Undressing the native mounted police: paint composition of a sorcery motif in Southern Cape York Peninsula
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Date
2014-12-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Australian Archaeological Association
Abstract
Paints have the potential to encode information in every part of their preparation and use
(in European parlance ‘chaîne opératoire’). Here, we report scanning electron microscopy
for both chemical and anthracological analyses, as well as synchrotron powder diffraction
results characterising a composite paint used to create a grey shirt on one of several Native
Mounted Police motifs at the Crocodile 1 Rockshelter on Crocodile Station, Quinkan
Country. Known to senior Traditional Owners as sorcery figures, the description of the paint
provides additional information regarding the selection of materials by artists whose
intention was to exercise power and agency in countering the violent attacks of the Native
Mounted Police during the 1870s and 1880s. © The Authors
Description
Keywords
Cultural objects, Paints, Scanning Electron microscopy, Diffraction, Synchrotrons, Queensland, Australia
Citation
Huntley, J., Cole, N., Musgrave, C., Rangers, L., Dotte-Sarout, E., Stalla, D., MacDonald, B., Brand, H. E. A., Burke, H., & Wallis, L. A. (2024). Undressing the native mounted police: paint composition of a sorcery motif in Southern Cape York Penisula. Presentation to the Australian Archaeological Association Annual Conference 2024, Cairns, Queensland, 3-6 December 2024. In AAA 2024 Sharing Archaeological Narratives Abstract Booklet, (pp. 50). Retrieved from: https://www.aaaconference.com.au/2024/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/AbstractBooklet.pdf