The State of Rock Art in North America 1 - Lawrence Loendorf

From the high plains of Canada to caves in the southeastern United States, ancient images etched into and painted onto stone by Native peoples have inspired observers to question their origins and meanings. Rock paintings (pictographs) and engravings (petroglyphs) can be found in nearly every state and province, and each region has its own distinctive story of discovery and investigation of the rock art record. Lawrence Loendorf gives an illustrated talk that offers new information and approaches to research about both the ancient locations and modern meanings of these enduring images. An archaeologist and rock art specialist, Loendorf is president of Sacred Sites Research, which records and analyzes pictograph and petroglyph sites and promotes their protection. He is also an award-winning professor and author.
This talk was webcast live and recorded in the Rasmuson Theater of the National Museum of the American Indian on May 18, 2017.

[@srf2112]

As an amateur paleontologist/geologist what I understand is that indigenous North Americans thought of the "real" world and the spirit world as two separate but inextricably connected parts of all reality. My thinking is the "narrative" rock art corresponds with and describes everyday events and the ghost writings are the spirit world's insights of the same events. These were highly intelligent and extremely introspective people far beyond what was traditionally thought by Western researchers. I think we are just starting to scratch the surface of understanding the depth and breadth of who these people actually were. Outstanding presentation.

[@FacesintheStone]

Over the past two months I’ve been excavating a site full of large bird totems, 75 pounds plus. I found a stone with a photo realistic face on it that you can see right now as the avatar of the comment here. It’s incredible and I don’t know where to start to try to get the stuff dated. Everything has been packed in clay so the paint still remains, just as you see in the video red yellow orange and even green. Painted Quartz, sandstones, many birds, and likenesses of humans that are not abstract. Some of the art is obscure and hard to see it first, but once you learn how to see the art style which took me about 2 1/2 weeks you’ll find that it is a complex multi faceted art with eight or nine archetypes that repeat over and over again.

[@FacesintheStone]

Dstrech-No kidding I must get this.

[@FacesintheStone]

After spending the last 30 minutes using the application on the megalithic Statues and Painted Stones that I found I will say that it’s easier than adjusting the contrast in individual settings within my phone, I’m pretty happy with it overall. 20 bucks is a little pricey but our history comes with no tag 🏷

[@bobs5596]

@@FacesintheStone $20 is less than a pizza. i wish i had some art to use it on. btw, that pic is very nice. things that make you wonder.

[@Creekstain]

Hey man! I see you been doing research as well. The cache I am working on I have the clay packed eyes and lots of painted red eyes. Lots of faint lines like mouse whiskers that look dyed or tattooed so to speak. I feel like I need to figure this out not for me but for the world. I've been watching the channels agate dad and agate aerial and they show effigies all the time. They just dont know it yet or won't listen to me. Im done convincing people. You see it or you dont.

[@emilymota8647]

Very good, thanks for letting me know