试论贺兰山岩画的年代

岩画的年代历来是令研究者费解、也常引起争议的问题。目前,断定岩画的年代尚无绝对可靠的手段,在利用现代科学技术进行断代方面尚未获得行之有效的方法之前,传统的考古学断代依然是推断岩画相对年代的最好方法。笔者赞同某些学者的意见,贺兰山岩画的兴盛期为青铜时代至早期铁器时代(相当于商周至秦汉时期)。本文拟对贺兰山岩画中所见车、鹿图形及岩画的历史背景进行分析,为断定贺兰山岩画的年代提供一些线索。如有不妥之处,敬请同仁批评指正。     

岩画断代研究——科技考古学领域中一个亟待解决的问题

探索和研究表明,岩画断代问题仍然是困扰岩画研究的难题之一,其主要原因是岩画本身不能够提供可供断代的直接依据。本文综述了目前岩画断代研究中经常使用的自然科学和考古学方法及其存在的问题,提出应用AMS14C是今后研究我国岩绘画断代问题的首选方法,解决岩刻画的断代问题则主要有赖于微腐蚀方法。     

贺兰山岩画断代研究

在岩画研究中,岩画年代的断定是一个难题,直接影响到围绕岩画的其他学术课题的研究。因而,国内外学者都在积极探索,寻求比较可靠的年代断定的方法,尤其是自然科学的方法。但时至今日,还未能如愿,仍依靠传统的考古学方法来进行断代。所以,在岩画的刻制时间上,众说纷纭,认识不一。我     

岩画，石头上的未解之谜

岩画是远古人类用独特的方式对历史的一种记录。中国是岩画资源大国,从北到南,远古的先民们在岩石上为我们留下了丰富的文化遗存。但对于岩画的研究,一直是一个世界性的难题,关于断代、关于族群,一直众说不一。《英国剑桥科技史》中有这样一句话：“考古界惟一能确定的是一切都不可确定。”岩画的研究同样如此。     

浙江仙居岩画的微腐蚀断代

微腐蚀测年通过观测矿物晶体上的"石亏"来获知岩画的制作年代,是一种无损的"直接断代法"。仙居岩画的测年工作主要在送龙山和小方岩两处地点开展,经过观测,研究人员从岩画刻槽中取得了十一组石亏微腐蚀数据,以及两组来自吴芾墓附属石刻的校准数据。由校准后的年代计算结果可知,小方岩岩画的制作开始于东吴末年,贯穿了两晋及南北朝时期,一直延续至唐初,而送龙山岩画则为唐代作品。     

现代科技与考古科学

在过去的３０多年里,科学工作者在考古学中广泛地使用“绝对年代”断代技术,而“相对年代”则是通过研究地层学的层位关系而得出的另一种断代方法。近几十年的考古断代研究,产生了许多新的考古断代法,精确度越来越高。在此,本文将对在考古断代中所使用的现代科技方法...     

贺兰山岩画研究综述

本文从前辈学者有关贺兰山岩画的研究成果出发,分别对贺兰山岩画的断代问题、空间分布情况、内容分类以及贺兰山岩画的美学等四个方面进行文献综述。     

河南地区新近发现的岩画、巨石遗迹及其时代

本世纪以来,以河南具茨山为中心的河南中原地区发现了数量巨大的岩画.岩画主题百分之九十以上均为圆形凹穴,其次有线性沟槽、棋盘式方格图案等.岩画的制作大多以石器磨刻方式为主;也有一部分(尤其是棋盘式方格图案)为金属工具凿刻而成.凹穴图案大小不一,深浅各异.排列方式也有多种,有的为单独不规则排列、有的呈六个一排的双排排列,有的则呈梅花状或玉璧状排列.目前已经在上万块岩石表面发现了岩画,这些岩石有的是自然形成的基岩,但也有相当一部分刻凿以岩画的岩石应归类为巨石遗迹,如石棚、立石、石坛等.凹穴岩画和巨石在中原地区似乎是一种结构性情景,这将有助于我们对其文化性质、内涵及其时代进行认定.根据目前交叉断代研究来看,中原地区的凹穴岩画与巨石的时代从新石器时代晚期一直延续到青铜时代,其文化内涵与中国历史上的通天思想有关.     

阴山岩画古车图像与早期草原交通

阴山岩画古车图像可以与传说时代"轩辕"故事联系起来分析,有益于说明车辆发明与早期使用推动上古文明进步这一历史过程.汤因比在<历史研究>中曾经指出,草原为旅行和运输提供了方便.在远古文化交往和文化传播过程中,草原交通曾经发挥过重要的作用.<穆天子传>记录周穆王西行路线,经历阴山地方的情形值得注意.断代是岩画考察一大难点.分析阴山岩画古车图像,可以借助考古学经验试推定若干画面的大致年代.对阿尔泰山、贺兰山、卢山、黑山等地岩画的古车图像进行综合考察.显然是必要的.这样的工作,或可能深化对中国北方草原地区早期交通形态的认识.     

