Image - Cacao Pod Vessel - K6706 © Justin Kerr FAMSI © 2003:
Francisco Estrada-Belli
(Vanderbilt University)
 

Archaeological Investigations at Holmul, Petén, Guatemala
Preliminary Results of the Third Season, 2002

Figure 35. View of multispectral imaging equipment set in Room 1 La Sufricaya Str. 1 in front of mural 1 and 3 walls.
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Imaging of the La Sufricaya Murals 1-3

This is a brief overview of documentation of murals 1-3 with multispectral digital camera by Dr. Gene Ware of Brigham Young University. The recording of the mural was done using high-resolution digital photography encompassing the visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum as well as several infra-red bands (Figure 35, shown above, Figure 36, Figure 37a, and Figure 37b). Prior work on the Bonampak and Naj Tunich murals demonstrated the benefits of a combination of visible color and infra-red bands to highlight red and green mineral based pigments as well as black charcoal-based underdrawing not visible with the naked eye.

Figure 36. Mosaic composite of high-resolution sub-frames of mural 3 wall in Room 1, La Sufricaya Str. 1, taken at the visible band-width.
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Figure 37a. Detail of high-resolution visible-bandwidth imaging of Maya figures painted on mural 3 wall in Room 1, Str. 1.
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Figure 37b. Detail of multispectral imaging of mural 3 in Str. 1 taken at two infrared band widths, 450 nm (left) and 900 nm (right) showing black drawing outline under color pigments (in Figure 36).
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The recording of the La Sufricaya mural 1-3 was approached in frames of approximately 20×20 cm in size for which 7-9 overlapping takes were recorded for each band of the electromagnetic spectrum. After all images were taken, a mosaic had to be created of all frames within the wall. Once the composition was thus re-composed overlapping multi-spectral images were cross-analyzed, enhanced, and new features identified. A total of 40 Gigabytes of image data were collected within the two-week period of field work. At the time of writing, and while the analysis is still in progress, preliminary results demonstrate successful enhancements for red pigments in the infrared range, as well as a distinctive black outline under the colored figures. A sample of a mosaic-image of the eastern wall and three infrared enhancements is included in this report (Figure 35, Figure 36, Figure 37a, and Figure 37b). In addition to the imaging of the mural, a scale color drawing was made of all painted areas in Room 1 by artist Jena Dejuilio. As it was expected, the process of drawing (and imaging) allowed a more complete understanding of the composition as some minute details became visible upon closer examination and heavy light. In addition to the Teotihuacán figures described in the 2001 report (Estrada-Belli 2001), a new area was noted in the top center of the main wall (wall 1-2) (Figure 52). In this area a large portion of the original paint had fainted away, but some red lines were still visible, perhaps outlining a human figure. Above this fainted figure, one can still see large feather plumes descending from what appears to be a headdress. This would suggest the presence of a central, standing figure with a large headdress, painted twice larger than any of the other figures. If this reconstructive image is correct, the scene may depict a ceremony in which a ruler or lord is acclaimed or is addressing a gathering of Teotihuacán warriors and a minority of Maya individuals. The possibility that this individual may be a foreigner is intriguing. Alternatively, the scene may depict a local lord in front of a number of emissaries. Such scenario would be consistent with accession ceremonies to which foreign dignitaries were often present.

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