Characterisation of ochre pigments from Jawoyn rock art paintings of Arnhem Land using infrared microscopy
Project Member(s): Stuart, B., Thomas, P.
Funding or Partner Organisation: Australian Synchrotron Research Program (Australian Synchrotron Beamline)
Start year: 2014
Summary: Spectacular rock art sites of the Jawoyn people have been recently rediscovered in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. The sites provide an insight into Jawoyn culture and are currently being documented by an international team of archaeologists and scientists. This project involves the characterisation of the ochre based paints used in the works of multiple generations found at one of the Jawoyn sites. Synchrotron infrared microscopy will provide valuable data regarding the composition of the pigments already collected.
Publications:
Stuart, BH & Thomas, PS 2017, 'Pigment characterisation in Australian rock art: a review of modern instrumental methods of analysis', Heritage Science, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 1-6.
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Hunt, A, Thomas, P, James, D, David, B, Geneste, J-M, Delannoy, J-J & Stuart, B 2016, 'The characterisation of pigments used in X-ray rock art at Dalakngalarr 1, central-western Arnhem Land', Microchemical Journal, vol. 126, pp. 524-529.
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Hunt, A, Stuart, B, Thomas, P & James, D 1970, 'Characterisation of an unusual purple pigment from a rock art site in western Arnhem Land', Australian Archaeological Association 2015 Conference, Fremantle.
Hunt, A, Stuart, B, Thomas, P, James, D, David, B, Geneste, J-M & Delannoy, J-J 1970, 'The characterisation of Jawoyn rock art paintings in Arnhem Land, Australia using synchrotron infrared microspectroscopy', TECHNART 2015, Catania.
Stuart, B 1970, 'Shedding light on indigenous art: using vibrational spectroscopy to understand paint chemistry', 11th Australasian Conference on Vibrational Spectroscopy and 5th Asian Spectroscopy Conference, Sydney.
Hunt, A, Stuart, B, Thomas, P, James, D, David, B, Geneste, J-M & Delannoy, J-J 1970, 'Characterisation of ochre pigments from Jawoyn rock art paintings of Arnhem Land, Australia', International Symposium on Archaeometry, Los Angeles.
FOR Codes: Conserving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage, Archaeological Science, Chemical Characterisation of Materials, Archaeological science , Macromolecular and materials chemistry, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage and culture