Archive for America

El Arpa en el Arte Rupestre Andino

Arpista Andino

Instrumentos musicales rara vez se han representado en el arte rupestre. Por lo tanto el descubrimiento de tres (quizás cuatro) petroglifos de arpas – en dos casos tocando por arpistas – en una pared de roca en el desierto de Atacama de América del Sur, es excepcional. Ciertamente son petroglifos de la época posthispana. Musical instruments have only rarely been depicted in rock art. The discovery of three (perhaps four) petroglyphs of harps – two played by harpists – on a rock wall in the Atacama Desert of South America is therefore exceptional. They certainly are Post-Columbian petroglyphs.

By Maarten van Hoek

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The Avian Staff Bearer

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Ariquilda-1

This paper investigates a well-known but rare icon from the rock art of the Atacama Desert. It concerns a group of anthropomorphic figures displaying a very specific bird-related element. For that reason Juan Chacama and Gustavo Espinosa speak of ‘hombres-falcónidas’, ‘raptor-men’, to describe this class of anthropomorphic figures. Remarkably, their interpretation seems to be generally ignored by several archaeologists and rock art investigators. This study presents a revaluation of the theory put forward by Juan Chacama and Gustavo Espinosa in 1997.

By Maarten van Hoek

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The Potash Sheep Shifters

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Shay Canyon Bighorns

The Southwest of North America is known for its rich rock art in which the image of the Bighorn is one of the most important zoomorphic representations. This study investigates the many manifestations of the Bighorn in rock art. The focus is on idiosyncrasies and possible transformations of the image of this impressive animal. It proves that in this respect especially Site 3 on Potash Road near Moab, Utah, offers so many shape-shifted images that we can speak of the Potash Sheep Shifters.

by Maarten van Hoek

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The Case of Guelta Oukas, Morocco

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Very recently several petroglyphs at the rock art site of Guelta Oukas in the Anti Atlas Mountains of southern Morocco were severely damaged. However, the mutilation was limited to two panels with mainly depictions of cattle and – moreover – to specific body parts of those zoomorphic images. In this paper I argue that this is not just another case of unwanted vandalism. Instead, I propose that the mutilation at Guelta Oukas could represent an instance of ‘negative’ rock art, involving the desecration of the images.

by Maarten van Hoek
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Rock Art at Ischigualasto, and more …

Cruz Sagrada

This paper discusses several aspects of rock art research in general, using the status of rock art research in the Cuyo region of western Argentina as a pilot study. A number of protected and unprotected rock art sites will be discussed, focussing on four interrelated issues: Issue 1: Have the locations of rock art sites correctly been published? Issue 2: Should rock art sites be accessible for all? Issue 3: Should the location of rock art sites be revealed or not? Issue 4: Do only academics have the right to publish information about rock art?

by Maarten van Hoek

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Chile, Photographic recording and digital enhancement

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Tracing

[CAA 2015 – session 3C abstract]

The digital recording of rock art has benefited of an increasing number of software solutions, mostly photogrammetry and the enhancement of pigments from photographs. During the last years we have utilized open source scientific libraries for enhance pigments in a currently under development software code named PyDRA…

by Enrique CERRILLO-CUENCA, Marcela SEPÚLVEDA




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15 years of Rupestreweb, 12 new papers online

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Rupestreweb

 

January-April 2015, twelve new papers on Rupestreweb, for its 15 years of web-presence; a rich overlook about: Bolivia, Brasil, Colombia, Cuba, México, Nicaragua Perú, República Dominicana.  Piedras sagradas, conservação, narraciones orales, murales policromos,  piedras pintadas, geoglyphs and so on…
Rupestreweb, Arte rupestre en América Latina.

by Rupestreweb


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Reflecting (on) Petroglyphs: Two Cases

