Animals into Art

About this book

Originally published in 1989.

Animals into Art is one of a series of volumes resulting from the World Archaeological Congress, September 1986 which addressed world archaeology in its widest sense, investigating how people lived in the past and how and why changes took place to result in the forms of society and culture which exist now. Animals into Art brought together archaeologists and anthropologists from many parts of the world, academics from contingent disciplines, and also non-academics from a wide range of cultural backgrounds who could lend their own expertise to the discussions.

Animals into Art is an exploration of the way in which the animal world features in the works of art of a variety of cultures of different times and places. Contributors have adopted a variety of perspectives for looking at the complex ways in which past and present humans have interrelated with beings they classify as animals. Some of the approaches are predominantly economic and ecological, some are symbolic and others philosophical or theological. All these different views are included in the interpretation of the artworks of the past, revealing some of the foci and inspirations of cultural attitudes to animals.
 

Contents

Foreword P.J. Ucko
Preface
Introduction

Part 1: A Question of Identity
1. The Identification of Human and Animal Figures in European Palaeolithic Art Jean Clottes
2. Reflections and Rejections of an Aboriginal Artist Ivan P.Haskovec and Hilary Sullivan
3. The Snake and the Fabulous Beast: Themes from the Pottery of the Ilama Culture Marianne Cardale Schrimpff

Part 2: Representations
4. From Man to Animal and Sign in Palaeolithic Art Michel Lorblanchet
5. On Representing Ancestral Beings Howard Morphy
6. Figurative and Schematic Rock Art of Kenya: Animal Representation and Tentative Interpretation Osaga Odak
7. Finding Symbols in History Whitney Davis

Part 3: Compositions: Frequencies and Scenes
8. Concepts of Humans and Animals in Post-contact Micmac Rock Art Brian Molyneaux
9. An Approach to the Theme of Confronted Animals in French Palaeolithic Art Anne-Catherine Welte
10. Art and the Essence of Being: Symbolic and Economic Aspects of Fish Among the Peoples of Western Arnhem Land, Australia Paul S.C.Tacon

Part 4: The Meanings of the Motifs
11. Supper or Symbol: Roadrunner Tracks in South-western Art and Ritual Polly Schaafsma
12. The Bat in Tairona Art: An Under-recognized Species Anne Legast
13. Animals and Zoomorphs in Rock Art of the Koolburra Region, North Queensland Josephine Flood
14. Susquehannock Animal Art and Iconography W. Fred Kinsey III
15. Animal Metaphor in Art from the Solomon Islands Deborah B.Waite
16. The Bestiary of Rupestrian and Literary Origin in the Sahara and the Sahel Jeannine Drouin
17. Dance in the Rock Art of Central India Sudha Malaiya

Part 5: Interpreting the System
18. Seeing the "Inside" - Kunwinjku Paintings and the Symbol of the Divided Body Luke Taylor
19. Camelids in the Andes: Rock Art Environment and Myths Jose Berenguer and Jose Luis Martinez
20. Social Roles of Animal Iconography: Implications for Archaeology from Hopi and Zuni Ethnographic Sources Nancy H.Olsen
21. Freedom of Information: Aspects of Art and Society in Western Europe During the Last Ice Age Iain Davidson

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