论敦煌文献残损对避讳断代的影响

敦煌文献发现后,古代避讳被作为一种重要的断代方法用于写卷抄写年代的判定,但结论的可靠性往往要受到自身残损形态等多种因素的影响。本文分析了敦煌写卷的残缺对避讳信息有效利用、避讳断代结论推定的影响,进而指出避讳断代应适当顾及残损形态、并与其它断代方法共同使用,以使断代结论更加合理。     

A NEW METHOD TO DATE PETROGLYPHS

A new calibrated method based on erosion phenomena is presented for the dating of petroglyphs (rock carvings and engravings) and geomorphic surfaces. In contrast to previous methods of petroglyph dating, which sought to determine the age of various mineral and organic deposits coating the art, microerosion analysis attempts to ascertain the time of mark production itself, by creating a geomorphologically based time frame. The method involves the establishment of calibration curves for the crucial variables to be considered. These are the rock type and climate of a particular region, microerosional indices and age. The theory, practical application, and prerequisites of the method are considered, and the paper concludes by defining the disadvantages and advantages of the method.     

PERSPECTIVES ON THE DATING OF PREHISTORIC GREAT BASIN PETROGLYPHS BY NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS

The possible relative dating of petroglyphs by nuclear measurements on desert varnish is explored. The abundances of 30 major and trace elements in desert varnish samples from the Grimes Point petroglyph site in western Nevada were measured by neutron activation analysis techniques. Samples of both desert varnish and heart rock from a non-artifactual test boulder of andesite were studied and the elements tungsten, arsenic, antimony, thorium, uranium, manganese and cerium exhibited the greatest enrichments in the surface samples and may be of use for dating purposes.     

The Science of Cupules

As the apparently simplest of all petroglyphs, cupules are shown to be scientifically and culturally very complex phenomena. Despite being the most common motif in rock art, their meaning or purpose remains largely unknown. This paper explores their physical and production properties, including their technology, taphonomy, morphology, biomechanics and energy investment involved, leading to the formulation of the production coefficient. The various quantifiable factors involved in cupule production are examined, including the phenomenon of kinetic energy metamorphosis (KEM). The tribological products, tectonite laminae, a new geological phenomenon first identified in cupules, offer the possibilities of developing a direct dating method as well explaining several related geological features.     

Rock art survey in the ancient oasis of Salūt (northern Sultanate of Oman): a variegated iconographic record

The systematic survey of petroglyphs in the area of the ancient oasis of Salūt, in central Oman, highlighted a rich repertoire of representations that are here discussed against the background of Arabian rock art in general. The region displays an extremely rich number of engravings along the slopes of the Jabal Hammah, north of the main site of Salūt. The majority of the petroglyphs find abundant fitting comparisons in the region. The notable exception of the motif of the “man with halberd” is presented, as it appears to be significantly rare and underlines interpretative issues concerning the so-called T-shaped signs, ubiquitous in Arabian rock art. One of its occurrences was radiocarbon dated to before the mid-first millennium BCE. This and other, relative hints for reconstructing the chronological context of the petroglyphs are discussed, indicating that engravings can be broadly dated from the second millennium BCE onwards.     

ROCK ART SITES IN JAMAICA AND THEIR ETHNOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION

26 sites with Pre‐Columbian (Taíno) rock art are known in Jamaica, most with petroglyphs only, but there are four with painted images, and three of these are discussed: Mountain River Cave, Potoo Hole, and Spot Valley Cave. In addition, an account is given of the Warminster rock shelter, which has petroglyphs described as among the best remaining in Jamaica. Spot Valley Cave was newly surveyed in 2005, with the help of the Jamaican Caves Organization, and in the same year a rescue operation to restore the Warminster petroglyphs was carried out, in cooperation with Dr Johannes Loubser. Comparisons are made, where appropriate, to Taíno artefacts in different materials, and also to Pre‐Columbian images on other islands in the Caribbean, notably Puerto Rico. The interpretation of the Taíno images, in Jamaica and elsewhere, relies to a considerable extent on the “Account of the Antiquities of the Indians”, compiled by Fray Ramón Pané in 1494–1498, on the express instructions of Columbus. Whatever the shortcomings of a narrative compiled by an outsider, we would be much worse off without it.     

Working on Rock Art in the Dakhleh Oasis: Some Thoughts on Threats to Petroglyphs and Possibilities of Research in the Western Desert,Egypt

The rock art in Dakhleh, despite being known for more than a century, has been thoroughly investigated only since the late 1980s, and remains far from being well known especially outside of Egypt. At the same time, the consecutive seasons of fieldwork conducted by the Petroglylph Unit (part of the international Dakhleh Oasis Project) have produced a great number of findings and substantially enhanced our knowledge of the petroglyphs of this area. Here, rather than focusing on interpretive aspects of the research, I wish to discuss the threats endangering the petroglyphs in the Oasis. Dakhleh has developed very intensively in the last 100 years. It is, however, the twenty-first century which seems to pose some serious threats to archaeological heritage. Hence, in this paper I wish to report on what has been done so far to document rock art in the Oasis, and try to establish the priorities for potential future work. The agricultural and infrastructural development in the area, and the uncertain political climate in the country, heavily influence the state of rock art preservation and the possibilities of research. The need for documentation and preservation of rock art is larger than ever before, because many changes in the local landscape cannot be stopped. The time is pressing, because more and more rock art is disappearing due to the reasons discussed in this paper. Threats to Egyptian rock art in general will form a background for considerations concerning petroglyphs from the Western Desert.