Archaeology, Ethnology & Anthropology of Eurasia 37 (2) 2009

Annotation:  Evolution of the Quaternary Environment in the Northwestern Altai Kostenki-4: The Position of Artifacts in Space and Time (the Analysis of the Cultural Layer) Stratigraphic Data on Middle Paleolithic Sites in the Upper Desna Basin Human-made Bedrock Holes (Mortars and Cupmarks) as a Late Natufi an Social Phenomenon Tsaram: A Burial Ground of the Hsiung-nu Elite in Transbaikalia Species Attribution of Hair of the Pazyryk Fur Coat from the Olon-Kurin-Gol-10 Burial Ground, Mongo Shaitanskoye Ozero II: New Aspects of the Uralian Bronze Age Yankovsky Economics: Animal Bones from 1st Millennium BC Settlements in Primorye, Russian Far East “Technical Decoration” of the Tripolye Ceramics On the Interpretation of Central Asian and South Siberian Rock Art Forms of Nomadism and Livestock Management of the Eastern Sayan Buryats in the Late 19th and Early Harvesting of Siberian Pine Nuts in Mountain Shoria: Traditions and Nowadays The Ethnic History of Medieval Novgorod (Based on Craniometric Data) Seliungur Teeth Revisited L.K. Gudkova.   

On the Interpretation of Central Asian and South Siberian Rock Art

D.G. Savinov.

Several theoretical issues in the study of petroglyphic art of Central Asia and Southern Siberia are discussed: (1) the natural and cultural environment; (2) temporal distribution; (3) planigraphic method based on parallels with site planigraphy; (4) similarities and dissimilarities between petroglyphs and fi gurines; (5) chronological criteria of style in various artistic traditions; (6) multiple interpretations and principal semantic blocks; and (7) the notion of graphic stratum as a form in which petroglyphs exist and in which they should be studied. The analysis of petroglyphs with regard to these criteria facilitates the reconstruction of their creators’ “artistic laboratory” and helps view the petroglyphs as an integral part of a specifi c culture and a specifi c age.

Keywords: Petroglyphs, art, style, chronology, plot, semantics, tradition, graphic stratum.