X-RAY TECHNIQUES APPLIED TO SURFACE PAINTINGS OF CERAMIC POTTERY PIECES FROM AGUADA CULTURE (CATAMARCA, ARGENTINA).

BERTOLINO, S.R.A; GALVAN JOSA, V.; CARRERAS, A.; LAGUENS, A; DE LA FUENTE, G.; RIVEROS, J.

X-RAY SPECTROMETRY

John Wiley & Son Ltd.

Año: 2009 vol. 38 p. 95 - 102

0049-8246

<!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:595.3pt 841.9pt; margin:2.0cm 2.0cm 2.0cm 2.0cm; mso-header-margin:35.45pt; mso-footer-margin:35.45pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS), x-ray imaging (XRI) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques were applied to characterize and differentiate surface paintings of archeological pottery from the Aguada Ambato and Portezuelo styles (Catamarca, Argentina). Standard procedures are not always appropriate for such samples (paint layers are porous, nonplanar and discontinue). Image processing is necessary when chemical contrast is not discriminated. Soft x-ray lines (e.g. Fe L) are more revealing because those detected come from shallower depths, clearly depicting the composition of the paint layer. These styles differ in mineralogy and chemistry suggesting that they are two distinctive entities not only on their designs but also on thematerials chosen and the technology used. Aguada Portezuelo paints contain Ca (white), Fe–Mn (black), Fe–Mn–Ca (dark reddish) and Fe–Ca (reddish). The white ones correspond to gehlenite, a firing product (possible firing temperature ≥900–1000 ◦C); calcite and CaO occur in cases of firing temperatures