Published Papers by Joana Valdez-Tullett
Heritage Science , 2024
Prehistoric rock carvings are one of Scotland's most enigmatic and poorly understood monument typ... more Prehistoric rock carvings are one of Scotland's most enigmatic and poorly understood monument types. This article discusses the pioneering approach used by Scotland's Rock Art Project to enhance understanding of the abstract motifs through multiscalar computational analyses of a large dataset co-produced with community teams. The approach can be applied to suitable rock art datasets from other parts of the world and has international relevance for rock art reserach. Our analysis incorporates data from across Scotland in order to investigate interregional differences and similarities in the nature and contexts of the carvings. Innovative application of complementary analytical methods identified subtle regional variations in the character of the rock art and motif types. This variability suggest an understanding of the rock art tradition that was widely shared but locally adapted, and reflects connections and knowledge exchange between specific regions.
The Prehistoric Rock Art of Portugal, 2023
Only recently has it become possible to write a chapter on the Palaeolithic art of north-western ... more Only recently has it become possible to write a chapter on the Palaeolithic art of north-western Iberia. In the last two decades, the discoveries of a vast collection of mobiliary art, open-air preserved paintings and cave art have contributed to a better understanding of the local Gravettian period up to the Late Magdalenian. Whilst in Galicia these discoveries resulted from systematic academic research, in Northern Portugal they occurred mostly due to mitigation measures ahead of hydroelectric development-funded projects. This chapter will present and discuss the recent finds of Palaeolithic art in north-western Iberia, reflecting on the nature of depictions, whether naturalistic figurative or geometric character and consider the geographic and chronological distribution of the art. It will also reflect on the wider implications of mobility and cultural territories of the Upper Palaeolithic human groups inhabiting this region.
F1000 Research , 2023
The term 'Rock Art' is loosely used in this article to refer to prehistoric carvings and painting... more The term 'Rock Art' is loosely used in this article to refer to prehistoric carvings and paintings. Rock art research has changed profoundly in the last two decades. Partly, this is due to the introduction of more 'scientific' methodologies such as digital recording, to overcome the subjective nature of analogue documentation methods. Digital recording offers not only 'pretty pictures' but more immediate and quantifiable datasets and methods of analysis. As a result, new research implementing complex, multi-scalar and inter-relational analyses, which do not focus solely on the motifs or the landscape location, but encompass many variables of the rock art assemblages, have been successful in bringing rock art to wider narratives of prehistory. This article reflects on the interaction between rock art and digital archaeology, considering how the application of digital resources has changed the way we think, record and conduct research in this field. It will be illustrated by two main case studies from Iberia: Schematic Art in its painted form, and Atlantic Rock Art, a carving tradition.
Cambridge Archaeological Journal , 2022
The recent discovery of animal carvings in the Early Bronze Age burial cairn at Dunchraigaig (Kil... more The recent discovery of animal carvings in the Early Bronze Age burial cairn at Dunchraigaig (Kilmartin Glen, Scotland) prompts a re-evaluation of current knowledge of rock art in Britain. The deer and other quadrupeds represented in the monument are the first unambiguous depictions of prehistoric animals of prehistoric date in Scotland, and among the earliest identified in Britain and Ireland. This contrasts with the wellknown abstract carvings of rock art in this region, characterized by cup-marks and cup-and-rings. The discovery also reinforces the special character of Kilmartin Glen as one of the most original and remarkable Neolithic-Bronze Age landscapes of monumentality and rock art in Britain. This article describes the process of authenticating the Dunchraigaig carvings as part of the Scotland's Rock Art Project (ScRAP) and discusses their implications for our understanding of prehistoric rock art in Scotland, Britain and Atlantic Europe more widely.
