Abstract This paper offers an updated review of the variety of physicochemical analysis applied so far to Levantine rock art (Spain) to characterize the composition of the pigments, as well as the substrate and/or the natural coating covering these particular prehistoric paintings. This paper is part of a broader special issue evaluating the real contribution of scientific approaches to rock art research, assessing how they have improved our understanding of this particular heritage and the new research questions they open. In this context, and with a focus on Levantine rock art, our aim is to explore: 1. The guiding principles behind the different sorts of analysis conducted and published so far; 2. The non-invasive and invasive techniques applied to answer the research questions raised, and 3. If the result published as yet have met the expectations of rock art researchers. We also reflect on the potential, the limitations and the future developments of this sort of studies, as well as on the ethics and desirable protocols of applying invasive techniques to this UNESCO World Heritage listed archaeological remain. While the focus is Levantine rock art, the discussions raised by this paper and the experiences reported in relation to the various techniques used are of global interest, especially when dealing with open-air rock art.

中文翻译：

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对物理化学分析促进黎凡特岩画知识的潜力和局限性的批判性评估

摘要 本文提供了对迄今为止应用于黎凡特岩画（西班牙）的各种物理化学分析的最新评论，以表征颜料的成分，以及覆盖这些特定史前绘画的基材和/或天然涂层。本文是评估科学方法对岩画研究的真正贡献的更广泛专刊的一部分，评估它们如何提高我们对这一特定遗产的理解以及它们提出的新研究问题。在此背景下，并以黎凡特岩画为重点，我们的目标是探索： 1. 迄今为止进行和发表的各种分析背后的指导原则；2. 用于回答所提出的研究问题的非侵入性和侵入性技术，以及 3. 如果公布的结果还没有达到岩画研究人员的期望。我们还反思了此类研究的潜力、局限性和未来发展，以及将侵入性技术应用于这个被联合国教科文组织列为世界遗产的考古遗迹的伦理和理想方案。虽然重点是黎凡特岩画，但本文提出的讨论以及与所使用的各种技术相关的经验报告具有全球利益，尤其是在处理露天岩画时。