ABSTRACT

This volume is the first summary and synthesis of the rock art of the American High Plains, from Archaic times to the historic period. Even more, it presents an engaging combination of Plains archaeology, rock art sites, and holistic archaeological research. This refreshing approach to rock art studies reminds us that archaeologists glean information from the whole site and everything that may have occurred there, rather than simply focusing on the images on stone. Clues to understanding rock art can be found in other images, in associated artifacts, and in ethnographic analogy. Archaeologists are shown how rock art integrates with other materials available for study. With each page, the reader will be engaged in a compelling, and comprehensive story that focuses equally on the art and the archaeology of the prehistoric plains.

chapter 1|26 pages

Foreground and Background

The Physiography, Rock Art Research History, and Cultural Chronology of the Central High Plains

chapter 8|12 pages

Through a Glass, Darkly