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Full Description
Rather than considering the myths supposedly depicted in the world's rock art, this book examines the myths archaeologists and others have created about the meanings and significance of rock art. This vast body of opinions dominates our concepts of the principal surviving cultural manifestations of early worldviews. Here these constructs are subjected to detailed analysis and are found to consist largely of misinterpretations. From the misidentification of natural rock markings as rock art to mistaken interpretations, from sensationalist claims to pareidolic elucidations of iconographies, the book presents numerous examples of myths researchers have created about pre-Historic 'art'. The claims about a connection between rock art and the neuropathologies of its producers are assessed, and the neuroscience of rock art interpretation is reviewed. The book presents a comprehensive catalogue of falsities claimed about palaeoart, and it endeavours to explain how these arose, and how they can be guarded against by recourse to basic principles of science. It therefore represents a key resource in the scientific study of rock art.
Contents
A Little Epistemology: Introduction; Epistemology of archaeology; Setting the scene; Animals and Pareidolia: Tales of dragons; Identifying zoomorphs; Archaeological Folklores about Dating: The bulls and horses of Iberia; The Palaeolithic obsession; Myths about rock art age; Archaeological excavation; Axiomatic Confusions: Misidentification of non-anthropic rock markings; 'Explanations' of cupules; Other mistaken interpretations; The Venus figurines; Sensationalist Myths and Fringe Legends: Sensationalist claims; The writing on the wall; Seeing things: pareidolia; Reaching for stars and gods; The importance of being Palaeolithic; Rock Art Fairy Tales: About shamanism and rock art ; Myths about mythologies ; Neuropathologies and rock art ; Sinister myths about rock art; Generic Issues: Effects of fakes, misconceptions and falsities; Neuroscience and 'identifications' in rock art interpretation; The myths are here to stay; Conclusion
