A New Record of Pre-Columbian Engravings in Urubici (SC), Brazil using Polynomial Texture Mapping Open Data

Philip Riris1 and Rafael Corteletti2

0000-0003-4244-7495 / 0000-0001-5606-9910

1. Archaeological Computing Research Group, Department of Archaeology, University of Southampton, Building 65a, Avenue Campus, Highfield, Southampton, SO17 1BF, United Kingdom. Email: P.Riris@soton.ac.uk
2. Centro de Estudos e Pesquisas Arqueológicas - CEPA, Departamento de Antropologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná - UFPR, Rua General Carneiro, 460 - 12 andar, +55 (41) 3360-5123, Curitiba - PR 80060-150, Brazil. Email: rafacorteletti@hotmail.com

Cite this as: Riris, P. and Corteletti, R. 2015 A New Record of Pre-Columbian Engravings in Urubici (SC), Brazil using Polynomial Texture Mapping, Internet Archaeology 38. https://doi.org/10.11141/ia.38.7

Summary

Panel 3A with sketch plan

In this article we evaluate the application of Polynomial Texture Mapping (PTM), a technique within Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI), to a group of pre-Columbian rock art panels in southern Brazil. Our case study, the Avencal 1 rock art site (Urubici, Santa Catarina state), is one of the largest and most recognised sites in the southern Brazilian highlands. This study is the first detailed analysis of the site since it was recorded five decades ago. The record produced with PTM is more complete when compared with preceding sketches. Furthermore, its utility as a prospection tool is underscored by revealing for the first time the existence of multiple eroded motifs. Interpreting the PTM data, we recognise several new aspects of the panels that have gone unnoticed. Discrepancies between the published plans and the panels are illustrated, as are hypothesised sequences of production for specific panels and multiple techniques of engraving used at Avencal 1. Following our study, it is clear that PTM has applications for both analysis and conservation of pre-Columbian rock art and beyond. This article is accompanied by the dataset produced from our project in Urubici, which is referred to extensively. The data files are hosted by the Archaeology Data Service.

Go to Table of Contents.

Features

NEARCH logo EU Culture programme logo

This article explores ways to develop communication of archaeology for differing audiences, one of the aims of the NEARCH project under the EU Culture programme.

 


 NEXT   CONTENTS   ISSUE   HOME 

Internet Archaeology is an open access journal based in the Department of Archaeology, University of York. Except where otherwise noted, content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 (CC BY) Unported licence, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided that attribution to the author(s), the title of the work, the Internet Archaeology journal and the relevant URL/DOI are given.

Terms and Conditions | Legal Statements | Privacy Policy | Cookies Policy | Citing Internet Archaeology

Internet Archaeology content is preserved for the long term with the Archaeology Data Service. Help sustain and support open access publication by donating to our Open Access Archaeology Fund.

File last updated: Tue Feb 3 2015