The contribution of VNIR and SWIR hyperspectral imaging to rock art studies: example of the Otello schematic rock art site (Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône, France)

This paper presents a methodological contribution to rock art archaeology by demonstrating the benefits of hyperspectral imaging, relatively new method, for understanding sites. It illustrates complementarity VNIR applied in rare cases archaeology, and SWIR implemented here unprecedented way panel. Applied schematic site southern France, Otello shelter (Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France), this method allowed discovery numerous figures invisible naked eye or unsuspected after image enhancement with DStretch plug-in ImageJ software, individualisation within complex superpositions, covered weathering products. Moreover, conferring spatial dimension analysis pictorial matter, thus allowing classification pigments at scale wall, imaging makes it possible automatically isolate different paintings carry out objective groupings on basis their composition. Finally, allows us precisely document, distinguish characterise products interacting painted figures. For all these reasons, appears essential highlight relative chronology syntax iconography, consequently understand its cognitive nature.