Archaeometric study of mortuary offerings from Esquina de Huajra (Quebrada de Humahuaca, Northwestern Argentina).

I.L.BOTTO , M.B.CREMONTE, R.VIÑA M.E. CANAFOGLIA1,

San Pablo Brasil

Simposio; 1er Simposio LatinoAmericano sobre Metodos Fisicos y Químicos em Arqueología, Arte e Conservacao do Patrimonio Cultural; 2007

CNPq

The archaeometric study of different colour powders  (red, orange, yellow, green and blue) as well as necklace beads found as grave goods in three burials excavated in the Esquina de Huajra archaeological site (NW of Argentina) were carried out, for the first time, with the aid of  SEM/EDAX microscopy, X Ray Diffractometry and FTIR spectroscopy. The physicochemical characterization of the principal phases,  responsible for  the colour powders,  revealed the presence of  hematite a Fe2O3,  realgar  AsS, oropiment  As2S3, atacamite  Cu2Cl(OH)3 and azurite Cu3(OH)2(CO3)2, most of them highly unusual in northwestern argentinian archaeological mortuary contexts. Analytical techniques also permitted the identification of the necklace beads materials, turquoise (Cu(Al)6(PO4)4(OH)8 4H2O), carbonate rock (CaCO3), black shale (in particular glauconite  K(Fe,Al)2(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2) and phases related to the apatite group from bone as the main components.