Linking chronology and archaeometric analysis of pigments in prehispanic Belén style pottery from the Fiambalá region, northwestern Argentina (1200–1500 CE)

Abstract

We present the development of a reference database on the minerals identified in 45 complete Bel´en-style vessels (ca. 1200–1500 CE) from various funerary contexts in the Fiambal´a region, northwestern Argentina. The vessels are characterized by a black-on-red pre-fired bichrome decoration. They are currently housed in local museums, where only micro sampling is allowed. Raman spectroscopy results indicate the presence of hematite in the red pigment, while the black tones were systematically produced using Fe-Mn mineral mixtures; occasionally, carbon was also detected. The results presented here, combined with the chronology of the dated contexts and visual analysis, allow us to validate the profound continuity not only in imagery, techniques, and morphologies, but also in pigment production that persisted for over 300 years, a period marked by the Inca conquest. Our preliminary results demonstrate the potential of this analytical approach to link different lines of archaeological evidence with physicochemical analyses. This sheds light on the persistence of procedures employed and provides evidence of the coexistence of different recipes for paint preparation.