Painting with urine! Ancient Peruvian culture used chameleon waste to create white paint for pottery more than 2,000 years ago
- Chamaeleon urine is thought to have been used to form white pigments
- Liquid excrement is thought to have been applied after the pottery was marked
- It was mixed with an indigo-based blue colourant for use on the pottery
- They held great importance and were often passed to children as a heirloom
Members of the ancient Paracas culture in Peru used chameleon urine to paint pottery, scientists have found.
The liquid waste from the reptiles is believed to have been used to create a white pigment.
Paracas culture thrived between 2,900 and 2,100 years ago and and is known for its colourful ceramics.
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Members of the ancient Paracas culture in Peru used chameleon urine to paint their pottery, scientists have found
Liquid waste from the reptile is believed to have been used to create a white paint which was then blasted in a kiln to fix it in place
Excavation of Paracas cemeteries unearthed unique pottery which has not been seen anywhere else.
It is believed these surviving relics held great importance to the native people and were often passed to children as a family heirloom.
Dawn Kriss, first author from the Brooklyn Museum, writes in the study: ‘In the absence of writing, ceramic and textile traditions represented the principal form of cultural communication across long distances and multiple generations.’
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She added: ‘Areas of white pigment on the sherds also contains large amounts of uric acid.
‘In these paints, analysis detected spherical white particles of the same chemical composition as those reported for a white pigment used in African rock art—recognised as originating from snake urine.’
The researchers then reveal that the morphology and composition of the white pigment was likely to be from the excrement of animals in the Chamaeleonidae family.
The most likely source, they say, is the Calumma parsonii species – known as the Parson’s chameleon.
Paracas culture existed between 2,900 and 2,100 years ago and and is known for impressive material culture and colourful ceramics
Excavation of Paracas cemeteries has unearthed unique pottery which has not been seen anywhere else. It is believed these surviving relics held great importance to the native people and were often passed to children as a family heirloom
Dawn Kriss, first author from the Brooklyn Museum, writes in the study: ‘In the absence of writing, ceramic and textile traditions represented the principal form of cultural communication across long distances and multiple generations’
The Pearson’s Chameleon (pictured) is thought to be the source of a white paint used by the ancient Peruvian culture known as Paracas who were famed for their elaborate pottery (stock image)
WHAT WAS THE PARACAS CULTURE?
The Paracas culture was an Andean society that existed between approximately 800 BCE and 100 BCE.
Paracas comes from the Quechua word para-ako meaning ‘sand falling like rain’.
They had an in-depth knowledge of irrigation and water management and made stunning contributions in the textile arts.
When the Paracas Necropolis was first discovered in 1927 by Peruvian archaeologist Julio Tello, each mummy was bound in a seated position; found with burial items, like baskets or weapons; and wrapped in a cone-shaped bundle of textiles, including finely embroidered garments.
Since the sampled individuals were mostly male, Professor Knudson suggests that future research may involve more females and youths.
The researchers also plan to further examine artefacts and mortuary evidence to build context for data on the Paracas people’s diet.
They also say that it was mixed with an indigo-based blue colourant by humans who were intentionally using the urine.
Potters in the Paracas culture would create their designs and mark it on the pottery before it was fired.
Colour was then applied afterwards, hence the term ‘post-fire painting’.
The research was published in the article Antiquity and scientists say the fascinating find needs to be studied further to understand its importance.
The researchers then reveal that the morphology and composition of the white pigment was likely to be from the excrement of animals in the Chamaeleonidae family
The most likely source of the pigment, they say, is the Calumma parsonii species – known as the Parson’s chameleon
Researchers have said that the chameleon urine it was mixed with an indigo-based blue colourant by humans who were intentionally using the urine
The Paracas culture was an Andean society that existed between approximately 800 BCE and 100 BCE. Paracas comes from the Quechua word para-ako meaning ‘sand falling like rain’
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