Signalling and Performance: Ancient Rock Art in Britain and Ireland, 2022
Abstractions Based on Circles. Papers on prehistoric rock art presented to Stan Beckensall on his 90th birthday, 2022
Prehistoric Rock Art in Scotland: Archaeology, Meaning and Engagement, 2021
The term 'rock art' refers to marks with no known functional origin that are painted or carved on... more The term 'rock art' refers to marks with no known functional origin that are painted or carved onto natural rock surfaces. People have been producing rock art all around the world for over 40,000 years, and it is still made or used in certain places today, such as the Kimberley region of Australia. There are estimated to be at least 50 million surviving rock art images in the world. These have been made deep within caves, in natural rock shelters, and on rocky outcrops and boulders in the open air. Rock art is best known for the magnificent cave paintings of wild animals created in France and Spain during the last Ice Age, around 40,000-12,000 years ago, but most of the world's rock art was created in the landscape after the Ice Age. There are two main types of rock art. 'Figurative' rock art depicts things we can identify, particularly wild or domesticated animals, although images of people and objects, such as boats, weapons, or houses, are also common. Interestingly, over half of the world's rock art comprises symbols ('motifs') that do not resemble anything recognisable to us-this is called 'abstract' rock art. Abstract rock art is incredibly varied, ranging from simple shapes, like lines or circles, to elaborate and complex forms that often cover an entire rock surface. These motifs were undoubtedly meaningful to the people that made and viewed them, and they capture a wealth of information about past beliefs and values. Their abstract nature makes them challenging for us to understand and appreciate today, and this type of rock art is often overshadowed in public awareness and academic research by more impressive and recognisable figurative images. OPPOSITE: Knock, Dumfries and Galloway ©HES ABOVE: Close-up of cup-and-ring motifs at Ballochraggan 7, Port of Menteith, Stirlingshire ScRAP©HES LEFT: 3D model of cup-and-ring marked rock Townhead 1, near Kirkcudbright, Dumfries and Galloway ScRAP©HES WHAT DO THE CARVINGS LOOK LIKE? By far the most common type of prehistoric carving in Scotland is the cupmark-a roughly circular hollow in the rock surface, usually 2-6cm wide and 0.5-3cm deep. Cupmarks are often surrounded by one or more concentric rings, forming cup-and-ring markings. Also common are linear motifs, or grooves. These basic motifs-cups, rings and grooves-have numerous subtle variations, combinations and arrangements, such as rosettes (a circle of cupmarks surrounded by a ring or circle of cupmarks), or pennanulars (a central cupmark surrounded by one or more incomplete rings, often with a radial groove extending from the cupmark). Far from being simple and repetitive, these motifs can be assembled into incredibly elaborate and complex designs, and each carved rock is unique. Cup-and-ring motif with three penannular rings and two radial grooves. The Binn 1, Fife ©Joana Valdez-Tullett CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Cups with single or multiple rings and radial grooves. Drumtroddan, Dumfries and Galloway ©HES Arrangement of cupmarks and grooves. Ardoch, Highland ScRAP NOSAS Team ©HES Linear arrangement of cups, some with short radial grooves, and a cup with single ring. Grange 7, Dumfries and Galloway ScRAP Kirkcudbright Team ©HES Multiple cups arranged around a cup with four rings. High Banks 4, Dumfries and Galloway ScRAP©HES Central cup with multiple gapped rings intersecting with other cups and cup-and-ring motifs. Tormain Hill 1, Midlothian ScRAP ELF Team ©HES
PAST, 2021
About the newly discovered prehistoric carvings of deer, found on the capstone of a cist at Dunch... more About the newly discovered prehistoric carvings of deer, found on the capstone of a cist at Dunchraigaig Cairn (Kilmartin, Scotland)
Images in the Making. Art, Process, Archaeology , 2020
Cup-and-rings, cup-marks, penannulars and wavy lines, are some of the main motifs composing Atlan... more Cup-and-rings, cup-marks, penannulars and wavy lines, are some of the main motifs composing Atlantic Rock Art’s iconography. These symbols were extensively carved, during the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age, on outcrops and boulders of many regions across western Europe, including Britain, Ireland, Portugal and Spain. The homogenous morphology of the imagery was identified by a few authors in the 1950s (e.g. Eóin MacWhite) and it was used to argue for a common origin of the tradition, a suggestion that had never been systematically assessed. This chapter discusses the results of a research project set out to investigate the unity of Atlantic Rock Art in western Europe, through a multiscalar and interdisciplinary methodology. It will emphasise the results obtained at its smaller scale, encompassing different components of the rock art’s imagery, scrutinizing in detail the motifs, their shapes, morphological characteristics, carving techniques, which provided an interesting insight into the making process and Atlantic Art’s chaîne operatoire. The study demonstrated that there are many ways of achieving a similar visual result and that many of these techniques and other particularities of the designs are present simultaneously in distant regions. Furthermore, it argued that only a process of intentional teaching could explain the wide distribution of the carvings. This chapter focuses on the regions of the Machars Peninsula (Scotland) and Iveragh Peninsula (Co. Kerry, Ireland), whose rock was studied in depth, and whose similarities and differences demonstrated that these areas maintained a strong connection with each other, but also regional personalities.
