Technique for photography of lithic artifacts

Abstract

This article addresses the technique of photographing lithic artifacts, particularly those made of vitreous materials such as obsidian, which present significant challenges due to their reflective and translucent nature. The technique of fuming with ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) is discussed as an effective solution to improve the visibility of flake scars on these artifacts, thereby facilitating their archaeological interpretation. Although some archaeologists have raised objections regarding the costs and complexity of the equipment needed to apply this technique, a simplified design of a fuming device, developed at the Archaeology Laboratory of the Museum of Natural History of the University of Cauca, is presented here. This device is low cost and easy to build and operate, offering visual results superior to other alternative techniques. Photographic comparisons clearly show the improvement in the appreciation of lithic details after fuming, underlining the efficiency of this methodology.