Posted inAcademics Featured North America

The Female Exposing Breasts

In this study a possibly unique petroglyph will be discussed. It was recorded by my wife Elles and me at the Sand Dune site in the San Juan drainage of southern Utah in 2005. Close inspection revealed that it most likely concerns a Basketmaker Anasazi image of a (deceased?) female. Rock art images unambiguously showing female sex are rare in the area, and this example is even more special as the figure features two large, circular areas depicting breasts, that, moreover, have intentionally been manufactured in the rarely used Bas Relief technique.

By Maarten van Hoek

Posted inAcademics Featured Interpretation and semiotics North America

Fish Walking in the Desert?

This short paper discusses the problems that researchers often experience while attempting to interpret specific rock art images. Some of those problems will be discussed, while the paper also offers a selection of rock art images of “Unexpected Walkers”, focussing on purported “Walking Fish” images, the possible readings of which will be discussed.

By Maarten van Hoek

Posted inComputerware Methods - metodi News - announcements - notizie

RARO-Rock Art RecOrder 3.0 is out

RARO-Rock Art RecOrder 3.0/2026 is a free Windows database software (5 MB, Win only, unless using a virtualized OS) specifically designed for recording and cataloguing rock art. Developed by Andrea Arcà, it has been used for important Alpine rock-art sites. RARO allows users to manage rock and figure records and automatically produce HTML catalogues and detailed statistical reports. Version 3.0 introduces faster catalogue generation and direct HTML output through the default web browser. The software now provides multilingual help and record headings in English, Italian, Spanish and French. New features also include virtual-tour and museum links, and a tribute to RARO’s DOS origins. RARO is highly adaptable and can be customised to the recording requirements of virtually any rock-art site.

by Andrea Arcà

Posted inAcademics Featured North America

Bird Petroglyphs at Three Rivers

This paper offers a selection of bird petroglyphs recorded at Three Rivers, the largest rock art site in the Mogollon Territory of southern New Mexico, North America. In this paper I discuss the several, often enigmatic representations of various birds at Three Rivers and I attempt at offering hopefully acceptable interpretations. In my opinion, birds (also at Three Rivers) functioned as messengers to the ancestors and deities that reside in the Upper Realm, and/or birds symbolised fertility, especially when associated with the Cloud Terrace.

By Maarten van Hoek

Posted inAbstracts Computerware Database Methods - metodi

RARO-Rock Art RecOrder

Freeware database software for cataloguing rock art figures (Win only, unless using a virtualized OS). After a long period of use limited to the recording and cataloguing of rock carvings in the Alps – particularly in Valcamonica and the Western Alps – the time has come to share the database software specifically designed for rock art. It is fully customisable and therefore suitable for cataloguing rock art from all regions of the world. Among its key features is the automatic generation of figure catalogues – both comprehensive and specific – based on a wide range of filters.

by Andrea Arcà

Posted inAcademics Featured North America South America

Symbols on Top of a Pole in Rock Art

This paper describes specific petroglyphs recorded at sites in Peru (South America) and sites in New Mexico (North America). It concerns images of symbols that are found at the top of a vertically held pole. The symbol may be an object, a biomorph or an abstract pattern. The three areas that are being discussed have different types of images. For instance, poles with birds on top are most frequent at sites in Peru, while examples in New Mexico have poles often carried by biomorphs (absent in Peru). A careful attempt will be made to interpret the symbol-on-poles configuration.

By Maarten van Hoek

Posted inAcademics Featured North America South America

The “Severed Limb” in the Rock Art of New Mexico

This paper describes several petroglyphs recorded at a few sites in New Mexico, Northern America, that represent isolated feet, legs, hands and arms, suggesting that those body parts had been violently severed from the human body, or – in some instances – from an animal body. There is no informed knowledge available and therefore the paper will only offer a possible explanation by comparing the severed body parts with imagery found at the Slaughter House at Cerro Sechín, an important ancient temple complex very near the Pacific Coast in northern Peru, and with some petroglyphs at Palamenco, not far from Cerro Sechín.

By Maarten van Hoek

Posted inAcademics Alpine rock art - Arte rupestre alpina books – journals – reviews Featured Iron Age Valcamonica - Valtellina

The Great Rock of the Aquane (book review)

Review of Andrea Arcà’s new book La Grande Roccia delle Aquane, Valcamonica archeo-rupestre (The Great Rock of Aquane, rupestrian and archaeological Valcamonica), a substantial and detailed study of the most important engraved rock in the Naquane Rock Art National Park (Valcamonica – I), published by the CCSP-Camunnian Centre for Prehistoric Studies. 521 pages, over 1,000 illustrations, all in colour. The book returns a rock-art “monument” in a form that can be consulted and checked, integrates print and online browsing (www.europreart.net/NAQ1), it shows the method, not only the results, it offers bold but argued interpretations (looms/Aquane); recommended for enthusiasts of rock art and Valcamonica; students and heritage professionals; anyone interested in the archaeology of images, symbolism, and documentation methods (photography/3D/GIS/data) (PDF available).

by Oriana Bozzarelli – Turin University

Posted inAcademics Featured Landscape North America Rock paintings

Peekaboo, a Female-Male Rock Art Site, Utah

This study deals with the rock art site of Peekaboo, one of the many rock art sites in Salt Creek Canyon, Central Utah, USA. The site not only has layers of interesting pictographs, the spot is also part of a natural landscape that in my opinion is considered by the prehistoric peoples to be gendered. Several natural features very near the rock art site may have been interpreted as male and female.

