| Abstract: | Minerals such as iron oxides and clays provide high tinting strength and improve the adhesive properties of pigments. In this study, we investigated the mineral composition of pigments from samples of San rock art. We used X‐ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy to determine the mineral composition and micromorphology of pigments. Results showed that the major minerals in pigments in San rock art are whewellite, quartz, gypsum, hematite, and various alumino‐silicate minerals. The red hue in the pigment is due to hematite; gypsum and clays provide the white coloration, whereas black might be due to amorphous manganese compounds. We believe that whewellite with globular habit was extracted from plant sap (e.g., aloe vera) and added to the pigment, perhaps as binder, extender, or whitener. Whewellite with needle‐shaped morphology was present in cracks that developed in pigments and indicated an early stage of deterioration of the rock art. We propose that conservationists should seriously evaluate any change in the environmental conditions at the art site (e.g., removal of vegetation to improve touristic view) because such changes might significantly increase thermal fluctuations in pigments and promote crack formation and hence the decay of the San rock art. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. |