Modos de Fazer/Ways of Making , 2020
Resumo: A designação Arte Rupestre Atlântica refere-se a gravuras pré-históricas comuns às paisag... more Resumo: A designação Arte Rupestre Atlântica refere-se a gravuras pré-históricas comuns às paisagens de vários países do ocidente Europeu. A repetição de características desde a imagética à implantação na paisa-gem, sugerem a existência de contactos entre sociedades separadas por largos braços de oceano. Este artigo sumaria os resultados de um estudo sobre Arte Atlântica, no qual foi aplicada uma metodologia inovadora e multidisciplinar na análise, a várias escalas, de um corpo de dados empírico, recolhido em 5 países. A observação e o escrutínio dos motivos, composições, técnicas de gravação e outras variáveis, permitiu abrir caminho a hipóteses interpretativas que visam explorar a natureza desta arte rupestre e a existência de uma rede ativa de agentes de transmissão cultural, que evidenciam a sua expansão por regiões díspares, lançando luz sobre a temática da conectividade durante a Pré-História. Palavras-chave: Arte Rupestre Atlântica; transmissão cultural; conectividade pré-histórica. Abstract: The term Atlantic Rock Art is used to describe prehistoric rock carvings which are common to the landscapes of Western Europe. The repetition of a number of characteristics, from imagery to landscape location, suggests the existence of contacts between societies which were separated by large water bodies. This paper summarizes the results of a study about Atlantic Art, in which an innovative multidisciplinary and multi-scalar methodology was applied to an empirical database, recorded in 5 countries. The analysis and scrutiny of the motifs, compositions, carving techniques and other variables enabled new interpretations about the nature of this rock art and active agents of cultural transmission and connectivity which enabled its widespread.
The term Atlantic Rock Art is often used to describe a type of prehistoric rock art whose iconogr... more The term Atlantic Rock Art is often used to describe a type of prehistoric rock art whose iconography is mostly based on circular motifs, such as cup-and-rings, cupmarks, penannulars, wavy lines, etc. This type of imagery is known to have been carved in the wider landscape of a number of modern European countries such as Portugal, Spain, Ireland, England, Scotland, France. Due to their morphological, but also locational, similarities it has been suggested that the carving traditions of these regions may have a common origin. This idea was initially proposed in the 1950s, resulting from a comparative study between Galicia and Ireland’s rock art, but it has never been systematically approached, until recently. Furthermore, despite Atlantic Rock Art’s long biography of research, it has often been ignored by mainstream archaeology as a valuable archaeological remain, and the majority of studies traditionally focus on regional scales of analysis, with little contribution for the understanding of the connections responsible for the widespread of the iconography.
This paper summarizes the results of a recently concluded research project looking at the wider picture of Atlantic Rock Art. It was initially set out to explore the differences and similarities between the rock art of the aforementioned regions and whether this cup-and-ring carving tradition is a global and unified phenomenon. Thorough fieldwork was conducted in a number of study areas in different countries and a robust empirical dataset was subjected to analyses derived from a relational multi-scalar and interdisciplinary methodology devised for the project. This comprised a number of variables, ranging from the small details of the motifs to the wider landscape. Amongst the different analysed variables, the scrutiny of the motifs, their shapes, morphological characteristics, carving techniques, compositions, behaviour and other variants, enabled inferences about the expansion of a style that encompasses more than morphological resemblances, open new avenues of investigation towards a better understanding of their inter-regional connections. Results demonstrated that an intense network of cultural transmission was in place, allowing Atlantic Art to spread across distant geographic regions, shedding light on prehistoric connectivity.
Archaeology with Art, 2016
During the mitigation measures carried out prior to the construction of the Foz Tua dam, a rock s... more During the mitigation measures carried out prior to the construction of the Foz Tua dam, a rock shelter was identified bearing several styles of rock art of different periods. The results of this preliminary study represented in this paper. The rock shelter will still be accessible after the construciton of the dam, as it is located outside the reservoir.
São apresentados neste paper/poster os resultados do estudo preliminar e identificação iconográfica dos desenhos do abrigo rupestre da Foz do Tua, ambos obtidos no contexto da investigação arqueológica relativa à minimização de impactes durante a construção da barragem da Foz do Tua (AHFT). Este abrigo ficará visitável após a construção daquela barragem dado que se situa fora da sua albufeira.
