2018 ARARA Conference Registrations are now open! The Conference Dates: 1 – 4 June 2018
Conference Location: DoubleTree Hotel in Grand Junction, Colorado
Registration URL: https://arara.wildapricot.org/Conference-Registration
Field Trip Information: https://arara.wildapricot.org/Field-Trips-Overview
The conference will feature field trips, workshops, speakers, a banquet, and our wonderful vendor room.
Grand Junction is located in a beautiful valley at the junction of the Colorado and Gunnison Rivers and has many outdoor restaurants, a fabulous collection of outdoor art throughout the downtown area, and numerous orchards in the Colorado wine country (plan a couple of extra days to explore!)
Rooms for two are $119, and include free parking and Internet along with refrigerators and microwaves in each room. Reservations can be made by contacting the reservations department at 970-241-8888, or through the Hotel’s central reservations number at 800-222-8733. Be sure and identify yourselves by the Group name (ARARA) to receive our special group rate.
Airlines serving the Grand Junction area are United Airlines, American, and Delta.
Local members of the Colorado Archaeological Society (CAS) are providing assistance with the conference, led by the local team leader Doug Van Etten, with Jim Liewer, assisting the ARARA fieldtrip committee.
ARARA supports students, and is offering special assistance to those attending the conference. Student presenters (paper or poster), registered in a college/university level related program, will receive up to $500 to defray travel and accommodation costs, in addition to complimentary registration for the conference and a banquet ticket. Students attending, but not presenting will receive complimentary registration and a banquet ticket. Watch the ARARA web site for a special student information section, coming soon.
We look forward to seeing you there!
ARARA Annual Award Nominations Please consider recipients for the ARARA annual rewards. Whether it is someone who has provided great service to the rock art community, a wonderful photographer, an advocate for preservation, a great teacher, or an author of new rock art material we would like to recognize them. For more details on the ARARA awards visit www.arara.wildapricot.org/awards
Please send any questions or submissions to Troy Scotter -- troyscotter at gmail dot com
Rock Art Preservation - Raising Awareness, and New Scientific Discoveries
The world’s largest rock art collection could be destroyed within this century By Rangi Hirni Published on: 26 Mar 2018
The Burrup Peninsula is home to one of Australia’s most sacred sites, boasting more than one million rock art pieces.
The rock art at the Murujuga covers 36,857 hectares. Located five kilometres north-east of Dampier in the Pilbara, Western Australia, the surrounding land contains dreaming sites, ceremonial sites and burial grounds. The area is described as a place of worship, with stories and law written on the rocks.
Aboriginal people through the Pilbara believe that the works are a creation of a spirit being known as Marrga, who formed the rules of social conduct for humans.
Dr Ken Mulvaney, a heritage expert, explains the significance of the location of the Murujuga rock art.
“Often those images are the dreaming beings, the creator spirits, of that landscape and that is where they reside. ”So if you pluck them out of that landscape and put them somewhere else, not only are you destroying their residency, but you open the risk of those spirits then wandering and becoming malevolent.”
Also known as Murujuga by Aboriginal people, the peninsula is located near two fertilizer plants owned by Yara Pilbara, as well as the Dampier Port, which ships gas, iron ore, salt and fertilizer, which could potentially threaten the site's preservation.
An inquiry was called in November 2016 to investigate if federal and state government entities and private companies operating in the area were adequately protecting this globally significant site. The inquiry also looked into the impact of industrial pollution on the National Heritage-listed Aboriginal rock art of the Burrup Peninsula. The report was released on Wednesday, a year to the original due date.
(Article continues on website)
URL: https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/nitv-news/article/2018/03/23/worlds-largest-rock-art-collection-could-be-destroyed-within-century
_____________________________________________ Documenting and Interpreting the Picture Stones of Gotland By Sigmund Oehrl Publication: Current Swedish Archeology
Publication Year: 2017
Volume: 25
Pages: 87—122 (36 pages)
Type: PDF
URL: http://arkeologiskasamfundet.se/csa/Dokument/Volumes/csa_vol_25_2017/csa_vol_25_2017_s87-122_oehrl.pdf
Abstract:
Gotland’s picture stones are a unique source for the study of pre-Christian religion. However, there are many still unsolved problems that make it difficult to use this treasure. The main problem is the current condition of the figurative carvings, which in many cases are hardly recognizable. S. Lindqvist, in his 1941/42 edition of the stones, traced the figures with paint to make them visible. More than half a century after the publication of his book, digital methods can be applied in order to improve the documentation and make it more objective. I demonstrate these methods and their relevance for iconography in this paper, including unpublished finds and discoveries. Some more issues are mentioned and finally, the possibilities and needs of future research are outlined.
