J. David Lewis-Williams is world renowned for his work on the rock art of Southern Africa. In this volume, Lewis-Williams describes the key steps in his evolving journey to understand these images painted on stone. He describes the development of technical methods of interpreting rock paintings of the 1970s, shows how a growing understanding of San mythology, cosmology, and ethnography helped decode the complex paintings, and traces the development of neuropsychological models for understanding the relationship between belief systems and rock art. The author then applies his theories to the famous rock paintings of prehistoric Western Europe in an attempt to develop a comprehensive theory of rock art. For students of rock art, archaeology, ethnography, comparative religion, and art history, Lewis-Williams' book will be a provocative read and an important reference.
J. David Lewis-Williams is Director of the Rock Art Research Institute at University of Witwatersrand, South Africa, and is known internationally for his studies of South African rock art.
Part 0 Foreword by David S. Whitley Part 2 Acknowledgments Chapter 3 Introduction Chapter 4 Chapter 1Historical setting Chapter 5 Chapter 2Man must measure Chapter 6 Chapter 3Ethnography and iconography Chapter 7 Chapter 4Mystery wrapped in myth Chapter 8 Chapter 5Through the veil Chapter 9 Chapter 6A dream of eland Chapter 10 Chapter 7Seeing and construing Chapter 11 Chapter 8Building bridges Chapter 12 Chapter 9Harnessing the brain Chapter 13 Chapter 10Agency, altered consciousness and wounded men Chapter 14 Chapter 11The social production and consumption of rock art Part 15 References Part 16 Index Part 17 About the Author
The ideas of David Lewis-Williams, director of the Rock Art Research Institute at the University of Witwatersrand, have had a profound impact on rock art studies in southern Africa, and more recently, on the interpretation of Upper Paleolithic art...The book brings together the development of Lewis-Williams's thoughts about rock art, published between 1972-1997...A Cosmos in Stone is a valuable source for students of rock art...
J. David Lewis-Williams is world renowned for his work on the rock art of Southern Africa. In this volume, Lewis-Williams describes the key steps in his evolving journey to understand these images painted on stone. He describes the development of technical methods of interpreting rock paintings of the 1970s, shows how a growing understanding of San mythology, cosmology, and ethnography helped decode the complex paintings, and traces the development of neuropsychological models for understanding the relationship between belief systems and rock art. The author then applies his theories to the famous rock paintings of prehistoric Western Europe in an attempt to develop a comprehensive theory of rock art. For students of rock art, archaeology, ethnography, comparative religion, and art history, Lewis-Williams' book will be a provocative read and an important reference.
J. David Lewis-Williams is Director of the Rock Art Research Institute at University of Witwatersrand, South Africa, and is known internationally for his studies of South African rock art.
Part 0 Foreword by David S. Whitley Part 2 Acknowledgments Chapter 3 Introduction Chapter 4 Chapter 1Historical setting Chapter 5 Chapter 2Man must measure Chapter 6 Chapter 3Ethnography and iconography Chapter 7 Chapter 4Mystery wrapped in myth Chapter 8 Chapter 5Through the veil Chapter 9 Chapter 6A dream of eland Chapter 10 Chapter 7Seeing and construing Chapter 11 Chapter 8Building bridges Chapter 12 Chapter 9Harnessing the brain Chapter 13 Chapter 10Agency, altered consciousness and wounded men Chapter 14 Chapter 11The social production and consumption of rock art Part 15 References Part 16 Index Part 17 About the Author
The ideas of David Lewis-Williams, director of the Rock Art Research Institute at the University of Witwatersrand, have had a profound impact on rock art studies in southern Africa, and more recently, on the interpretation of Upper Paleolithic art...The book brings together the development of Lewis-Williams's thoughts about rock art, published between 1972-1997...A Cosmos in Stone is a valuable source for students of rock art...