During the mitigation measures carried out prior to the construction of the Foz Tua dam, a rock s... more During the mitigation measures carried out prior to the construction of the Foz Tua dam, a rock shelter was
identified bearing several styles of rock art of different periods. The results of this preliminary study arepresented in this paper. The rock shelter will still be accessible after the construciton of the dam, as it is
located outside the reservoir.
Keywords: Prehistory, rock shelter with rock art, naturalistic art, schematic art, abstract art.
São apresentados neste paper/poster os resultados do estudo preliminar e identificação iconográfica dos
desenhos do abrigo rupestre da Foz do Tua, ambos obtidos no contexto da investigação arqueológica relativa à
minimização de impactes durante a construção da barragem da Foz do Tua (AHFT). Este abrigo ficará visitável após a construção daquela barragem dado que se situa fora da sua albufeira.
Palavras-chave: Pré-história, abrigo com arte rupestre, arte naturalista, arte abstracta e arte esquemática.
The north-western Iberian peninsula is a large territory .1), delimited to the south by the river... more The north-western Iberian peninsula is a large territory .1), delimited to the south by the river Douro and to the east by the International Douro and the Elba river. The Ocean represents the northern and western borders of the region. From Fisterra (in northern Galicia, Spain) to the extreme south-east (in the Portuguese region of Nordeste Transmontano) the landscape witnesses several variations, acquiring very different characteristics. From the Douro's mouth towards the north, the coast reveals a sequence of natural harbours where, at least since the late Bronze Age, seaman of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean interacted with the local peoples (González Ruibal 2004a). From the coast to the mountains of the inkria hills and plains are crossed by transverse hydrographical basins disposed in an east-west direction, and tectonic valleys oriented southnorth. The geomorphology acquires the form of an amphitheatre facing the sea. The granite is the dominant bedrock of the region, although there are large spots of schist, as well as regular seams of tin, gold, and silver ores.
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Published Papers by Joana Valdez-Tullett
This paper summarizes the results of a recently concluded research project looking at the wider picture of Atlantic Rock Art. It was initially set out to explore the differences and similarities between the rock art of the aforementioned regions and whether this cup-and-ring carving tradition is a global and unified phenomenon. Thorough fieldwork was conducted in a number of study areas in different countries and a robust empirical dataset was subjected to analyses derived from a relational multi-scalar and interdisciplinary methodology devised for the project. This comprised a number of variables, ranging from the small details of the motifs to the wider landscape. Amongst the different analysed variables, the scrutiny of the motifs, their shapes, morphological characteristics, carving techniques, compositions, behaviour and other variants, enabled inferences about the expansion of a style that encompasses more than morphological resemblances, open new avenues of investigation towards a better understanding of their inter-regional connections. Results demonstrated that an intense network of cultural transmission was in place, allowing Atlantic Art to spread across distant geographic regions, shedding light on prehistoric connectivity.
São apresentados neste paper/poster os resultados do estudo preliminar e identificação iconográfica dos desenhos do abrigo rupestre da Foz do Tua, ambos obtidos no contexto da investigação arqueológica relativa à minimização de impactes durante a construção da barragem da Foz do Tua (AHFT). Este abrigo ficará visitável após a construção daquela barragem dado que se situa fora da sua albufeira.
identified bearing several styles of rock art of different periods. The results of this preliminary study arepresented in this paper. The rock shelter will still be accessible after the construciton of the dam, as it is
located outside the reservoir.
Keywords: Prehistory, rock shelter with rock art, naturalistic art, schematic art, abstract art.
São apresentados neste paper/poster os resultados do estudo preliminar e identificação iconográfica dos
desenhos do abrigo rupestre da Foz do Tua, ambos obtidos no contexto da investigação arqueológica relativa à
minimização de impactes durante a construção da barragem da Foz do Tua (AHFT). Este abrigo ficará visitável após a construção daquela barragem dado que se situa fora da sua albufeira.
Palavras-chave: Pré-história, abrigo com arte rupestre, arte naturalista, arte abstracta e arte esquemática.
