The feasibility of dating rock paintings from Brandberg, Namibia, with 14C

The composition of six rock paintings from the Brandberg in Namibia has been examined by highly sensitive chemical separation in combination with chromatographic identification and by surface excitation probes. This study concludes that the paintings examined contain no organic material suitable for...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of archaeological science 1988-07, Vol.15 (4), p.463-466
Main Authors: Conard, Nicholas J., Breunig, Peter, Gonska, H., Marinetti, Guido
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
14C composition
Ethnology and art
Methodology and general studies
Namibia
Post-glacial art
prehistoric rock painting
Prehistory and protohistory
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Summary:The composition of six rock paintings from the Brandberg in Namibia has been examined by highly sensitive chemical separation in combination with chromatographic identification and by surface excitation probes. This study concludes that the paintings examined contain no organic material suitable for carbon dating. These tests differ from previous analyses ( van der Merwe et al., 1987 ) in that they attempt to isolate specific organic compounds. Our results suggest that the technique used to produce paintings at Brandberg was not like those described in accounts of rock and body painting which include the use of fats to bond inorganic pigments ( Rudner, 1982, 1983).
ISSN:0305-4403
1095-9238
DOI:10.1016/0305-4403(88)90043-X