Unravelling the Gordian Knot: Combining technologies to analyse rock art in Pleito cave

Abstract

Pleito Cave is situated in the Wind Wolves Preserve in South Central California and contains complex polychrome rock art which the authors are currently analysing. The analysis utilises a range of technologies including pXRF, portable Raman, 3D laser scanning, RTI and layer separation to examine chemical composition, relative positions of rock art panels and elements, and the order of pigment layers. This paper describes the approaches being taken in this analysis, summarises the results so far and outlines the plan for the project.