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LactRirlclera
(02.07.2012 18:29)
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Penn State archaeologist Dean Snow, who wasn't part of the research team but has worked on some of the same cave paintings that were recently put to the test, was impressed by the results. "The basic findings are the sorts of things you could take to the bank," he told me. But he also acknowledged that the latest findings produce "three or four new problems that we didn't have before." That's an interesting approach for several reasons: First, the scientists don't have to depend on getting a reading from the paint itself, which may be contaminated or may not even be amenable to carbon dating. Also, the calcite deposits are scraped away, using a knife or a drill, until the pigment just begins to appear beneath it. "That does two things," Pike explained. "It means we stop before we damage the painting, and secondly it proves to us and our audience that these things are directly above the art itself." If you do not have a profile, click on Create new profile and you can have a profile in just a few minutes. Enjoy.
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