Convenors: Sally K. May (Australia), Inés Domingo Sanz (Spain), Jake Goodes (Australia), Wendy Luke (Australia), Andrés Troncoso (Chile) and Roxanne Tsang (Papua New Guinea; UK)
Rock art is a phenomenon that continues to inspire, challenge, and enhance archaeological research globally. It is an archive of human and ancestral activity that provides a window into the complexities of people’s social and cultural behaviour in the past and present. In many parts of the world the fundamental connection between First Nations communities and their rock art remains strong and culturally significant, offering an opportunity to braid First Nations knowledge with western science.
This theme will draw together diverse voices to discuss new directions for rock art research, explore unique case studies involving rock art management and conservation, delve into the latest innovations in the science of rock art research, discuss new theoretical frameworks for interpreting rock art, and demonstrate how emerging technologies can lift rock art research to new heights. Importantly, this theme is an opportunity for First Nation communities to share their knowledge and stories of living and working with rock art today and the roles rock art played in the lives of their ancestors.
We welcome sessions relating to these and any other themes related to the study of rock art. We encourage session convenors to think innovatively and push the boundaries of rock art and archaeology. What are the big questions for rock art research today? How can rock art challenge traditional archaeological interpretations and narratives of the past? How does rock art articulate with contemporary discussions of climate change, well-being, and socio-ecological crises? How can archaeological studies of rock art remain relevant and useful for First Nations communities today?
Contacts:
Sally K. May
University of Adelaide, Australia
sally.may@adelaide.edu.au
Inés Domingo Sanz
ICREA, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
ines.domingo@ub.edu
Jake Goodes
Parks Victoria, Australia
jake.goodes@parks.vic.gov.au
Wendy Luke
Parks Victoria, Australia
wendy.luke@parks.vic.gov.au
Andrés Troncoso
Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
atroncos@gmail.com
Roxanne Tsang
University of Oxford; University of Papua New Guinea, roxanne.tsang@arch.ox.ac.uk
THEME 05 SESSIONS
T05/Session 01: Rock Art Research and Practice at a Slow and Safe Pace
T05/Session 02: Rock Art and Storytelling
T05/Session 03: Rock Art: Antiquity and Continuity
T05/Session 04: Rock Art in the 21st Century: Ongoing Research, Trends and Issues in Global Scenarios [This session is now closed]
T05/Session 05: Digital Approaches to Rock Art Research: Innovations and Applications
T05/Session 06: Rock Art and Biographical Perspectives
T05/Session 08: Exploring Global Questions and Challenges of Material Culture Depicted in Rock Art
T05/Session 09: Climate Calendars in World Rock Art: Archaeological and Ethnographic Experiences
T05/Session 11: Caring For, Conserving and Managing Rock Art