Needle-fiber calcite in Kapova Cave (the Southern Urals, Russia): Influence on Upper Paleolithic wall paintings and genesis problems

Research on the Rock Paintings of Shulgan-Tash Cave reveals that needle-fiber calcite, a mineral formation, is influencing Upper Paleolithic wall paintings. The study found that hematite was the primary chromatic component in all drawings, while calcite, likely due to modern minerogenesis processes, was present in nearly all samples. A key discovery was the classification of cave drawings into transparent and opaque categories based on infrared analysis, with soot playing a significant role in paints visible under near-infrared light. The findings shed light on the genesis and conservation challenges of these ancient paintings.

Chervyatsova, O., Dublyansky, Y., Potapov, S., Pakhunov, A., Leonova, L., Glavatskikh, S., & Zhitenev, V. (2014). Needle-fiber calcite in Kapova Cave (the Southern Urals, Russia): Influence on Upper Paleolithic wall paintings and genesis problems. The Conservation of Subterranean Cultural Heritage, 265–274. https://doi.org/10.1201/b17570-33