Physico-chemical characterisation of remains from a Bronze Age ochre-burial in Biniadris cave (Menorca, Spain)
Year: 2022
Type: article
Abstract: Red ochre pigments have been used since ancient times by many different civilisations on different continents. In the paper presented herein, ten manufactured artefacts and biological materials stained with a red pigment found in the Bronze Age burial site of Biniadris Cave (Menorca, Spain) have been characterised throught X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, Raman and infrared spectroscopy techniques, scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The surface analysis of the bones, hairs and ornaments allowed the chemical composition of the pigment used in the funeral practices and rituals to be unequivocally established as hematite-rich ochre. The finding of a gypsum preparation layer on a sample, below the ochre layer, suggests that it could have been used as a primer before sprinkling with hematite ochre. Given the excellent degree of conservation and the worth of this archaeological record for the study of the symbolic practices in the island of Menorca, these results call for further analyses on a larger set of archaeological artefacts to gain insight into the funeral practices conducted in this cave.
Language: English
Subfield: Archeology
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $2,130
OpenAlex ID: W4210796446