| Table 1. Pigments |
| # |
Section |
Level |
Munsell |
Color |
Mineral 1 , 2 |
Notes 3 |
| 1 |
A1 |
M1 |
10YR 6/8 |
brownish yellow |
 |
quartz + jarosite (possibly feldspar) |
yellow pigment: translucent material occasionally containing large elongated crystals. The material contains some red crystals (cinnabar) as well as black-green grains. It also contains large amount of white and transparent grains. |
| 2 |
A1 |
M2 |
10R 5/8 |
red |
 |
cinnabar + quartz + jarosite |
(same as sample 1). |
| 3 |
A1 |
M3 |
10R 4/8 |
red |
 |
cinnabar >>> jarosite |
sample is basically composed of red (cinnabar) but contains also some yellow pigment and white material; the red is sometimes altered in surface (blackening) but large red crystals are almost intact. |
| 4 |
A1 |
M4 |
5YR 5/6 |
yellowish red |
 |
cinnabar >>> (quartz + calcite) > jarosite |
Brown: composed of red, yellow, white, and black. It contains transparent accicular crystals as well as fibers. The latter are coated with pigments. Very fine fibers are also observed in the pigment mix. |
| 5 |
A2 |
M1 |
5YR 5/8 |
yellowish red |
 |
cinnabar >>> jarosite + quartz |
yellow pigment: almost pure and fine; mix of pigments: yellow, red, white, etc: red is cinnabar; yellow has rod-shaped crystals. |
| 6 |
A2 |
M2 |
10R 5/8 |
red |
 |
cinnabar >>> quartz > jarosite (possibly feldspar & goethite) |
a mix of several pigments. Some granules are composed of single pigment (yellow or red), some others are composed of 2 or more pigments (red + white), yellow + white, etc. |
| 7 |
A2 |
M3 |
5YR 5/8 |
yellowish red |
 |
cinnabar >>> goethite + quartz > jarosite |
This is a mix of pigments. Some grains are large-layered grains: red -> yellow -> white. Porous yellow grain (granule) contains rod-like crystals. At interface between red and yellow layers, there are round and shiny black grains. |
| 8 |
A3 |
M2 |
10R 5/8 |
red |
 |
cinnabar >>> jarosite + quartz |
composed of light color granules (red + white + yellow or white and red and yellow) in the dark granules: red is dominant. |
| 9 |
A3 |
M4 |
10YR 6/8 |
brownish yellow |
 |
quartz >> jarosite + calcite + cinnabar |
pigment is predominantly yellow with very little of red, black and white colors. |
| 10 |
A4 |
M1 |
10YR 7/8 |
yellow |
 |
quartz >> plagioclase > jarosite + goethite |
light grains = mix of white and yellow; yellow is pure pigment. But some greyish granules have red, yellow, white, and some black or brown. |
| 11 |
A4 |
M2 |
10R 5/8 |
red |
 |
cinnabar >>> quartz + jarosite (goethite?? metacinnabar??) |
light grains: mix of white and yellow and red. Yellow: inhomogeneous yellow and white and red. Grey-reddish: red with some yellow and white. |
| 12 |
A4 |
M3 |
10YR 7/4 |
very pale brown |
 |
jarosite + cinnabar >> goethite + quartz > calcite + clay |
granules of color: (1) light: mix of white with red and yellow; (2) orange: a mix of very fine pigments (yellow and red) very little cinnabar; (3) yellow: light yellow and porous with some white and red. |
| 13 |
A4 |
M4 |
5YR 4/6 |
yellowish red |
 |
quartz + cinnabar + hematite + clay (montmorillanite) + jarosite |
a fine homogeneous mix of red and yellow. |
| 14 |
A5 |
M1 |
10YR 6/8 |
brownish yellow |
 |
quartz >> goethite > jarosite > clay (Mo) |
