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Was the White Shaman mural painted as one planned composition?

Asked 28 Oct 2026 by ·Part of What does the White Shaman mural depict?·3 answers·0·0 following
Three answers, none aheadNone is ahead yet. See what would settle it.

Where it stands

Three answers have been proposed. None is ahead on the evidence yet. Three are still possible.

Why it matters

A narrative reading needs the figures to belong together; earlier archaeologists took Pecos River panels for images added piecemeal over long periods⁠[1]⁠[2].

Answers 3

Evidence: 1 for, 1 against
Still possible
Evidence: none yet
Still possible
Evidence: 2 for
Still possible

History

  1. Boyd & Cox: microscopy shows one colour order across the panel, black first and white lastFor: One planned composition, painted in a single episode
  2. Tyer: microscopy shows one colour order across the panel, black first and white lastFor: One planned composition, painted in a single episode
  3. Tyer: figures are interwoven, each over and under others, in one colour sequenceAgainst: Images added piecemeal over a long time
  4. Steelman et al.: microscopy shows one colour order across the panel, black first and white lastFor: One planned composition, painted in a single episode
  5. Steelman et al.: figures are interwoven, each over and under others, in one colour sequenceAgainst: Images added piecemeal over a long time
  6. Whitley: before the paint studies, archaeologists took the panels for accumulationsFor: Images added piecemeal over a long time
  7. Session 1: raised the question, proposed two answers and found one result bearing on its answers
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