Keywords: picture stones, Gotland, iconography, Reflectance Transformation Imaging, 3D-modelling, equestrian saint, Old Norse religion, snakepit, horned warrior, Digital Archaeology
Note: For those interested the Swedish Archeological Society’s Annual Publication Current Swedish Archeology is available online (open access) at their website – in English – in PDF format as
individual articles. Please visit: http://arkeologiskasamfundet.se/csa/archive.html
_____________________________________________ New Discoveries of Cave Art in Church Hole (Creswell Crags, England) By Paul Bahn, Francisco Muñoz, Paul Pettitt & Sergio Ripoll Since the announcement of our discovery of Palaeolithic parietal engravings in Church Hole cave, Creswell Crags (Nottinghamshire) (Bahn et al. 2003), a great deal of new research has been carried out, and the number and importance of figures detected in this site have increased dramatically. At the same time, our methodology has changed considerably in adaptation to the new circumstances. URL: http://www.antiquity.ac.uk/projgall/bahn300/ _____________________________________________ Cross River Monoliths: Metropolitan Fragment, Conference and Site Visits New York & Nigeria, March 2018 In March 2018, Factum Foundation’s collaborative effort with the Trust for African Rock Art (TARA) and the University of Calabar (UNICAL) to preserve the Cross River monoliths. An update and summary on various aspects of these important international cooperative projects with pictures and videos. URL: http://www.factumfoundation.org/pag/1173/Cross-River-Monoliths-Metropolitan-Fragment-Conference-and-Site-Visits _____________________________________________ U-Th dating of carbonate crusts reveals Neandertal origin of Iberian cave art By: D. L. Hoffmann, C. D. Standish, M. García-Diez, et. al. Date: 23 Feb 2018
Publication: Science: Vol. 359, Issue 6378, pp. 912-915
DOI: 10.1126/science.aap7778
URL: http://science.sciencemag.org/content/359/6378/912.full
Abstract
The extent and nature of symbolic behavior among Neandertals are obscure. Although evidence for Neandertal body ornamentation has been proposed, all cave painting has been attributed to modern humans. Here we present dating results for three sites in Spain that show that cave art emerged in Iberia substantially earlier than previously thought. Uranium-thorium (U-Th) dates on carbonate crusts overlying paintings provide minimum ages for a red linear motif in La Pasiega (Cantabria), a hand stencil in Maltravieso (Extremadura), and red-painted speleothems in Ardales (Andalucía). Collectively, these results show that cave art in Iberia is older than 64.8 thousand years (ka). This cave art is the earliest dated so far and predates, by at least 20 ka, the arrival of modern humans in Europe, which implies Neandertal authorship.
Neandertal cave art
It has been suggested that Neandertals, as well as modern humans, may have painted caves. Hoffmann et al. used uranium-thorium dating of carbonate crusts to show that cave paintings from three different sites in Spain must be older than 64,000 years. These paintings are the oldest dated cave paintings in the world. Importantly, they predate the arrival of modern humans in Europe by at least 20,000 years, which suggests that they must be of Neandertal origin. The cave art comprises mainly red and black paintings and includes representations of various animals, linear signs, geometric shapes, hand stencils, and handprints. Thus, Neandertals possessed a much richer symbolic behavior than previously assumed.
Rock Art Events & Meetings
California Rock Art Foundation – Rock Art Field Trips Main URL: http://www.carockart.org/ Events URL: http://www.carockart.org/events.html
Little Petroglyph Canyon - Ridgecrest, CA
Join Expert CRAF guides for a visit to the largest known concentration of petroglyphs in the western hemisphere. This tour typically takes most of the day.
Trip Dates Registration Deadline
Sunday, April 29 April 4
Sunday, May 13 April 18
Saturday, May 19 April 25
Saturday, May 26 May 2
Sunday, May 27 May 2
Saturday, June 2 May 9
Little Lake - Approx. 30 minute drive north of Ridgecrest, CA
Located on private property, the Little Lake area encompasses 5,000 acres and contains several petroglyphs and pictographs dating to around 10,000 years ago, as well as the Stahl site exhibiting evidence of the Pinto Basin tradition dating between 5,000 and 2,000 years ago. Much of the rock art is in the Coso tradition.
This tour typically takes most of the day.
Trip Date Sunday, April 21
Rocky Hill Archaeological Preserve – Tulare Lake/County
Twenty acres set aside by the Archeological Consevancy in 1992, this is a permanent archeological preserve. The Yokuts people are still local active participants in the preservation of this and other area sites.
Trip dates are pending as of publication. Please see events page.