This paper summarizes the results of a recently concluded research project looking at the wider picture of Atlantic Rock Art. It was initially set out to explore the differences and similarities between the rock art of the aforementioned regions and whether this cup-and-ring carving tradition is a global and unified phenomenon. Thorough fieldwork was conducted in a number of study areas in different countries and a robust empirical dataset was subjected to analyses derived from a relational multi-scalar and interdisciplinary methodology devised for the project. This comprised a number of variables, ranging from the small details of the motifs to the wider landscape. Amongst the different analysed variables, the scrutiny of the motifs, their shapes, morphological characteristics, carving techniques, compositions, behaviour and other variants, enabled inferences about the expansion of a style that encompasses more than morphological resemblances, open new avenues of investigation towards a better understanding of their inter-regional connections. Results demonstrated that an intense network of cultural transmission was in place, allowing Atlantic Art to spread across distant geographic regions, shedding light on prehistoric connectivity.
São apresentados neste paper/poster os resultados do estudo preliminar e identificação iconográfica dos desenhos do abrigo rupestre da Foz do Tua, ambos obtidos no contexto da investigação arqueológica relativa à minimização de impactes durante a construção da barragem da Foz do Tua (AHFT). Este abrigo ficará visitável após a construção daquela barragem dado que se situa fora da sua albufeira.
identified bearing several styles of rock art of different periods. The results of this preliminary study arepresented in this paper. The rock shelter will still be accessible after the construciton of the dam, as it is
located outside the reservoir.
Keywords: Prehistory, rock shelter with rock art, naturalistic art, schematic art, abstract art.
São apresentados neste paper/poster os resultados do estudo preliminar e identificação iconográfica dos
desenhos do abrigo rupestre da Foz do Tua, ambos obtidos no contexto da investigação arqueológica relativa à
minimização de impactes durante a construção da barragem da Foz do Tua (AHFT). Este abrigo ficará visitável após a construção daquela barragem dado que se situa fora da sua albufeira.
Palavras-chave: Pré-história, abrigo com arte rupestre, arte naturalista, arte abstracta e arte esquemática.
meanings are pointed out.
In general, the engravings of labyrinths of Castelinho, despite their somewhat crude appearance, attempt to
represent the classical labyrinth that has been studied by various researchers at national and international level
over the last two centuries. Taking into account the archaeological context of the engravings, as well as their
morphological similarities with other compositions, the interpretation is that we are dealing with a type of iconography that was executed in the early days of the Roman occupation of the North-west of the Iberian Peninsula, but which seemingly reflects the beliefs of protohistoric communities.
Recent fieldwork developed to assess differences and similarities among the rock art of the western façade revealed that despite the resemblances there are striking variations in Atlantic Rock Art. In order to assess these characteristics and investigate the sense of unity between the regions, I developed a study based on a 4-scale methodology and empirical data documented in five different study areas. The scales of analysis focused on small details of the motifs, their making and carving techniques, revealing certain shared characteristics which implied that a mechanism of systematic cultural transmission was in place, contributing for the widespread of Atlantic Art. Furthermore, other scales of analysis assessed the rock media and the relationship between the latter and the motifs but also the wider landscape in which they were located. This multi-faceted investigation included human and computational valuations, combining methods ranging from 3D imaging records, GIS and Network Analysis, complemented with a sensorial and experiential perspective.
Results revealed a carving tradition which encompassed many resemblances but was still capable of maintaining regional personalities. The study demonstrated the importance of rock art in the narrative of prehistoric Atlantic Europe, contributing for a clearer insight into the connectivity and cultural transmission of the region.
This paper will focus on the methodology applied and the benefits of a multi-disciplinary and multi-scalar approach to the study of rock art.
This paper springs from a research project which was set out to explore the differences and similarities between the rock art of the aforementioned regions, and whether Atlantic Rock Art is a widespread, unified phenomenon across geographically dispersed regions.
The approach was based on a multi-scalar and multi-disciplinary methodology which enabled a dynamic perspective of an extensive set of empirical data. Results revealed an intricate network of relationships and connectivity between the study areas. Through the use of network analysis and principles of developmental psychology, the research demonstrated that these connections facilitated the cultural transmission of Atlantic Art. The paper will present a review of the project and explore some of the main conclusions, shedding light on Neolithic connectivity and other transformative processes that characterise the period.
This paper explores the temporal diachrony of rock art sites created by temporarily dispersed communities, materialized through the appropriation of carved and painted symbols on rock surfaces. Whilst the original meaning of these depictions may be lost, their shapes and particularly the places where they were created maintain degrees of importance throughout time. The addition of other motifs, the modification of symbols or even the destruction of some of these sites reflect their importance through adoption, adaptation and transformation, not only of their materiality but the natural landscapes upon which they sit.