yellow: homogeneous and fine with very little of red, black and white. white light: white pigment with yellow. light grey: white and red and yellow. |
| 15 |
A5 |
M2 |
10R 5/8 |
red |
 |
cinnabar >> quartz + goethite + jarosite |
orange: mixtures of red and yellow. Dark grey: red and yellow and white and dark brown (black). The black may be due to blackening of cinnabar. Light yellow: white and yellow and red. |
| 16 |
A5 |
M3 |
5YR 5/6 |
yellowish red |
 |
cinnabar >> quartz + calcite + jarosite + goethite |
light color: mix of white, yellow and red. Yellow: fine and homogenous yellow with some red. Dark greyish red: mix of red, yellow and black. |
| 17 |
A6 |
M1 |
10R 4/4 |
weak red |
 |
cinnabar (+ trace of quartz & jarosite) |
orange: red and yellow (and black). Dark red: blackened red (HgS). |
| 17 |
A6 |
M1 |
|
|
|
calcite |
grey (fine and coarse): mix of clay and charcoal. |
| 18 |
A6 |
M2 |
2.5YR 6/8 |
light red |
 |
cinnabar >> quartz > calcite > jarosite |
light color: white and yellow. Yellow: fine yellow pigment (little red). Orange: inhomogeneous (red and yellow and black). |
| 19 |
A6 |
M3 |
5YR 5/6 |
yellowish red |
 |
cinnabar >> goethite + jarosite + quartz + calcite |
white: homogeneous and pure white. Red: homogenous red. |
| 20 |
A7 |
M1 |
10YR 7/8 |
yellow |
 |
quartz >> Pl + KF + Go + Mo |
yellow contains some red, black, and transparent grains. Light yellow: mix of white and yellow. |
| 21 |
A7 |
M2 |
10YR 7/6 |
yellow |
 |
quartz >> Pl + Mo + Ja + He + Ci |
orange: mix of yellow and red. Yellow: contains some red and white and acicular XHg. Grey. |
| 22 |
A7 |
M3 |
2.5YR 5/8 |
red |
 |
quartz + jarosite + Mo + He |
red pigment is fine, homogeneous and contains some yellow and white. |
| 23 |
A7 |
M4 |
5YR 5/8 |
yellowish red |
 |
cinnabar >> quartz + jarosite + calcite |
yellow is inhomogeneous and contains some impurities (fibers, black, transparent). |
| 24 |
A8 |
M1 |
10YR 6/8 |
brownish yellow |
 |
quartz + Pl + Fk + Ca + Mo + Ja + Ci |
yellowish brown. |
| 25 |
A8 |
M2 |
5YR 5/4 |
reddish brown |
 |
cinnabar >> jarosite + quartz |
dark grey granules are mixtures of red and charcoals and white and some yellow. Black granules are red in core with broken. |
| 26 |
A8 |
M3 |
7.5YR 6/8 |
reddish yellow |
 |
quartz >> pl + Ca + Ci + Mo + Go |
yellow pigment is fine, homogeneous and contains some transparent (glassy) crystals. White contains some yellow as well as some acicular and rod-shaped XHg. Red: fine, homogenous and contains some yellow and transparent grains and acicular XHg. |
| 27 |
A8 |
M4 |
7.5YR 5/8 |
strong brown |
 |
cinnabar + goethite + jarosite + quartz + montmorillonite |
contains blackened red and fibers and charcoal mix of white, yellow and red pigments. |
| 28 |
A9 |
M1 |
10YR 6/6 |
brownish yellow |
 |
quartz >> Ca + Ci + Pl + Go + Ja + Mo |
brown is a mix of yellow and red. Large greenish white. |
| 29 |
A9 |
M2 |
10R 4/4 |
weak red |
 |
cinnabar with traces of: Qz, Ja & Go (aluminum) |
contains blackened HgS and red and yellow and white. Gave dark red color after grinding. |
| 30 |
A9 |
M3 |
10R 6/8 |
light red |
 |
cinnabar with traces of: Qz, Ja & aluminum goethite |
light cream color that contains large red granules; red in color. White: homogeneous and fine. Red: very fine and homogeneous; gave nice vermilion color after grinding. |
| 31a |
