Multi-instrumental identification of orpiment in archaeological mortuary contexts

• JUAN PABLO OGALDE ^[1] ; CRISTIAN O SALAS ^[2] ; NELSON LARA ^[1] ; PATRICIO LEYTON ^[3] ; CAROLINA PAIPA ^[4] ; MARCELO CAMPOS-VALLETTE ^[5] ; BERNARDO ARRIAZA ^[1]
  1. [1] Universidad de Tarapacá

     Universidad de Tarapacá

     Arica, Chile

     
  2. [2] Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

     Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

     Santiago, Chile

     
  3. [3] Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso

     Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso

     Valparaíso, Chile

     
  4. [4] Universidad Andrés Bello

     Universidad Andrés Bello

     Santiago, Chile

     
  5. [5] Universidad de Chile

     Universidad de Chile

     Santiago, Chile

     

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• Localización: Journal of the Chilean Chemical Society (Boletín de la Sociedad Chilena de Química), ISSN-e 0717-6309, ISSN 0366-1644, Vol. 59, Nº. 3, 2014, págs. 2571-2573
• Idioma: inglés
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  • This paper reports on an unknown yellowish mineral compound found in an archaeological context from Chorrillos cemetery (Calama, Chile) dating to the Early Formative period (800 - 200 B.C.). We used optic microscopy, SEM, EDX, ¹H-RMN, 13C-RMN, and infrared (IR) and Raman spectroscopy to tease out the chemical and molecular composition of the sample. The microscopic images show amorphous yellowish granulates with heterogeneous chemical surfaces. ¹H-RMN and 13C-RMN negative results show that the sample is free of organic matter. The SEM and EDX indicate the presence of arsenic and sulfur in the sample. The IR and Raman analyses suggest the presence of orpiment which is a toxic yellow arsenic sulfide mineral.