[Paper] A review of radiometric dating and pigment characterizations of rock art in Indonesia

via Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 21 June 2021: A review paper on Indonesian rock art by Mualliful Ilmi et al.

Over the past decades, physicochemical-based analyses have been widely utilized to study many aspects of rock art, including the composition, morphology, topology, optical and electronic properties, and radiometric age. However, these analyses of rock art are still in the initial stages in Indonesia. To the best of our knowledge, studies of rock art in Indonesia have been dominated by work in the fields of anthropology and archeology. Only a few reports have described the physicochemical properties and radiometric data of rock art in Indonesia, despite the diversity and large number of rock art sites in Indonesia. It has been reported that some of the oldest rock art images have been discovered in Indonesia. Hence, extensive study should be devoted to improving our understanding of rock art in Indonesia, especially the physicochemical properties of the rock art. Herein, we provide a comprehensive review of rock art studies in Indonesia, especially those related to recent radiometric dating and pigment characterizations. We also briefly summarize several studies on the archaeological and anthropological contexts of the rock art in Indonesia. This work could be the basis for the further development of rock art investigations in Indonesia. Furthermore, the present physicochemical study of rock art in Indonesia is primarily carried out by ex situ analysis, which may damage rock art sites. Therefore, it is recommended to introduce portable instruments for in situ analysis to preserve rock art sites. The analysis of weathering of rock art is also urgently needed to define the weathering process and the appropriate conservation strategy.

Source: A review of radiometric dating and pigment characterizations of rock art in Indonesia | SpringerLink