A9 |
M4 |
7.5YR 5/6 |
strong brown |
 |
cinnabar >> jarosite + goethite + Mo + Qz + Ca |
fine brown powder gave yellowish brown color. Dark yellow contains large granules of red color (blackened HgS) that contain yellow, red and black. |
| 31b |
A9 |
M4 |
|
|
|
calcite >> Qz + Mo + traces of Pl & KF |
Beige (cream-pink) white of very fine grains that contain some brown translucent crystals. |
| 32a |
A10 |
M1 |
7.5YR 6/8 |
reddish yellow |
 |
quartz >> Ca + Pl + Mo + Ci + He(?) |
brown yellow: mix of yellow and ? |
| 32c |
A10 |
M1 |
|
|
|
quartz >> Ca + Pl + KF + Mo + Il + He(?) |
large rusty grains. |
| 32d |
A10 |
M1 |
|
|
|
calcite with traces of quartz |
white/pinkish. |
| 33 |
A10 |
M2 |
7.5YR 6/8 |
reddish yellow |
 |
quartz >> Ca + Ci + Mo + Go + Pl + KF + Ja |
same as 32. |
| 34 |
A10 |
M3 |
2.5YR 5/8 |
red |
 |
cinnabar >> Pl + Qz + Ja |
contains red and blackened red; yellow (pure and rod-shape); white. Pure light grey gave dark red color. |
| 35 |
A10 |
M4 |
7.5YR 5/6 |
strong brown |
 |
cinnabar >> Pl + Ca + Qz + Mo + Ja + He |
same as 32. |
| 36 |
A10 |
M5 |
7.5YR 5/8 |
strong brown |
 |
cinnabar >> qz + Ja + Mo + He(?) + Ca + Go(?) |
same as 32. |
| 37 |
A11 |
M1 |
10YR 6/8 |
brownish yellow |
 |
quartz >> Pl + Ci + Ja + Mo + (He + Go)? |
yellow color contains some red, black and white. Rod shaped yellow crystals are present. |
| 38 |
A11 |
M2 |
2.5YR 6/6 |
light red |
 |
cinnabar >> Qz + Go(?) + Ja |
contains red, yellow, dark yellow and grey. Red is mainly HgS but with some yellow and white. Yellow contains some red. Dark yellow is almost pure yellow. Grey contains red (and blackened red), black, yellow and transparent. |
| 39 |
A11 |
M3 |
7.5YR 6/8 |
reddish yellow |
 |
Go + Qz + Mo |
contains yellow, light yellow, pink and brown grains. Red pigment is present in trace quantity in the yellow. Red is present in the pink with white and yellow. Brown grain gave yellow. |
| 40 |
A11 |
M4 |
10YR 6/8 |
brownish yellow |
 |
Qz + Go + Pl + Mo |
same as 39. |
| 41 |
A11 |
M5 |
2.5YR 5/8 |
red |
 |
cinnabar >> Ja + Mo + Qz + He |
contains mainly orange (mix of red and yellow fine pigments) and some dark grey. Large red grain gave vermilion (very fine pigment). |
| 42 |
A12 |
M1 |
10YR 7/8 |
yellow |
 |
quartz > Go + Pl + Mo + Ja |
contains mainly pure yellow pigment but some grains have some red. |
| 43 |
A12 |
M2 |
2.5YR 5/6 |
red |
 |
cinnabar >> Ja + Qz + Go(?) + metacinnabar(?) |
contains mainly greyish pink large chunks that has red, black, white, yellow and some large fragment of transparent material. Some of the latter has zonation with the outer part porous. Brown-orange is composed of red and yellow with some black. Whitish grey large grains show red color when broken. |
| 44 |
A12 |
M3 |
10R 6/8 |
light red |
 |
cinnabar >> Go(?) > Qz + Ja |
same as 43. |
| 45 |
A12 |
M4 |
5YR 5/8 |
yellowish red |
 |
cinnabar >> Pl + Go + Qz + Ja |
mainly contains yellow with minor quantities of red, white, and black (charcoal). The yellow is coarse and translucent with some elongated grains crystals. |
| 46 |
CN |
M1 |
10YR 5/6 |
yellowish brown |
 |
cinnabar > Qz + Ja + Go + Mo |
pure yellow, trace of red and black. |
| 47 |
CN |
M2 |
5YR 6/4 |
light reddish brown |
 |
cinnabar > Qz > Ja + Mo + Ca |