This paper will discuss a number of rock art sites from Portugal that display obvious signs of later appropriations. In some cases, panels have been carved with images from the Palaeolithic through to the 19th century. Conclusions result from an empirical knowledge of the landscape and rock art involved, assessed through a landscape perspective.
Working with prehistoric creations, I often come across the word “Art” and my specific study object carries this notion in its name – “Rock Art”. Questions such as “What is Art?” or “Is this Rock Art?” are common.
Interestingly, archaeologists continue using this word to describe the archaeological record, even whilst admitting that “Art” is a western concept and considering the evidence provided by Ethnography reinforcing the idea that many societies relate differently towards their creations.
Lately I have been arguing that Art and Archaeology are complementary disciplines. Without aiming at the production of an analogy between the two fields or direct comparisons, this paper will explore the ways Archaeology can find support from Art in the interpretation of its evidence.
The paper will be illustrated mainly with cases studies from Atlantic Rock Art that is in itself archaeological evidence and bears the label “Art”. But is it?
This imagery can be found in several modern countries of the Atlantic façade. Although it has been widely studied by various authors, research seems to have been affected by a series of drawbacks that limited our current knowledge of the subject.
Atlantic Rock Art is the case-study of my doctoral project. The main question of my investigation is “What is Atlantic Rock Art?”. Common approaches to this prehistoric tradition tend to be of regional character and in my study I intend to enlarge the scope of the enquiry to all parts of the Atlantic Europe where this type of rock art can be found, contributing to a broader understanding of the phenomenon.
This paper will describe the current state of the art of Atlantic Rock Art studies and in which way previous research has limited the development of current knowledge. I will also explain the methodology used in my project to attain the objectives that I have set for my project and present some preliminary results.
This Ph.D project aims at the study of Atlantic Rock Art in a holistic way, ignoring the borders of modern countries that so often constitute an obstacle to the evolution of investigations. It is composed by several phases of research and in previous years some of these have already been scrutinized: the outline of the project, the analysis of bibliography review and its limitations as well as the methodology developed.
In this edition of PGRAS, the results of a fieldwork campaign conducted in Scotland will be discussed. The research involved the re-identification of previously known sites with rock art in the peninsula of the Machars (Dumfries and Galloway); the recording of some of the rocks with RTI and Photogrammetry techniques; the collection of a series of observations regarding the natural and morphological characteristics of not only the carvings but their landscape location. Furthermore, the results obtained through a number of spatial analysis developed in GIS were also contrasted with the reality in the field.
The main characteristic of Atlantic Art, which have been mentioned by numerous authors, is the homogeneity of the motifs, whose morphology is apparently very similar in all the countries where it can be found. Cup-marks, single and concentric circles, penannular rings, spirals are some of the geometric designs typically included in this group, carved on the wider landscape of the British Isles and Iberia. To a certain extent, similar shapes can also be found in the great monuments of western France and Ireland, stressing a global use of the iconography that has been considered a unified phenomenon. We should, however, question whether a simple non-figurative image, such as a circle or a cup-mark, can be used to verify the universal character of Atlantic Art, particularly during prehistory.
The present study set out to investigate the differences and similarities of Atlantic Art in the aforementioned regions, assessing the unity of the practice through a 4 scale methodology. The detailed scrutiny of the motifs, their shapes, morphological characteristics, techniques used in their execution and making were some of the aspects investigated which yielded interesting results and a deep knowledge of their structure and conception. These enabled inferences about the expansion of a style that encompasses more than morphological resemblances, and the inter-regional connections.
Although it is difficult to grasp the original intentions for the creation of rock art, the location of the sites seem to be of prime importance. In some occasions, the same places bear evidence of successive occupations, demonstrating that these were important for peoples of varied cultural backgrounds throughout time. The coexistence of prehistoric graphics with others inscribed on rocks in posterior prehistoric and historic periods is not rare, denoting an appropriation of space and on occasion of the symbols.
This paper aims to explore the diachronic of sites by temporarily dispersed communities, materialized through the appropriation of symbols carved or painted on rocky surfaces. The original meaning of the depictions may be lost but the places where the symbols were created pertains importance, suggesting an adoption, adaptation and transformation of cosmogonies that confer importance to these cultural, but at the same time, natural landscapes.
