Pierluigi Rosina

Fragmentary forelimb elements, including part of an ulna and the proximal region of a humerus, from the lower Barremian Papo-Seco Formation (Areia do Mastro, Cabo Espichel, Sesimbra, Portugal) are described and evaluated in the context of Early Cretaceous maniraptoran diversity. The elements were recovered in proximity within lagoonal–deltaic deposits, suggesting they may belong to a single individual approximately the size of a modern male turkey (Meleagris gallopavo). An additional element, identified as a carpal bone, was recovered from the talus deposits at the cliff. Morphological and size comparisons rule out a volant enantiornithine affinity and instead support assignment to a non-avialan paravian theropod. The combination of a gracile but unspecialized ulna and modest humeral development is consistent with a Paraves indet., maybe an early-branching dromaeosaurid theropod. Given the scarce record of small maniraptorans in Iberia, this material may represent a previously unrecognized basal European lineage. Although insufficient to erect a new taxon, the remains highlight the potential presence of endemic small-bodied maniraptorans in Barremian Iberia.

The rock art of the Serranía La Lindosa, located in southeast Colombia, consists of thousands of paintings that span the rocky walls in the transitional zone of the Amazonian rainforest and the plains of the Orinoco basin. To understand the time frame and mineralogical context of these paintings, chronostratigraphy, iron oxides and paintings were analysed at the Cerro Montoya Archaeological site. Use-wear mark analyses were performed on artefacts, and ATR-FTIR analyses were performed on artefacts as well as on the paintings on the walls. This study presents a chemical characterisation of the materials related to the use-wear marks and the temporal associations of those materials. The main use-wear marks identified include grinding, rubbing and scoring. Through ATR-FTIR analyses, the primary materials identified were hematite, ochre, and red earth. Human-modified materials were associated with dates as early as 11.88 – 10.11 cal ka BP.

Previous efforts to link Palaeolithic cultural records to specific populations through DNA analysis have focused on materials from archaeological floor deposits such as bones, sediments, and artefacts. In this study, we explore whether rock art, a spatially distinct expression of human activity, can also preserve DNA traces from its creators. We analyse DNA preservation in pigment samples collected in and around 24 rock art panels from 11 caves across Spain and Portugal, including simple marks (from nine sites), hand stencils (Maltravieso Cave, Extremadura, Spain), and figurative paintings (Cave of Altamira, Cantabria, Spain). We recover traces of ancient human mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, unaccompanied by faunal DNA, from a pigmented calcite crust at Escoural Cave (Portugal), as well as from an unpigmented cave wall sample from the same site. The absence of faunal DNA in both samples suggests direct DNA deposition through human contact. In contrast, three additional unpigmented samples, from Escoural and Covarón Cave (Asturias, Spain), yielded mixtures of human and faunal DNA, suggesting indirect deposition. Although our results do not conclusively link ancient human DNA preservation to the generation of cave art, we show that traces of human DNA can persist on cave walls for thousands of years.

Recent and ongoing fieldwork at Bacon Hole, located on the Gower Peninsula, South Wales, is being conducted by an international team of researchers. This work includes pigment analysis and a chronometric dating programme focused on a vertical painted surface within a side chamber. The painted surface is considered a product of human agency, specifically applied haematite. Originally identified in 1912 by Professor William Sollas and Henri Breuil as Palaeolithic cave art, the painted panel was dismissed by 1928. In September 2022, the painted surface, along with other potential paintings, was rediscovered. In April 2023, the First Art team sampled the pigments for organic residues, while a team from the University of Southampton collected samples from several calcite flows overlying the painted surface for uranium–thorium dating. As a scientific control for the initial dating programme, the First Art team, in collaboration with scientists from Nanjing Normal University, conducted a second round of sample collecting and analysis in May 2024. This paper presents a discussion of the history and archaeological significance of the site, along with the results of the pigment and dating analysis carried out in April 2023 and May 2024.

En este trabajo proponemos un registro de cuevas del sur de Iberia que presentan manifestaciones gráficas paleolíticas compuestas por una variedad de signos, predominantemente digitaciones y puntuaciones, trazos, proyecciones de pigmentos sobre formaciones geológicas, o marcas de color aplicadas sobre la superficie o los bordes de espeleotemas. Se han agrupado bajo el concepto de horizonte anicónico. Las dataciones de series de uranio de la Cueva de Ardales han confirmado la notable antigüedad de algunas de estas manifestaciones. Presentamos las cuevas malagueñas que muestran evidencias de estas representaciones gráficas. Aportamos datos sobre la técnica empleada en los procesos de análisis arqueométrico llevados a cabo dentro del proyecto First Art, y discutimos y evaluamos su marco cronológico y cultural en relación con las sociedades paleolíticas de la región.

Cueva de Los Postes is located in the southern part of the Spanish Extremadura region, in the Fuentes de León municipality. This study analyzed pottery found during archaeological excavations in Cueva de Los Postes. The aim was to determine whether the raw materials had common or separate origins and determine whether or not the origin of the pottery raw material was regional. In this regard, several pottery fragments were found in different phases (Neolithic and Copper Age) of the Holocene occupation of Cueva de Los Postes. These were analyzed using ATR-FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy). The analyzed samples demonstrated no strong differences in their composition. In order to identify a possible origin for the kaolinite of the analyzed pottery, six samples of clay sediments were taken from inside and around the cave and subjected to ATR-FTIR. This was done to compare their compositions and check for a possible correlation with the pottery. The analyzed pottery, from different stratigraphic units, shows homogeneity in raw material. This finding, and the analyses made of the regional sediments, confirm that the raw material was regional and that there was a continuous use of it.