_____________________________________________
Monthly Meeting of the Southern Nevada Rock Art Association Date: 23 Apr 2018 Time: 6:45 to 8:30 pm. Location: The REI store -- 710 S Rampart Blvd, Las Vegas 89145 (in the Boca Park shopping center near the intersections of Rampart and Alta Drives) Speaker: TBA The SNRAA event website is located at: http://snraa.org/snraa.org/EVENTS.html Upcoming SNRAA Meetings:
May 28th — Jerry Dickey speaking on TBA Jun 25th — Edna Clem speaking on Cave Art of Europe
Conferences & Symposiums 2018 ARARA Conference When: June 1 - 4 2018 Where: Grand Junction, Colorado Information URL: https://arara.wildapricot.org/Conference
Calls for Papers / Proposals
2018 American Anthropology Association Conference - Call for Papers Deadline: 16 April 2018 - 3pm EST
Submission details and specifics: http://www.americananthro.org/AttendEvents/Content.aspx?ItemNumber=2017 _____________________________________________ British Rock Art Group (BRAG) 2018 Call for Papers Abstracts Need: Presentation Title, Author's name Abstract Word limit: not given. Theme: Rock Art in the Landscape Abstract Submission Deadline: Unknown Conference Location: IIlkey, Yorkshire, England Conference Dates: 9 - 10 June 2018 Submit by email to: (either) Dr. Aron Mazel: aron.mazel [at] newcastle.ac.uk Dr. George Nash: george.h.nash [at] hotmail.com The 2018 Conference will be hosted this year by The Welsh Rock Art Organisation (WRAO) _____________________________________________ NeandertART 2018 ~ International Conference -- Call for Preliminary Proposals (1st Call) [Turin, Italy] "Is There Paleoart before Modern Humans? Did Neanderthals or other Early Humans create Art?" Deadline: 30 April 2018 Abstracts must contain: Title, possibly subtitle, Author(s)’s Name, Affiliation, and up to five key words Abstract character limit: 1800 (maximum!) Submission Method: Email ONLY Submission Address: segreteria [at] cesmap.it
Information details and registration: https://www.homoneanderthalensis.org/authors/
Publications
La Rumorosa Rock Art Along the Border: A Survey of Kumeyaay and Related Artwork in Southern California, Colorado River Corridor, Western Arizona and Baja California By: Don Liponi Publication date: 2017 Formats: Hardcover (see website) URL: http://larumorosarockart.com/the-book/ La Rumorosa Rock Art Along the Border is the first publication to focus on the rock art of this region, primarily along the California and Baja California deserts, the southern Colorado River corridor, and southwest Arizona. Almost none of the sites or photographs have ever been published. _____________________________________________
The Archaeology of Rock Art in Western Arnhem Land, Australia (Terra Australis 47) Editors: Bruno David, Paul Taçon, Jean-Jacques Delannoy, Jean-Michel Geneste Publication date: November 2017 Imprint: ANU Press DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22459/TA47.11.2017 Series: Terra Australis Series No. 47 Disciplines: Asia and the Pacific Formats: Hardcover available for ordering. E-format available in free downloads. URL: https://press.anu.edu.au/publications/series/terra-australis/archaeology-rock-art-western-arnhem-land-australia-terra _____________________________________________ The Cutting Edge: Khoe-San rock-markings at the Gestoptefontein-Driekuil engraving complex, North West Province, South Africa) Author: Jeremy Charles Hollmann Imprint: ArchaeoPress Series: Cambridge Monographs in African Archaeology Series No. 97 Formats: Paperback available for ordering priced £60.00. E-format available in free downloads. URL: http://www.archaeopress.com/ArchaeopressShop/Public/displayProductDetail.asp?id=%7BC18D805A-C7FE-4879-8B09-F5A30EAD40BC%7D _____________________________________________ The Archeologies of Rock Art - South American Perspectives Editors: Andrés Troncoso, Felipe Armstrong, George Nash Publication date: March 2018 Imprint: Routledge Press Pages: 256 Format: Hardcover URL: https://www.routledge.com/Archaeologies-of-Rock-Art-South-American-Perspectives/TRONCOSO-MELENDEZ-Nash-Armstrong/p/book/9781138292673
Rock Art Studies: A Bibliographic DatabaseThis
free open-access online bibliographic database is now hosted by the
Museum of Northern Arizona. Created and maintained by ARARA
Past-President Leigh Marymor, this invaluable resource now contains over
35,000 citations to the world's rock art literature. Searches can be
by Author, Title, Place keyword, Subject keyword, and ISBN number.
Technology DStretch: An Essential Tool for your Rock Art Toolbox If you’re not familiar with DStretch, an essential program for rock art analysis, you need to be. Created by Jon Harman, Stretch is simple to use, fast, and you can save the enhancements. It can bring out faint pictographs that are invisible to the naked eye. It works on digital camera images, and no special filters or lighting are needed. Use your Phone (Android/Google or iPhone) or iPad in the field to see faint or invisible rock art images. It does not require a wi-fi signal or phone connection to work. Website: http://www.dstretch.com/ iDStretch (iPhone and iPad) at the ITunes Store https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/idstretch/id1072158444?ls=1&mt=8 AndroidDStretch on Google Play. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dstretch.androiddstretch For app information: http://www.dstretch.com/Apps/index.html Labstretch2 An app for the Iphone to assist rock art researchers in the field is available for free download. Labstretch is still available for the IPad. Website:http://www.rupestrian.com/labstretch.html
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