The paper will be illustrated with examples of sites such as the Rock Shelter of the river Tua (Portugal) where graphic manifestations from the Palaeolithic through to the 19th Century can be found.
Working with prehistoric graphic manifestations, I often come across the word “Art” starting with the notion of “Rock Art”, but also the question “What is Art”? It is interesting that archaeologists keep using this word to describe the archaeological record, even whilst admitting that it is a western concept that may have never existed amongst Past culture, as Ethnography has demonstrated regarding traditional contemporary societies.
Art History and Archaeology derive from a gradual process of replacement of Antiquarianism, sharing some interests. Lately, several lines have been written regarding the relationship between Contemporary Art and Archaeology.
Without aiming at the production of an analogy between the two fields, and acknowledging that no direct comparisons can be made, this paper aims to explore the ways in which contemporary art can aid Archaeology in the interpretation of the archaeological record and assess the humanity behind it.
The paper will be illustrated with the case study of Atlantic Rock Art, that is in itself archaeological evidence and bears the label of “Art”. But is it?
The focus of this paper is on the way in which the study of the practice and process of making might be used as part of interpretative archaeological methodologies to see texture and variation in what appear initially to be uniform assemblages. Two brief case studies on Atlantic Rock Art and ceramics from Iron Age East Yorkshire (UK) will be discussed, demonstrating the way in which the physical and technical gesture of art can change our understandings of both site-specific and portable art.
By employing the subjective, human experience of the practice of art in the present, we aim to access its effects in the past.
This paper is co-authored with Helen Chittock
As research progressed, I have refined some aspects of the project, mainly related to methodology and study areas. As a result, in this year’s presentation I will discuss some of the issues I had with the definition of my study areas and how I overcame those problems, as well as the definition of a methodology that should be coherent and that will be applied in geographically and geomorphologically diverse study areas.
Some preliminary results will also be presented.
In Iberia the study of Atlantic Rock Art began in the 19th Century and is still today a favourite subject object of researchers. Approaches to this evidence varied and often depended on political and social interests. The majority of the studies, however, are mostly descriptive and the aesthetic character of the manifestations has always been much appreciated, resulting in a lack of analytical depth and negligence of the socio-cultural contexts of the carved sites.
Nationalism and separatism have influenced the investigations failing to develop inter-regional approaches, often ignoring the evidences of neighbouring countries.
There is an absence of systematic and comparative studies that contribute to the subjects’ epistemological debate.
This poster intends to develop a brief critical revision of the investigation and scientific procedures conducted over time, in an attempt to understand in which way historiography may have influenced and limited the main interpretations of the phenomenon. I suggest future lines of holistic and interdisciplinary research aiming to a wider understanding of Atlantic Rock Art style in Iberia, focusing on its socio-cultural contextualization.
Assim, durante a fase de Estudo de Impacte Ambiental do Aproveitamento Hidroeléctrico de Foz-Tua foi identificado um abrigo com pinturas a vermelho num dos painéis, bem como algumas gravuras com motivos geralmente denominados de “Garras do Diabo” e fossettes.
Com a necessidade de levar a cabo algumas medidas de minimização estipuladas na Declaração de Impacte Ambiental, iniciamos uma fase de estudo endótico do abrigo, que passa não só pelo registo dos painéis gravados, como pela abordagem interpretativa das técnicas empregues na execução dos diferentes grafismos, articulados entre si e com o suporte da rocha e constituindo uma unidade que procuramos entender na sua multitemporalidade.
Estamos na verdade perante um sítio onde a densidade do espaço decorado é particularmente significativa e onde os sinais do “uso” e “passagem” humana ao longo do tempo são visíveis no próprio “desgaste” da rocha ao longo de uma diacronia que podemos numa primeira análise balizar fundamentalmente entre o Paleolítico Superior e o IIIº/IIº milénio A.C., não podendo contudo deixar de referir o que terá sido uma fase moderna/contemporânea de gravação do abrigo, à qual correspondem as inscrições de alguns nomes e datas, bem como algumas acções de picotagem de alguns painéis.
The aims for the Sightations galleries are to:
•Provoke a critical dialogue between art and science within an archaeological context.
•Explore and challenge conventions within archaeological visualisations.
•Provide a showcase of diverse artworks inspired/influenced by archaeology, and for archaeological projects inspired/influenced by art and the creative sectors.
