Year: 2015
Type: article
Abstract: Polly Schaafsma is best known for her seminal and wide-ranging studies of southwestern and Colorado Plateau rock art traditions.Her most important contributions to Great Basin rock art have been more regionally and temporally focused on the eastern and southeastern Basin, the period of Fremont and Ancestral Puebloan cultures (ca.1,600-700 years ago), and methodological issues regarding the analysis of rock art traditions dominated by abstract imagery.These research interests are characterized by Schaafsma's best-known publications that deal with Great Basin rock art-The Rock Art of Utah (1971), Indian Rock Art of the Southwest (1980), and her chapter on rock art in the Great Basin volume of the Handbook of North American Indians (1986). 1 These works variously synthesize data on Great Basin rock art styles and stylistically analyze and class anthropomorph types associated with Ancestral Puebloan and Fremont cultures.Anthropomorphs range from simple shapes, either triangular or trapezoidal, with rudimentary arms and legs, simple horns or headgear; to more complex forms with long, tapering torsos, large rectangular heads with possible fringed horns, and a "distinctive line or dot facial decoration." 2 Further, fringes may be found on the arms or torso.Besides classifying anthropomorphs, the three seminal works also emphasize reconstructing culture history and identifying the chronological outline of stylistic Angus R. Quinlan is the Executive Director of the Nevada Rock Art Foundation.His research focuses on Great Basin rock art and the archaeology of religion.Darla L. Garey
Authors: Darla L. Garey-Sage, Angus R. Quinlan
Language: English
Subfield: Archeology
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2474018286