Making visible the invisible. A microarchaeology approach and an Archaeology of Color perspective for rock art paintings from the southern cone of South America

From the literature research review of studies that involved the physicochemical characterization of rock art paintings in Argentina and Chile, we evaluate the impact of this analytic approach in our understanding of these visual and material practices in the southern region of South America. We identify the techniques, protocols and sample preparation, the information obtained, and archaeological questions addressed with these analyses. Consequently, we propose the need for a microarchaeological approach. We stress the materiality and particularities of the rock art practice, as an action performed over continuously altered walls, which forms complex microstratigraphies. Moreover, we highlight the benefits of obtaining comparable results with the use of paintings on different supports and contexts to hold an Archaeology of Color that allows studying not only the meaning, but also understand the exploitation, production, and consumption of color, being the painted rock art one form of the final stage of a complex sequence related to color materials. •Physicochemical characterization or rock art paintings have improved our understanding of these visual representations.•Physicochemical characterization of rock art paintings from the southern cone of South America are limited to techniques and funds availables, between others.•Rock art paintings panels evidence complex stratigraphies.•A microarchaeological perspective in rock art paintings studies can improve their interpretation.•It is important to specify our archaeological interrogations before to analyze colors materialities.