•Bring together artists, creatives and archaeologists from diverse sectors and with overlapping interests, and by doing so provide opportunities for future collaborations.
•Showcase the latest advances in archaeological visualization techniques and ideas, while continuing to sustain more traditional approaches to archaeological visualizations and artistic expression.
•Engage audiences in new, innovative, exciting and unexpected ways.
Although some pieces may speak for themselves, this event aims to dig deeper into the creational process. We invite all contributors and TAG delegates to join us for coffee and cakes, while we informally talk about the exhibition and get to know the participants and their work in more detail. While Sightations’ contributors are particularly encouraged to participate, and will have the chance to specifically address their work (slots will be a maximum of 10 minutes long), the discussion is open to all those with an interest in the themes of Art, Archaeology, Digital Media, Film, Heritage, etc.
Sightations Café will take place within the galleries. If you are interested in taking part in this discussion, please let us know via the e-mail addresses provided, as spaces may be limited.
The process of making involves a complex combination of creative design and technical action, and an on-going dialogue between subject and object, the maker and the material employed.
In this session we aim to explore the humanity of the human hand (Leroi Gourhan 1993:240); its capacities, its uses and the gestures it entails, as well as the movements and feelings that the act of making and fabricating awakens in the interpreter. By conjugating these actions with the spatial and cultural contexts where they were performed, we intend to assess the reality of past societies: their things, their people, their places and how archaeological remains interact with this “built” past world, filled with significance.
Organisers:
Joana Valdez-Tullett and Marta Diaz-Guardamino (University of Southhampton) and Guillaume Robin (University of Edinburgh)
Email:
[email protected]; ; [email protected]; [email protected]
During the last decades, research on archaeological material (including rock art) has benefited from the application of a broad range of digital imaging technologies. Prominent amongst these are 2D image enhancement programmes (e.g. Photoshop, D-Stretch) and 3D imaging techniques (e.g. laser scanning, photogrammetry and Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI)). Implementation of these technologies has contributed to the recording of uncountable rock art sites and artefacts around the world, but is still limited due to the need of specialized knowledge or lack a funding and has predominantly had a ‘recording-approach’. Despite the production of accurate recordings and ‘pretty pictures’, relevant research questions that can be explored through these imaging techniques remain largely overlooked.Thus, the contribution of digital techniques to the advancement of research questions relevant to contemporary archaeological enquiry (e.g. process and temporality in the making of rock art; micro-topography of rock art panels) is still underestimated. This session seeks to explore the application of imaging tools for the examination of specific research questions on archaeological material culture such as artefacts/portable objects and/or rock art, rather than for simple documentation. Illustrating with examples of various contexts and chronologies, the contributors will discuss how these innovative technologies can be used to, not only reproduce images, but also contribute to their interpretation, meet research goals and solve complex archaeological problems.
Session Organisers: Joana Valdez-Tullett; Sofia Figueiredo Soares; Andreia Silva
Abstract: The nature of rock art’s representations, execution techniques, settings, poor understanding of chronology and lack of contexts or features akin to other types of archaeological remains, makes this a difficult subject to approach. Open to much speculation, it is mostly side-lined by mainstream archaeology. Despite its long research biography, rock art studies are typically developed within regional frameworks, raising issues regarding terminology, methodologies and theoretical backgrounds. The introduction of Landscape Archaeology in the 1990s, its new methodological and theoretical approaches, marked an important turning point in rock art research, highlighting the need to bring rock art into mainstream archaeology, given its social role in past societies. Recently, a new revolution in rock art studies began with the introduction of new digital recording methods and other computer techniques, as well as archaeometry and statistical studies, offering opportunities to re-think rock art, reconsider old questions, raising new possibilities of interrogation and further insights into its social and cultural roles. In this session we welcome papers from all chronologies and geographies about rock art’s research biographies; the potential and limitations of old and new approaches; how new approaches challenge old perspectives; the interplay between archaeology and ethnography in rock art studies; the role of digital technologies and what they bring to rock art studies beyond ‘pretty pictures’; the value of multidisciplinarity; the significance of new rock art finds to well established traditions; the role of archaeological theory in rock art studies; rock art’s social and cultural place in the past.
The discovery was made by Hamish Fenton who reported it to Scotland's Rock Art Project, who has been researching the site.
This is an Information Sheet about the find.