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RESEARCH PRODUCT

The nature of black stains in Lascaux Cave, France, as revealed by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Pedro M. Martin-sanchezClaude AlabouvetteEduardo López-tobarCesáreo Sáiz-jiménezSantiago Sánchez-cortésValme JuradoFabiola Bastian

subject

geographygeography.geographical_feature_categoryChemistryMineralogy02 engineering and technologySurface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy010402 general chemistry021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology01 natural scienceshumanities0104 chemical sciencessymbols.namesakeCaveFolsomia candidaOchroconis sp.Environmental chemistrysymbolsGeneral Materials Science0210 nano-technologyRaman spectroscopySpectroscopyFaecal pellet

description

We used surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy to investigate the chemical composition of the black stains threatening the rock-art paintings of Lascaux Cave, Montignac, France. The stains are mainly composed of melanin from the fungus Ochroconis sp. and the faecal pellets of the collembolan Folsomia candida. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy is a useful technique for revealing the structure of unknown macromolecules in cultural heritage research. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

https://doi.org/10.1002/jrs.3053