC-MS) was used to test and compare the chemical compositions to determine whether any organic binders survived which could be dated. Problems of the pigments component dating are described. The outcome of the study provides data that showed that the analysis of Mesoamerican pigments can be used as a chronological indicator, and the paints for cave painting mainly consisted of mineral pigments.

Keywords

• rock art
• pigments
• cave painting
• pre-columbian art
• mesoamerica