Archaeometric analysis of textile fiber dyes from the Topater-1 Site, Calama, northern Chile, Middle Formative Period (ca. 400–200 BCE). (February 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ogalde, Juan Pablo; Berke, Heinz; Ogalde, Claudia; Ma, Qinglin; Min, Luo; Arriaza, Bernardo
• Is Part Of: Journal of archaeological science. Volume 47(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-02
• Subjects: Indigo -- Anthraquinone-type dyestuff -- Micro-Raman spectroscopy -- Headdress -- Atacama Desert; Archaeology -- Periodicals; Archaeology -- Research -- Periodicals; 930.1
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103735
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2352-409X

Abstract

Graphical abstract: We report the micro-Raman analyses in four textile headdress fibers (three blue and one red) sampled from the Topater-1 Cemetery of Calama, northern Chile, dated to the Middle Formative Period (ca. 400–200 BCE). The Raman spectra indicated the presence of indigo in the blue fibers and anthraquinone-type dyestuff in the red fibers. The sources of the raw dye materials were most likely non-local. Highlights: We present the first analyses of Raman spectroscopy in textiles of Topater-1 cemetery of the Calama area, northern Chile. In the headdresses, we identified indigo blue and anthraquinone dyes. We suggest a northern Chile and southern Peru Pacific coast interaction. Abstract: We present an archaeometric study of four textile headdress fibers taken from the Topater-1 Cemetery of Calama, northern Chile, dated to the Middle Formative Period (ca. 400–200 BCE). The colored fiber samples (three blue and one red) were investigated by micro-Raman spectroscopy. Results indicate the presence of indigo in the blue fibers and anthraquinone-type dyestuff in the red fibers. Based on geographical and botanic considerations we suggest that the sources of the raw dye materials were most likely non-local, suggesting a wide range of interaction during the Formative Period.