EXPRESSION quaterly e-journal of atelier in cooperation with uispp-cisnep. international scientific commission on the intellectual and spiritual expressions of non-literate peoples N°7 March 2015 Bora initiation rite in Queensland, Australia. Late 19th century. (Photo Anati Archives). A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear Friends and Colleagues, occasions, experts from various disciplines to share The International Scientific Committee on the experience and scientific approaches for a better “Intellectual and Spiritual Expression of Non-literate understanding of the human creativity and behavior. Peoples” (CISNEP-UISPP) gathered in its Session Multidisciplinary is a main aspect of our Committee. at the UISPP Burgos Congress 2014, as in previous Over 60 summaries and 25 full texts of papers were accepted. Participants included colleagues with UISPP-CISENP was founded in 2006 as an international sci- different scientific concerns and specializations. The entific commission of The International Union of Prehistoric Proceedings of the Session are in the process of being and Protohistoric Sciences (Union Internationale des Sciences Préhistoriques et Protohistoriques). Emmanuel Anati, President. printed. In the previous issue of EXPRESSION, part of these papers were presented. Additional papers are good ideas will survive while the bad ones will die. now included in this issue. A stimulating dialogue is The debate will be the judge, rather than aprioristic in progress and readers are encouraged to participate dogmas. Debate is alimented by new ideas. If there are in this dialogue by submitting to EXPRESSION no ideas there is no debate. comments and other pertinent considerations. Future Archaeology, both prehistoric and historic, needs a issues of EXPRESSION will face new themes: you are constant and open dialogue with other disciplines. invited to propose both papers and new ideas. This The study of man includes anthropology, sociology, quarterly e-journal will convey your ideas to colleagues psychology, human geography, semiotics, art history, in the different fields of the humanities and to other and other disciplines that have to join efforts. This is people of culture of over 60 different countries in five the aim of conceptual anthropology. You are welcome continents. to join in this effort. Our Committee is favoring a joint effort of its For the last three generations the trend has been participants, for a cooperation of different branches for researchers to be more and more specialized on of the humanistic and the social sciences, aiming limited research fields. Cultured humanistic formation at building up a new kind of broad-minded has often been sacrificed, being replaced by specific understanding of the past. It is a sincere pleasure to technicalities. Rather than broadminded thinkers, welcome this courageous common effort. Prehistoric this has favored the formation of technicians. They archaeology is in urgent need of this new landscape are welcome; as they are useful and needed, but it of “Conceptual Anthropology”, for a step forward. would be a dangerous dead-end for the humanities It is an important new academic approach for a solid if technicians would replace humanistic scholars and future of the study of man. thinkers. Both have to coexist side by side, both being In the last three generations, we have followed the conscious of their task and role. tendency of some humanistic disciplines, in stabilizing What is to be the image of Prehistoric and conservative concepts, as a mean to preserve the Protohistoric sciences in the future? Understanding past acquisitions and dictate the philosophical and the past is necessary to build a future. The knowledge ideological image of the discipline. Such trend creates of the past is the elementary base of culture. Even a sort of mysticism of the discipline, a special glossary in the tribal world young people are being initiated of conventional slangs, imposing a peculiar way of to the knowledge, to the history and the mytho- reasoning. This may turn out to become a handicap history of their past. Let us join efforts to develop for innovation and progress. Each discipline has the public awareness, education, formation, engagement, tendency to find a comfortable refuge in its own ghetto. research, for a broader understanding of our past. Join The spirit of conservation then favors the progress of actively in the dialogues and debates. those best integrated into the vernacular system. The obedient alumni are not necessarily the most brilliant Emmanuel Anati ones. Such conservationism may prevent new ideas President and new concepts to compete with old dogmas. Such a chain could have a negative effect on the progress of scientific research. In each regime, to make a career, it is useful to