spe_NY
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Re: Rock art. so what's that all about then. ?
Jul 20, 2010, 22:31
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Hi,
swagg.org are publishing 2 new reports today, the first one includes a new view on rock art by Tim Laurie.
The direct links are: http://www.swaag.org/publicationsTL15CFS.htm
and http://www.swaag.org/publicationsSWAAG02.htm
I hope you find them informative
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The Eternal
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Re: Rock art. so what's that all about then. ?
Jul 20, 2010, 22:31
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Hob wrote: Jane wrote: Nazca
I am trying soooooo hard not to chew my liver in envy. But I might have to indulge in a nibble...
You make sure you take the paints :)
Jane,
Like Hob says, don't forget yer brushes. Look forward to seeing your paintings, as always. Very individual, and refreshing.
Regards, to Moth as well,
TE.
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megadread
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Re: Rock art. so what's that all about then. ?
Jul 20, 2010, 22:39
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spe_NY wrote:
Thanks for the links. ; )
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Littlestone
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Re: Rock art. so what's that all about then. ?
Jul 21, 2010, 05:23
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You know, the pregnancy idea is one I've only heard once before, and that was in relation to some carvings at Buttony in Nbland, where it was suggested that they looked distinctly as if the carver was female. The idea was even put forward that the rings represented the number of finger widths needed to describe vulvic dilation, and that this explained why there are hardly ever more than 8 rings.
Ah, that's really interesting. And perhaps we shouldn't put too much emphasis on how many rings there are in relation to the periods of pregnancy (my first thought) as different cultures have different ways of counting those periods (traditionally ten [months] in Japan). What strikes me more than anything with the ring and line motif (sorry, I don't know what the correct terms are here) is that they stand, pictorially, in balance and equally important. That's extraordinary when you think about. Normally, if a line cut through several circles you'd be left with the impression that the line was the dominant feature; but here it isn't - both line and rings appear equally balanced.
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StoneGloves
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Re: Rock art. so what's that all about then. ?
Jul 21, 2010, 08:53
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"both line and rings appear equally balanced." Man/lady, perhaps.
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Littlestone
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Re: Rock art. so what's that all about then. ?
Jul 21, 2010, 09:29
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StoneGloves wrote: "both line and rings appear equally balanced." Man/lady, perhaps.
Hadn't thought about that Mr S. A sort of Western yin-yang symbol :-)
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faerygirl
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Re: Rock art. so what's that all about then. ?
Jul 21, 2010, 12:23
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faerygirl wrote: The few things I have read (and maybe it just says a lot about the kind of books I opt for!) suggest its all part of Shaman rituals. If you take certain hallucinogens then you see concentric rings, squiggly lines, zigzags etc.
These were (and still are in areas where there are still shamans) often believed to be the ACTUAL next dimention or the land of the dead or the spirits of wherever you were trying to get to.
When Graham Hancock took ibogaine as study for the book Supernatural he saw the exact symbols that are often seen as rock art in ancient caves such a wiggly lines, serpents and circles.
Oh and that whatisname... Narby, he did experiments with ayahuasca and saw giant snakes as well as recurring geometric patterns. I think these patterns became so important to the people as a connection to other dimentions that they were used at stone circles to help invoke the same spirits.
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Chris Collyer
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Re: Rock art. so what's that all about then. ?
Jul 21, 2010, 13:00
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The picture of cup and rings about three quarters of the way down the first link is amazing (Photo 18: Libya. Messak. Cup and Ring marked rock above decorated rock Shelter). You could change the sand in the background for pasture and it wouldn't look out of place in Northumberland or Scotland.
-Chris
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StoneGloves
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Re: Rock art. so what's that all about then. ?
Jul 21, 2010, 13:27
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It's also close the to the old school crop circle glyphs. In that community someone has just dug up an article about 1932 formations. (There were no students in those days). It is daft to ascribe too much meaning to abstract rock art symbols, probably. What do the designs on wallpaper tell us about a culture? Not a great deal ...
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billb
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Re: Rock art. so what's that all about then. ?
Jul 21, 2010, 14:02
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Hi, its a real big conundrum rock art. I'm sorry to say I've not read through al the replies so might be saying somethings already addressed in what is clearly a busy thread.
My feelings, for what they're worth, are that the importance of landscape rock art (rather than that in tombs) to the people around at the time the different peckings and carvings were made works on two important levels
1 is in its location in the landscape and whether there are key views or transitions in views when approaching and leaving the rock art locations (as Richard Bradley theorised around Kilmartin where he identified the locations as being where a new view revealed itself to someone walking to the rock art). They may therefore be important as both communal markers and rights of way markers communicating messages about who lives in the land to travellers.
2 is in the original act of making the rock art which may have been a social/communal event in itself possibly relating to social and ritual events, and possibly involving storytelling, initiation and/or ceremony.
Cheers, Bill
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