Ancestral Connections: Re-Evaluating Concepts of Superimpositioning and Vandalism in Rock Art Studies
The aim of this article is to comprehend the significance of superimpositions as social practices and processes and to deconstruct how notions of superimpositions and vandalism have been used in rock art studies. Although attempts in the past have been made to determine why certain motifs were inten...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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De Gruyter
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Open Archaeology |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1515/opar-2024-0033 |
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| author | Motta Ana Paula Hampson Jamie |
| author_facet | Motta Ana Paula Hampson Jamie |
| author_sort | Motta Ana Paula |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The aim of this article is to comprehend the significance of superimpositions as social practices and processes and to deconstruct how notions of superimpositions and vandalism have been used in rock art studies. Although attempts in the past have been made to determine why certain motifs were intentionally placed on top of other images, superimposition and vandalism/iconoclasm are often – and unhelpfully – used interchangeably in rock art literature. Interpretations have mostly lingered on the negative connotations of superimpositions, such as the “defacement” of previous motifs. Here, we argue that uncritically categorising certain practices as vandalism – often from the perspective of a Western knowledge system – has a negative influence on interpretations of traditional art systems. Instead, by recognising the active role that past depictions played – and, in some places, continue to play – within contemporary Indigenous communities, we hope to clarify and expand conceptualisations of superimpositions in rock art research. Our case study focusses on superimpositioning in the Kimberley region of Australia. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1affb4599f364fa6a519c6a133e812c8 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2300-6560 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | De Gruyter |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Open Archaeology |
| spelling | doaj-art-1affb4599f364fa6a519c6a133e812c82025-08-20T02:11:58ZengDe GruyterOpen Archaeology2300-65602025-04-01111pp. 10914510.1515/opar-2024-0033Ancestral Connections: Re-Evaluating Concepts of Superimpositioning and Vandalism in Rock Art StudiesMotta Ana Paula0Hampson Jamie1Institut für Ur- und Frühgeschichte, Christian Albrechts Universität, Johanna-Mestorf-Straße, 24106, Kiel, GermanyFaculty of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EnglandThe aim of this article is to comprehend the significance of superimpositions as social practices and processes and to deconstruct how notions of superimpositions and vandalism have been used in rock art studies. Although attempts in the past have been made to determine why certain motifs were intentionally placed on top of other images, superimposition and vandalism/iconoclasm are often – and unhelpfully – used interchangeably in rock art literature. Interpretations have mostly lingered on the negative connotations of superimpositions, such as the “defacement” of previous motifs. Here, we argue that uncritically categorising certain practices as vandalism – often from the perspective of a Western knowledge system – has a negative influence on interpretations of traditional art systems. Instead, by recognising the active role that past depictions played – and, in some places, continue to play – within contemporary Indigenous communities, we hope to clarify and expand conceptualisations of superimpositions in rock art research. Our case study focusses on superimpositioning in the Kimberley region of Australia.https://doi.org/10.1515/opar-2024-0033indigenous rock articonoclasmvandalismethnographyaustralia |
| spellingShingle | Motta Ana Paula Hampson Jamie Ancestral Connections: Re-Evaluating Concepts of Superimpositioning and Vandalism in Rock Art Studies Open Archaeology indigenous rock art iconoclasm vandalism ethnography australia |
| title | Ancestral Connections: Re-Evaluating Concepts of Superimpositioning and Vandalism in Rock Art Studies |
| title_full | Ancestral Connections: Re-Evaluating Concepts of Superimpositioning and Vandalism in Rock Art Studies |
| title_fullStr | Ancestral Connections: Re-Evaluating Concepts of Superimpositioning and Vandalism in Rock Art Studies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ancestral Connections: Re-Evaluating Concepts of Superimpositioning and Vandalism in Rock Art Studies |
| title_short | Ancestral Connections: Re-Evaluating Concepts of Superimpositioning and Vandalism in Rock Art Studies |
| title_sort | ancestral connections re evaluating concepts of superimpositioning and vandalism in rock art studies |
| topic | indigenous rock art iconoclasm vandalism ethnography australia |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1515/opar-2024-0033 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mottaanapaula ancestralconnectionsreevaluatingconceptsofsuperimpositioningandvandalisminrockartstudies AT hampsonjamie ancestralconnectionsreevaluatingconceptsofsuperimpositioningandvandalisminrockartstudies |