[Aztlan] Specular Hematite ("Glitter Paint")

[David Hixson]

For those investigating this topic, you might want to
look at the research conducted on formative period
ceramics, where "specular red" hematite pigments are
an important diagnostic.  If I remember correctly,
this is also related to diagnostic vessel forms, such
as on red-rimmed tecomates.

Because "specular red" pigments are such an important
marker for both chronological and trade relations in
the formative period (for example look at the ceramics
of the formative pacific coast), I believe more
research may have been conducted on this topic for the
formative period (i.e., the "olmec"), and may
therefore be of use to those of you working on Classic
Period, such as at Teo.

-Dave
--------------------------
> At least on Teo. ceramics, the "glitter" in red
> paint is indeed
> hematite. Mica is exceptionally rare in Teo.
> ceramics. I too found
> myself wondering about the ID of the glitter in
> Rosalila's red paint.
> 
> Mary Hopkins
> 
> On Mon, 11 Feb 2008, kim Goldsmith wrote:
> 
> 
> > ¡Saludos a todos!
> >
> > O.k., I wasn't going to say anything about this,
> but
> > now I just have to ask since I keep seeing people
> > talking about mica in pigments down here.
> >
> > As most of you know, here at Teotihacan our red
> paint
> > on buildings looks like it has glitter in it.  I
> have
> > worked down here SOOOOOOO long (26 years) and have
> > been around so many of the great researchers all
> my
> > life that I don't have any idea who might have
> told me
> > this, but......I "know" (because someone I
> considered
> > highly reliable told me) that the red paint is not
> > just hematite, but SPECULAR HEMATITE, which
> naturally
> > has glitter-like particles when it rusts out.
> >
> > I am now curious about this after all the
> discussion
> > on the mica topic here, as we know that Teo. was
> > importing plenty of mica and could just as well
> have
> > added it to the pigment (although I don't think
> that
> > is the case).
> >
> > I would also like to know, as far as the Rosalila
> > Temple goes, if they are finding traces of mica in
> > colors other than red.  Even though I have looked
> > through most of the links, I don't remember them
> > specifically saying.  Naturally if "sparkles" are
> > appearing in other colors, they are an additive to
> the
> > pigments.
> >
> > You can answer me offline if you like, but I may
> not
> > be the only interested party for an answer to
> these
> > questions, and therefore we might all be better
> served
> > if the answers come directly to the board.
> >
> > Thanks so much!
> >
> > KIM
> >
> 
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