Blood-based binder revealed as secret to 2,000-year-old Chinese rock paintings' vivid color
A team of researchers from Shandong University discovered that the vibrant red color of the ancient Huashan rock paintings, dating back 2,000 years in the Zuojiang River Valley of China, was created using blood as a binding agent. The study, led by Meng Wu, examined samples from three of more than 80 locations, with 38 recognized as UNESCO World Heritage sites. Through infrared and X-ray imaging, they identified the pigment as red clay containing nano-hematite, while the binder was a mixture of lime and animal blood, likely sourced from childbirth. The murals, which appear to depict a fertility rite, were created between the fifth century BC and the second century AD. Archaeologist Jose-Miguel Perez Gomez expressed doubts regarding the childbirth-blood hypothesis, emphasizing the necessity for more thorough investigation.
Key facts
- Blood was used as a binder in ancient Chinese rock paintings, according to new research.
- The study was led by Meng Wu at Shandong University.
- The paintings are located in the Zuojiang River Valley, Guangxi, China.
- The pigment was red clay with nano-hematite; the binder was lime and blood.
- The artwork dates from the 5th century BC to the 2nd century AD.
- The site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2016.
- The team used infrared, X-ray, and proteomics analyses.
- Independent expert Jose-Miguel Perez Gomez questioned the childbirth blood claim.
Entities
Artists
- Meng Wu
- Jose-Miguel Perez Gomez
Institutions
- International Research Laboratory of Environmental and Social Archaeology
- Shandong University
- Journal of Archaeological Science
- UNESCO
- The Art Newspaper
Locations
- China
- Zuojiang River Valley
- Guangxi
- Huashan
- South America