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Parque Diaguita

Two instances of special petroglyph manifestations in Namibia (Twyfelfontein Valley) and Peru (Virú Valley), having very limited visibility, will be discussed in this paper.
Dos casos de manifestaciones especiales de petroglifos en Namibia (Valle de Twyfelfontein) y Perú (Valle de Virú), que demuestran de tener una visibilidad muy limitada, serán discutidos en este documento.

by Maarten van Hoek


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Chiza, Interpreting Digitally Restored Petroglyphs

Chiza petroglyph

Chiza Petroglyphs

The goal of this paper is to offer the interested reader a digital restoration and interpretation of the images of a vandalized petroglyph boulder located in the Atacama Desert, northern Chile. Its damaged face underscores the urgent necessity to ([photo])graphic record rock art sites in general. It is hoped that very soon a complete survey will be made of the Chiza petroglyph site and that the official survey will be made available to rock art researchers.

by Maarten van Hoek

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The Motocachy Pampa Disaster, Peru

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Motocachy Pampa


The UNESCO’s World Heritage List now registers almost a thousand properties. Only two percent of the World Heritage List comprises rock art sites. Regrettably 44 of those properties are in danger, which proves that being on the World Heritage List is not a guarantee that nothing will endanger the site. I will focus the discussion mainly on rock art sites in the deserts of western Peru.

by Maarten van Hoek – rockart@home.nl



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Rupestreweb, May-August 2013 new papers online

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Rupestreweb

May-August 2013, twelve new papers on Rupestreweb, the most interesting online Mid and South-America rock art review; a rich overlook about: Brasil, Colombia, Cuba, Perú, República Dominicana. Petroglyphs, rock paintings, research, archaeology… want you go further?
Rupestreweb, Arte rupestre en América Latina.

by Rupestreweb


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The Carcancha and the Apu

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Alto de Pitis

This book is the first to explain the exceptional relationship between unique images of skeleton-anthropomorphic petroglyphs and one of the most important Sacred Mountains of the Andes.
El sitio de arte rupestre de Alto de Pitis es el más importante en el Valle de Majes por su unión única con una Montaña Sagrada.

by Maarten van Hoek


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Rupestreweb, 17 new papers online

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Rupestreweb

January 2013, seventeen new papers on Rupestreweb, the best online Mid and South-America rock art review; a rich overlook about: Argentina, Bolivia, Brasil, Chile, Cuba, México, Perú, República Dominicana. Petroglyphs, rock paintings, research, archaeology… want you claim more?
Rupestreweb, Arte rupestre en América Latina.

by Rupestreweb

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Big Problems this Summer for American Rockart!

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This summer is a nightmare for the preservation of rockart in the American Southwest and West. Damages being done by a variety of mining and non-mainstream “science” groups may go unstopped without your interest and assistance immediately!

by Deb Huglin

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Encuentro Arte Rupestre PERU

Toro Muerto

Meeting Rock Art Perú (June 30, July 7) 2004. Lima-PERU. Programa.

by EPAR
right: from A. Núñez Jiménez A., 986, Petroglifos del Perú. Fig. 2561

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New Website on Rock Art in Bolivia

Vallegrande paintings

The Bolivian Rock Art Research Society SIARB has now a Web site. It informs in Spanish, English and German on current activities by SIARB, publications, its Board of Directors and regional representatives. In a “gallery” a map shows the distribution of rock art sites in Bolivia.

by SIARB – Bolivia

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Quebrada de Santo Domingo update

Quebrada Santo Domingo

It seems incredible to have to mention or hear so many times “lack of funds” when it comes to saving priceless heritage. As Ulf Bertillson, President of ICOMOS Rock Art committee has said “Such events should be prevented and can be prevented”.

by Melissa MASSAT

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Ancient Visions: the Tukudika People petroglyphs

Shoshone petroglyph

Trail Lake Ranch is pleased to anounce that Dr. Larry Loendorf will lead a week-long exploration into the rock art and culture of early Mountain Shoshone and Plains Indians.

by Jane Vander Weyden

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