Implicancias tecnológicas del uso del yeso y la cal en el arte rupestre de La Tunita (departamento Ancasti, provincia de Catamarca): aportes a través de la experimentación con mezclas pigmentarias

Abstract

This paper presents the experimental research carried out in the study of pigmentary mixtures of La Sixtina shelter and El Hornero cave rock art pictographs, located in the sites complex La Tunita (Department Ancasti, Catamarca). The experimentation was tested and carried out with the aim of evaluating previous investigations, characterize materials properties, and tentatively highlight the main characteristics of the chaine operatoire involved in the execution of the large pictographs. Results obtained allowed to establish that the use of local surveyed natural gypsum -or aljez- gives very good workability properties for the execution of large pictographs. Additionally, the use of filler-type materials like calcite and lime is inferred, which in some cases would improve the material cohesion and substrate rocks, respectively. Finally, it was observed that the use of an organic component (cactus slime) added to the pigmentary mixtures would retard the gypsum setting thus improving the workability.