be a “member of the party”. Academic regimes tend to Subscribe to follow the same trend. Conformism helps to survive though it does not help much in the progress of EXPRESSION research. To avoid criticism, young archeologists and prehistorians prefer to remain descriptive, limiting new ideas that may displease “peer reviewers”. This is [email protected] favoring mediocrity. For the advancement of scientific research, new ideas should have space: in any case, 2 EXPRESSION N° 7 It is a pleasure to invite you to join this project and to reply to the three questions for a prehistoric art site or DISCUSSION assemblage: WHEN, WHY and TO WHOM. When: what kind of society produced the art: hunters, FORUM gatherers, agriculturists, ....? When was it produced and by whom? Why: Why was it produced. What did it intend to convey, what was its motivation: message, communication, commemoration, memorization? What is its content. ROCK ART: WHEN WHY AND TO WHOM? Prehistoric art is "Writing before Writing". Or was it produced just to embellish the rock surfaces? If it contains In February 2015, the following call for papers was messages, they could be read thousand years ago. If the sent off. Many replies arrived in one month time. messages are still there, can they be read and decoded Some requested a delay in the presentation of their today? paper, one scholar replied that in one month time To whom: To whom was the message addressed: he is unable to write four pages, several colleagues Human beings, ancestors, gods, nature? What kind of presented their ideas in a colloquial way and were communication was produced by the art? What did their invited to submit a paper that could be published. makers expected to obtain as a result of producing it? Over sixty interesting and pertinent papers were Length of each paper could be from 2 to 4 pages (1500 submitted, and are now being reviewed. The flow did to 3000 words) and may include up to 4 images. Texts not stop yet, so we decided to continue considering should be in English. They could include description of incoming papers although we are not sure that all locality and of the art, and reasoned considerations of of them can be included in a single volume. The these three queries. Illustrations should be of high quality discussion forum is leading towards new concepts in with a definition of 600 dpi. The papers received will be rock art studies and it is worthwhile to listen to voices considered by reviewers. Please let us know the locality coming from over 30 countries. Some of the papers of selected and the title of your communication as soon this “WWW PROJECT” may make the theme of one as possible. Kindly consider that we would appreciate of the following issues of EXPRESSION. receiving your final text within one month from the date of the present email. We look forward to hearing from you. ROCK ART: WHEN WHY AND TO WHOM UISPP-CISENP (International Scientific Committee on Best regards, the Intellectual and Spiritual Expressions of Non-literate Emmanuel Anati People) (President UISPP-CISENP) Dear friends, Some days ago an invitation was sent to a few rock art specialists to write and present short texts on “ROCK ART: WHEN, WHY AND TO WHOM?” and we were pleased to receive several positive replies. The same invitation is now extended to a larger number of specialists, in view of an international publication in English of the pertinent papers. Following specific requests, the participation is extended also to topics concerning mobile or “mobiliary” The logo of ATELIER art of non-literate people. In such case the title of the kokopeli, the American Indian resulting publication could be "Prehistoric art: when, story-teller. Tracing from rock art, why and to whom". Arizona (USA). MARCH 2015 3 CONTENTS Daniel Arsenault (Canada) The Canadian Shield rock art and its spiritual dimension: Finding some tangible and intangible aspects of rock art sites in the Canadian Shield through a contextual approach .............................. 5 Paul D. Burley (UK) As Above, So Below: Unveiling the Truth About Stonehenge’s Sacred Landscape .......................................... 14 Somnath Chakraverty (India) Pre-literate art in India: a source of indigenous knowledge, ethno-history and collective wisdom ................. 26 Bulu Imam (India) The intellectual and spiritual expressions of a nomadic tribe, the Birhor (of Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, Eastern India) ................................................................................................... 40 Mercedes Pérez Bartolomé, Emilio Muñoz Fernández (Spain) Colonization of the upper Miera and Asón Valleys (Cantabria, Spain) in the Late Pleistocene and the Early Holocene. ..........................................................................................