A Theoretical–Methodological Model for the Study of Ancient Chromatic Technological Systems
Conservation-Derived Sedimentary Materials from the Chinchorro Red Mummy Case No. 11040 (Northern Chile, ca. 3296 ± 210 BP)
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 24227888 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Juan Pablo Ogalde Herrera (0000-0002-0762-4751), Arnoldo Vizcarra (0000-0001-9911-1488), B Arriaza (0000-0001-9921-9253), Nieves Acevedo-Contreras |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 72 |
| Pages | e6667 |
| Publication date | 2026-07-14 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Estudios Atacameños Arqueología y antropología surandinas (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0716-0925 • E-ISSN: 0718-1043 |
| Publisher | Universidad Catolica del Norte - Chile (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.22199/issn.0718-1043-6667 |
| OpenAlex | W7167461158 |
| Language | ES |
| References cited | 60 |
We present an archaeometric study of four powder samples obtained during the conservation of a red-type Chinchorro mummy (ca. 3296 ± 210 BP) from the Ulhe-Morro collections in northern Chile. Analyses conducted using light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and infrared spectroscopy revealed the presence of iron oxides such as hematite, varying amounts of clay, organic matter, and trace levels of arsenic. We interpret these findings through an experimental model that employs “chemical markers” to investigate the material relationships linking social practices, artifacts, and the environmental context of the Chinchorro populations. Coastal sources of red ochre, Chinchorro mummies, river mouths along this coastline, Choromytilus shells used as pigment containers, and hematite found in ancient vegetal and camelid textile fibers underscore the long-standing and significant connection between this chromatic technological system and the Pacific coast of northern Chile.
Arsenic · chemical markers · Experimental archaeology · Hematite · northern Chile · red ochre · textile fibers · Archaeological and Geological Studies · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Cultural Heritage Materials Analysis
Mindful technology
A review of the source, behaviour and distribution of arsenic in natural waters
Ocre, hematites y óxido de hierro
Archaeometric analysis of ceramic production in Tiwanaku state ( c .500–1000 ce )
Living in poisoning environments
Polimorfismos del gen Arsénico 3 Metiltransferasa (As3MT) y la eficiencia urinaria del metabolismo del arsénico en una población del norte de México
Bienes Funerarios Del Cementerio Chinchorro Morro 1
The archaeometry of ochre sensu lato
Chemical analyses of colors in the Cabuza phase ceramics (900–1200 CE), Azapa Valley, northern Chile
Chemical and mineralogical characteristics of the pigments of archaeological rupestrian paintings from the Salão dos Índios site, in Piauí, Brazil
Archaeometric analysis of prehistoric rupestrian paintings from the Toca do Estevo III site, Piauí, Brazil
Archaeometric analysis of textile fiber dyes from the Topater-1 Site, Calama, northern Chile, Middle Formative Period (ca. 400–200 BCE)
To move or not to move? Manganese oxide procurement during the Archaic period in the Atacama Desert
Skeletal arsenic of the pre-Columbian population of Caleta Vitor, northern Chile
Exploring chronic arsenic poisoning in pre-Columbian Chilean mummies
Human adaptation to arsenic in Andean populations of the Atacama Desert
Agency and Archaeology
Iron isotope analysis of red and black pigments on pottery in Nasca, Peru
An archaeometric approach to biocontamination with manganese pigments in ancient marine hunter-gatherers of the Atacama Desert
Chaine Operatoire; The Concept and Its Applications
Minería Y Metalurgia en La Costa Arreica De La Región De Antofagasta, Norte De Chile
Evidencia arqueométrica del uso del manganeso en artefactos asociados a la cultura Chinchorro
Temprana Complejidad Funeraria de la Cultura Chinchorro (Norte de Chile)
Aproximación arqueométrica a la presencia de ocres en cementerios del área de Calama durante el Período Formativo Medio (500 AC-100 DC), norte de Chile
Caracterización Química Y Mineralógica De Los Materiales Grises De Los Cuerpos Chinchorro Modelados
Arseniasis as an Environmental Hypothetical Explanation for the Origin of the Oldest Artificial Mummification Practice in the World
Síntesis Y Propuestas Para El Período Arcaico en La Costa Del Extremo Norte De Chile
Patrones De Momificación Chinchorro en Las Colecciones Uhle Y Nielsen
Practice and history in archaeology
Early Evidence (ca. 12,000 BP) for Iron Oxide Mining on the Pacific Coast of South America
Differential Mortuary Treatment among the Andean Chinchorro Fishers
Materials against materiality
Painting personhood
| Highly cited | No |
|---|