This volume presents a new systematic approach to the archaeological recording and documentation of rock art developed to analyse the spatial and temporal structure of complex rock art panels. Focusing on the ceiling art at Nawarla Gabarnmang, one of the richest rock art sites in Arnhem Land the approach utilised DStretch-enhanced photographs to record 1391 motifs from 42 separate art panels across the ceiling. Harris Matrices were then built to show the sequence of superimpositions for each art panel. Using common attributes, including features identified by Morellian Method (a Fine Art method not previously employed in archaeological rock art studies), contemporaneous motifs within panels were then aggregated into individual layers. The art layers of the various panels were then inter-related using the relative and absolute chronological evidence to produce a full relative sequence for the site as a whole. This provided a story of the art that began some 13,000 years ago and concluded around 60 years ago, with a major change identified in the art some 450 years ago. The method was shown to be invaluable to the resolution of many difficult issues associated with the identification of motifs, their superimpositions and the development of art sequences.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. JAWOYN LANDS: PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
3. JAWOYN PEOPLE, CULTURE AND COUNTRY
4. ARNHEM LAND ARCHAEOLOGY
5. RESEARCH METHODS
6. NAWARLA GABARNMANG AND ITS ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONTEXT
7. THE CEILING GALLERY
8. LAYERS OF TIME
9. ART IN TIME AND SPACE
10. INTERPRETING JAWOYN ROCK ART
11. A STORY OF ART
REFERENCES
APPENDIX 1: Nawarla Gabarnmang motif list including Panel Art Phase and Site Art Assemblage
Author(s): Robert G. Gunn
Publisher: Archaeopress Archaeology
Year: 2019
Language: English
Commentary: decrypted from BA69AC21CE7FD171DD613F58D3F524DF source file
Pages: 915
City: Oxford
Art of the Ancestors
Title Page
Copyright info
Contents
Acknowledgements
Additional Credits
1. INTRODUCTION
Aim
Rock art documentation
Making a record
Rock art appreciation
2. JAWOYN LANDS: PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
Rock shelter development
Rock shelter clusters and archaeological site complexes
Climate
Soils
Vegetation
Fauna
Palaeoenvironment and landscape evolution in western Arnhem Land
Summary
3. JAWOYN PEOPLE, CULTUREAND COUNTRY
Jawoyn religion
Jawoyn land use
Impacts of European incursions
The persistence of Jawoyn Culture
Jawoyn Rock Art and Heritage Project (JRAHP)
Summary
4. ARNHEM LAND ARCHAEOLOGY
Northern Jawoyn Lands – western region
Northern Jawoyn Lands – plateau region
Southern Jawoyn Lands – the southern region
The Rock Art of north-western Arnhem Land
Western Arnhem Land
Jawoyn Rock Art
Bulajang
Nitmiluk National Park
Wuratjluk
The Jawoyn Rock Art and Heritage project
Connecting Country: the Jawoyn Homeland Project
Summary
5. RESEARCH METHODS
The Harris Matrix in rock art studies
The Morellian Method
The Data
The Jawoyn Database
Nawarla Gabarnmang field recording
Recording the artwork
Post-fieldwork photographic enhancement and tracing
Attributes of the rock art
The Interpretations
6. NAWARLA GABARNMANG AND ITS ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONTEXT
The regional context
Art shelters
Artwork
Standing stones
Other arranged stone sites
Burials
Grinding patches
Summary
7. THE CEILING GALLERY
Panel A1
Panel A2
Panel A3
Panel A4
Panel A5
Panel A6
Panel A7
Panel B1
Panel B2
Panel C1
Panel C2
Panel C3
Panel D
Panel E1
Panel E2
Panel E3
Panel E4
Panel E5
Panel F1
Panel F2
Panel F3
Panel F4
Panel F5
Panel G
Panel H
Panel J1
Panel J2
Panel J3
Panel J4
Panel J5
Panel K1
Panel K2
Panel K3
Panel K4
Panel K5
Panel K6
Panel L
Panel M1
Panel M2
Panel M3
Panel M4
Panel N
8. LAYERS OF TIME
Group A motif sequences
Panel A1
Panel A2
Panel A3
Panel A4
Panel A5
Panel A6
Panel A7
Group B motif sequences
Panel B1
Panel B2
Group C motif sequences
Panel C1
Panel C2
Panel C3
Group D motif sequences
Panel D
Group E motif sequences
Panel E1
Panel E2
Panel E3
Panel E4
Panel E5
Group F motif sequences
Panel F1
Panel F2
Panel F3
Panel F4
Panel F5
Group G motif sequences
Panel G
Group H motif sequences
Panel H
Group J motif sequences
Panel J1
Panel J2
Panel J3
Panel J4
Panel J5
Group K motif sequences
Panel K1
Panel K2
Panel K3
Panel K4
Panel K5
Panel K6
Group L motif sequences
Panel L
Group M motif sequences
Panel M1
Panel M2
Panel M3
Panel M4
Group N motif sequences
Panel N
Summary
9. ART IN TIME AND SPACE
Chronological correlations by dated beeswax
Motif correlations by style
Motif correlations by multiple attributes
Motif threads and sequences
Art Assemblages
Art Assemblage 1
Art Assemblage 2
Art Assemblage 3
Art Assemblage 4
Art Assemblage 5
Art Assemblage 6
Art Assemblage 7
Chronological indicators for the rock art
Roof fall
Dated wasp nests
Dated beeswax
Excavated pigments
Horse
Jabiru
Thylacines and dingoes
Ethnography
Sorcery
Age and Art Assemblages
Art Assemblage 1
Art Assemblage 2
Art Assemblage 3
Art Assemblage 4
Art Assemblage 5
Art Assemblage 6
Art Assemblage 7
Changes over time
Condition
Technique
Colour
Motif Form
Motif Classes
Motif Types
Motif Sizes
Panel J1 polychrome motifs
Variations across space
Distribution of select Motif Types
Hand stencils
Jawoyn Lady motifs
Northern X-ray fish
Macropod motifs
Individual artists
Summary
10. INTERPRETING JAWOYN ROCK ART
Motif interpretations
Interpretations of colour
Interpreting the art at Nawarla Gabarnmang
11. A STORY of ART
Jawoyn Bim
Reasons for change
Dating the stories
Non-figurative motifs
Chronological revisions for Arnhem Land rock art
A story in art
Conclusion
References
APPENDIX 1: Nawarla Gabarnmang motif list including Panel Art Phase and Site Art Assemblage
