A GCI Publication Although cave paintings from the European Ice
Age have gained considerable renown, for many people the term
"rock art" remains full of mystery. Yet it refers to perhaps the
oldest form of artistic endeavor, splendid examples of which
exist on all continents and from all eras. Rock art stretches in
time from more than forty thousand to less than forty years ago
and can be found from the Arctic Circle to the tip of South
America, from the caves of southern France to the American
Southwest. It includes animal and human figures, complex
geometrical forms, and myriad mysterious markings. Illustrated
in color throughout, this book provides an engaging overview of
rock art worldwide. An introductory chapter discusses the
discovery of rock art by the West and the importance of
landscape and ritual. Subsequent chapters survey rock art sites
throughout the world, explaining how the art can be dated and
how it was made. The book then explores the meaning of these
often enigmatic images, including the c