Non-destructive analysis of a pre-hispanic basketry collection from La Paz, Bolivia

Abstract

Pre-Hispanic basketry is scarce and at present, there are few analytical studies on these objects. This study presents an analytical investigation of a collection of ancient baskets from Museo Nacional de Etnografía y Folklore (MUSEF), La Paz, Bolivia employing portable X-ray Fluorescence and portable Raman Spectroscopy. The analyses were performed in situ with non-invasive and non-destructive methods. The chemical elements K, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Zn, and Sr were identified in all the samples. The principal component analysis tends to separate the basket pieces in two groups: one of them is related to stylistic shape of the Middle Horizon, Titicaca Lake basin, and the other was inconclusive. This was the first time that tinctures used in Andean pre-Hispanic basketry from the MUSEF collection were chemically evaluated and the results added historical and archaeological context to the objects.