The study seeks to unravel the intricate operational sequence involved in preparing prehistoric pigments for rock art within the Puerto Roque rock art shelter. Sixteen pigment samples were meticulously collected from specific figurative representations. Additionally, three ochre samples were sourced from the shelter’s soil. Employing a comprehensive multi-analytical approach, including Raman microspectroscopy, X-ray microfluorescence (EDxrf), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS), all nineteen samples underwent thorough analysis. Notably, darker pigments revealed a composition of hematite with the added presence of carbon. Meanwhile, one sample exhibited an orange hue primarily composed of goethite and bright red pigments predominantly characterised by hematite, as confirmed by Raman analysis. EDxrf analysis demonstrated an elemental composition akin to the three ochre pieces examined. Furthermore, ATR-FTIR spectroscopy suggested the potential influence of a heating process in enhancing red coloration, corroborated by spectral results from specific samples. This finding aligns with prior research, underscoring the technological sophistication embedded in early artistic endeavours.

The study seeks to unravel the intricate operational sequence involved in preparing prehistoric pigments for rock art within the Puerto Roque rock art shelter. Sixteen pigment samples, identified as Lab Code Puerto_1 to Puerto_16, were meticulously collected from specific figurative representations. Additionally, three ochre samples (Puerto_17, Puerto_18, and Puerto_19) were sourced from the shelter's soil. Employing a comprehensive multi-analytical approach, including Raman microspectroscopy, X-ray microfluorescence (EDxrf), Fourier-transform Infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), all nineteen samples underwent thorough analysis. The research unveiled a spectrum of distinct red pigments within the rock art depictions. The sampling strategy for the 16 panels in the Puerto region was meticulously designed to capture the diverse array of rock art manifestations, each presenting unique characteristics that warranted detailed scientific investigation. The selection of these panels was guided by the recognition of various artistic techniques employed in the creation of the paintings, the nuanced hues exhibited, prevalent erosion issues, potential effects of sunlight exposure, and the intriguing hypothesis of distinct chronological periods due to several superimpositions detected. Notably, darker pigments in samples Puerto_02, Puerto_10, and Puerto_19 revealed a composition of hematite with the added presence of carbon. Meanwhile, Puerto_08 exhibited an orange hue primarily composed of goethite. Bright red pigments in samples Puerto_01, Puerto_03, Puerto_05, Puerto_07, Puerto_09, and Puerto_11 were predominantly characterised by hematite, as confirmed by Raman analysis. EDxrf analysis demonstrated an elemental composition akin to the three ochre pieces examined. Furthermore, ATR-FTIR spectroscopy suggested the potential influence of a heating process in enhancing red coloration, corroborated by spectral results from specific samples. This finding aligns with prior research, underscoring the technological sophistication embedded in early artistic endeavours. The detailed understanding of pigment types and their preparation methods provides insights into the artistic choices and technological adeptness of prehistoric communities. Beyond the archaeological implications, these findings contribute significantly to the ongoing conservation efforts of rock art sites. The amalgamation of diverse analytical techniques showcased their efficacy in elucidating the intricate world of pigment preparation. Recognizing the unique microclimates at each rock art site that influence pigment preservation, this localised approach aids informed decisions in safeguarding these invaluable cultural resources. In essence, this study not only unravels the artistic past but also advocates for the sustainable conservation of our shared cultural heritage.

Pigments from several prehistoric rock art painting samples were analysed through a multiproxy archaeometric approach. These studies consider the geological aspects, related with the availability of raw materials, cultural aspects, and characteristics related to conservation – the possibility to find only part of the originally used pigments (e.g., the inorganic components). One of the most interesting aspects of the various studies of rock art pigments is the selection and manipulation of raw materials. The objective is to understand the technological innovations, essential for the development of human societies adaptation strategies, in particular the determination of the raw materials that were used in pigments and what changes have suffered; also questioning about the conservation aspects. The archaeometric analyses carried out, using different methods on pigment and ochre samples, showed that there are some elements that are recurrent (iron oxides, mainly hematite) and others that are specific in particular areas. Direct date cannot be obtained on rock art that is made with inorganic pigments. However, sampling and subsequent analysis have clearly shown that pigments were produced using tried and tested recipes that involved the use of sometimes organic binders. These different techniques, in addition to identifying the composition and the methods of preparation of the pigments, also help with the management of measures of monitoring and conservation of sites with rock art paintings. Each rock art site has a unique microclimate that influences the conservation of pigments and substrates, so it is necessary to perform archaeometric studies at a local level in order to help decision regarding its preservation. This Chapter explores the processes involved in the production of prehistoric paintings. The focus for discussion involves a number of rock-shelter sites that contain rock art within the western part of the Iberian Peninsula (Portugal), with particular reference to the sites that contain Schematic rock art, pretending to present all the chemical and mineralogical characteristics of sampled pigments from rock art sites in Portugal, and suggest that pigmentation was more than just applying paint to rock.