Abstract
An approach to documenting of paintings at Kapova Cave based on the use of photogrammetry was applied. Fragments by fragment have been recorded to capture the whole surface of the walls, even if they lack drawings. The use of a high-resolution camera and a high-performance computer allowed to obtain large size photogrammetric textures with details exceeding than at the photographs of paintings acquired earlier. A total documentation made it possible to reveal a new geometric motif on the northern wall of the Chamber of Signs. An almost invisible by the naked eyes sign was found after the colour enhancement.
The high resolution and large size of the textures made it possible to reveal a new image in the stone slip at the Chamber of Chaos with the paintings on the ceiling, photography of which is diffi cult. The use of photogrammetry allowed to captured the paintings on the ceiling in large groups. As a result, one motif was revealed. The painting is a geometric motif with some missing parts, two images with a same motif were previously known in the Chamber of Chaos.
Digital image processing also allowed to reveal the features of the distribution of coloured areas on the walls. After colour enhancement two major types of areas were identifi ed: light red and violet. Due to the features of their distribution and shape, it has been suggested that the light red is some natural ferruginous areas, while the violet colour corresponds to deliberately painted areas. That was confi rmed after the accurate imaging of paintings.
Keywords
Rock art, documentation, photogrammetry, Kapova Cave, Upper Paleolithic
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