Dark grey grains contain red, black, yellow and white. Orange chunks are mix of red and yellow. White chunks contain fine and porous material as well as undecomposed transparent grains. The white has yellow, red and black. |
| 47 |
CN |
M2 |
2.5YR 4/4 |
reddish brown |
 |
cinnabar > Qz > Ja > He + Mo + Ca |
|
| 47 |
CN |
M2 |
|
|
|
cinnabar > Ja + Qz |
|
| 48 |
CN |
M4 |
2.5YR 5/8 |
red |
 |
jarosite + hematite + Qz + Mo |
mainly contains orange, but also some white (porous with residual transparent) very soft and fine material. |
| 49 |
CS |
M1 |
10R 3/2 |
dusky red |
 |
cinnabar >>> Ja + Qz + Mo + Go (? aluminian) |
contains a lot of black (charcoal), red (and blackened red), yellow and transparent. Large red grain gave red color. |
| 50 |
CS |
M2 |
2.5YR 5/6 |
red |
 |
cinnabar >> Ja + He (disordered) + Qz |
contains yellow, black, white, and some red. Fine grey gave dark red color when ground. |
| 51 |
CS |
M3 |
2.5YR 5/8 |
red |
 |
cinnabar >> Ja + He + Qz + Mo |
contains orange, white, and black chunks. |
| 52 |
CS |
M4 |
7.5YR 5/6 |
strong brown |
 |
cinnabar >> Ja + Qz + Mo + Go (?) + He (?) |
contains chunks of orange, yellow, white and brown/grey. Orange is a fine mixture of yellow and red. Yellow is very fine with some red in it and black. |
| 53 |
CE |
M1 |
10YR 7/8 |
yellow |
 |
jarosite + Qz + Go + Mo + Il |
a second quality yellow (brown) is mixed with white and contains some brown grains. |
| 54 |
CE |
M2 |
2.5YR 5/6 |
red |
 |
cinnabar >> Ja + Qz + Go + Mo |
contains white, orange chunks. Fine fraction contains all colors. White is a mix of fine transparent, yellow, and brown. Orange is mix of yellow and red. Fine and xl grains gave brownish orange. |
| 55 |
CE |
M3 |
10R 6/8 |
light red |
 |
cinnabar >> Go(?) + Qz + Ja |
same as 54. Large grains of grey gave red. |
| 56 |
CO |
M1 |
7.5YR 6/8 |
reddish yellow |
 |
cinnabar >> Ja + Qz + Mo |
has yellow and white chunks. Fine fraction contains translucent yellow grains some red and black (charcoal). Fine yellow gave dark yellow color. |
| 57 |
CO |
M2 |
10R 5/8 |
red |
 |
cinnabar >> Ja + Qz + Go(?) |
fine fraction contains red and yellow plus some black and transparent (porous and undecomposed). Fine grey gave red when ground. |
| 58 |
CO |
M3 |
5YR 5/8 |
yellowish red |
 |
cinnabar >> Qz + Ja + Go + Mo |
fine fraction contains: orange, red, yellow, white and black. Orange is a mix of red, yellow and white. White chunks is a mix of white, yellow and brown. Fine brown gave brownish red. |
| 59 |
CO |
M4 |
2.5YR 6/8 |
light red |
 |
cinnabar >> Ja + Qz + He + Mo |
Orange chunk is a mix of red, yellow and white and brown. Fine fraction contains all sorts of grains (but major colors are red and black). White chunk composed of fine white, yellow and brown. Large red grains gave orange. |
Endnotes:
1. The major component of the sample is in bold. The symbols >, >>, and >>> are semi-quantitative measures of a particular phase, such that a phase before >>> is the major component of a sample (>60%); before >>, a minor component (10-20%); before >, an accessory component (5-10%), and after >, a trace (<5%).
2. Ja = jarosite, Ci = cinnabar, Qz = quartz, Go = goethite, Mo = montmorillonite, He = hematite, Pl = plagioclase, Ca = calcite.
3. Notes are based on observations made during preparation for XRD by Dr. Hamdallah Béarat. |