By Maarten van Hoek

Posted inAcademics Australia Featured South America

“Hidden” Images in Rock Art

This study is about a less recognised and controversial phenomenon in rock art production. In my opinion certain images and/or elements of an image have intentionally been “hidden” by the manufacturer, possibly for several (often differing) reasons. A small selection of examples from all over the world have been included and illustrated. However, I argue that the most “conspicuously” “hidden” elements are not even present; they are invisible (on purpose!).

By Maarten van Hoek

Posted inAcademics Featured Mid-America South America

Detached Heads in Rock Art

This study deals with images of anthropomorphic figures in rock art and geoglyph art that clearly have been depicted with a Detached Head. It focusses on two rock art sites; Miculla in the desert of southern Peru, and La Proveedora in the NW of Mexico. Both sites feature specific anthropomorphic figures that have intentionally been drawn without the heads being attached to the body. Also geoglyphs with Detached Heads (in Peru and Chile) will be discussed. It will (very tentatively) been attempted to explain the differences between the two sites, while also the (general) problem of interpretation will be considered.

By Maarten van Hoek

Posted inAcademics Featured South America

Petroglyphs of Cerro Queneto – Peru

This study – about the petroglyphs at Cerro Queneto – is part of a bigger project covering several sites in the neighbouring drainages of the Río Moche and Río Virú (northern Peru). The paper offers a review and inventory of two of the three rock art groups bordering the western fringe of the alluvial fan of the Quebrada de San Juan (part of the Virú Drainage). This is the first “complete” inventory of the two little-known rock art sites that my wife and I discovered in the area.

By  Maarten van Hoek

Posted inAcademics Featured South America

Monkey Petroglyphs in Coastal Peru

The rock art of the Desert Andes, the extremely dry coastal strip west of the High Andes in South America, abounds in images of all sorts of animals. Most animals are to be expected: camelids, birds, snakes and felines, for instance. However, there is one animal species that is unforeseen. It concerns the image of the monkey. This study explores the distribution if the monkey in the rock art of mainly coastal Peru, and attempts at explaining the figure.

By Maarten van Hoek

Posted inAcademics Featured Geoglyphs South America

The Stepped Design in Desert Andes Rock Art

There are several motifs and images that have an unexpected rare occurrence in the rock art of the Desert Andes of South America. One such a motif is the Stepped Design that is ubiquitously depicted on ceramics, textiles and in other artefacts, as well as in architectural art. However, the Stepped Design is an anomaly (in several ways) in the rock art of coastal Chile and Peru. This study explores the distribution and attempts at explaining those anomalies.

By Maarten van Hoek

Posted inAcademics Featured Morocco South America

Revealing Locations of Rock Art Sites

This paper discusses the often difficult decision whether to publish the accurate location of a rock art site, or not to disclose that information. But if a scientist reveals the exact location, the information should be correct. This paper offers a number of instances where the location of a rock art site has incorrectly been published, or where a rock art panel has incorrectly been located. I hope that this paper will be regarded to be a constructive contribution in order to encourage (in general) the publication of correct information.

By Maarten van Hoek

Posted inAcademics Featured South America

The Chillihuay “Lord” – Peru

This paper discusses the possible meaning of two impressive petroglyphs at Chillihuay in the Ocoña Drainage of southern Peru. One petroglyph concerns the very large image of what is often called “The Lord”, which suggests that it is an image of an Andean God, possibly the well-known Staff God. Despite the many conflicts and wars that no doubt occurred throughout prehistoric Andes, it is in my mind certain that the two petroglyphs at Chillihuay offer no evidence for a militaristic theme in the rock art of the area, as is – in my opinion incorrectly – claimed by archaeologists Scaffidi and Tung, and later also accepted by Zborover.

By Maarten van Hoek

Posted inAcademics Featured South America

Puzzling Petroglyphs at Chillihuay -Peru

The west part of the Department of Arequipa in the south of Peru is extremely rich in rock art sites. All those sites are part of the Majes Rock Art Sphere, the rock art region where the Majes Rock Art Style dominates the area. Well-known to rock art researchers are the major sites of Mollebaya Chico, La Caldera and Quilcapampa in the Vítor Drainage, Illomas in the Manga Drainage, and – above all – Alto de Pitis and Toro Muerto in the Central ajes Valley. Less known, but equally important, is the exceptional site of Chillihuay in the Ocoña Drainage, the subject of my study.

By Maarten van Hoek