Nal Morris
L
Research: The Sae 3f :t - Art
Synergism is the life-giving essence of the
Utah Rock Art Research Association. Rock
art research is truly an interdisciplinary science. It is entirely appropriate to approach
rock art research from any number of research disciplines. However, it is inappropriate and grossly inadequate to insist that
research in the field should be confined to
one discipline. The interesting thing about
the research is that it spans not only science
but the arts as well.
When we say that petroglyphic and pictographic inscriptions are "rock art", we have
chosen a label that is intentionally farreaching to span the broad base of the research. Some wish to call the inscriptions
"rock writing" but in most cases this is a
misnomer because most often the inscriptions
range from actual pictures of the authors intended subject to symbolic forms. While we
would not exclude the possibility that there is
some writing, it seems from my years of experience in the region of the western U.S.,
this is quite rare or nonexistent. However,
"art" is a much broader term which covers the
host of the many millions of inscriptions that
exist around the world from the earliest inscriptions in the caves of France to the later
pre-Columbian American rock art. However,
we must not lose sight of the now well established fact that many Mayan inscriptions have
been proven to be the written word phonetically based. Artistic and symbolic representation did evolve into writing. But it doesn't
therefore follow that all ancient inscriptions
are writing. Remember what the term "art"
brings to the research. It entails dimensions
that writing can only express in many words.
Words that did not exist in the vocabulary of
the creator of the inscription but were included by the artist-author-creator through
artistic expression.
If we are going to characterize the petroglyphic inscriptions as anything meaningful
at all, we must first do so in light of the creators or authors of the inscriptions. They
were people. That one statement means that
the source of the inscription is so broad that
no one classification of rock art can possibly
apply to all inscriptions. There was no
dictionary, lexicon or thesaurus. While there
are some norms, they are broadly based with
a great deal of local variation. The best
source for understanding is found in the
diversity of the cultures that created the
inscriptions. For instance, when glyphs show
a woven quality, they bare meaning that
relates back to possible symbolic functions
that naturally follow from weaving. It is
highly unlikely that these woven glyphs were
placed on the rocks as a weaver's manual. It
therefore follows that symbolic function was
their intent. The art of weaving entails a lot
of mathematics such as numbers, patterns,
patterns within patterns, and phase shift.
With the woven glyphs we are given a
window into the world of the glyphs'
creators. Through this window we are able to
gain some insights into their mean because
weaving and woven glyphs contain number
and pattern. By using these numbers and
patterns we can look for, but not necessarily
find, what those patterns and numbers may
match in the culture and times of their
creation. What are the windows through
which we might peer into their world? A little thought tells us that each rock art inscription, doll, sculpture, edifice, legend, or
history is a window into their world if we are
Page 57
able to understand
understand the
the symbolic
symbolic expression
used.
That characteristic
characteristicwhich
which distinguishes
distinguishes man
man
from the animals is based in meaning, reprerepresynsentation, and
and symbol.
symbol. This includes synSynthetic unity
unity is
is
thetic unity and jootsing. Synthetic
most intriguing
intriguing characteristics
characteristics of
one of the most
of
For instance
human intelligence. For
instance there
thereexists
exists
at Parowan
ParowanGap
Gapaavery
verysimple
simplelittle
littleglyph,
glyph,
which I call "one snow". It consists of one
large circle
large
circle surrounded
surroundedby
bytwelve
twelve smaller
smaller circircles. It's a year
year glyph.
glyph. In its context, it indimoons.
cates one year
year consisting
consisting of
of twelve moons.
synthetic unity
unity of
ofhuman
humanintelligence
intelligencehas
has
But synthetic
grouped something that only makes a unity in
of man.
man. It
It exits
exits only
onlythere.
there. There
There
the mind of
natural phenomenon
is no natural
phenomenon that
that unifies
unifies the
the
The creating
creating of a
year but the mind of man. The
unity is
is aa very
very complex
complexprocess
process of
of
synthetic unity
unifying separate
separate things into one concept.
unifying
This process often requires representation.
representation.
When the
the inscriber
inscriber of the "one snow" glyph
glyph
When
created it,
created
it, he
he or
or she
she gathered
gatheredtogether
togethertwelve
twelve
separate things
separate
things into
into one
one conglomerated
conglomeratedthing,
thing,
a year.
year. This
This process
process needs
needs expression
expression in
in
If aa person is creating
some fashion. If
creating aa basbasket, then various sticks and fibers of the basket are woven together into a one item. But
what if the creation were aa concept
concept and
and not
not aa
What physical
physical obobphysical item, what then. What
now hold
hold and
and make
make permanent
permanent the
ject will now
concept? The concept needs some expression. In this case it is the petroglyph. As
soon as the glyph was created
created the
the concept
concept
moved from
from thought
thought to
to reality.
reality. A
Avisual
visualobobmoved
ject then existed and a name could be given
A quantum
quantum leap
leap in human
to this object. A
knowledge was
was accomplished.
accomplished. In
In effect,
effect, aa
knowledge
unity had
had now
now been
been created
created such
synthetic unity
that it was no longer
longer necessary
necessary to
to refer
referto
tothe
the
moons. AA
period of time as a set of twelve
twelve moons.
existed, one
one snow
snow (i.e. a
single word now existed,
year). This process was almost impossible to
accomplish without the physical image as a
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between concept
concept and
and word. The
The
middle step between
foregoing is to illustrate
illustrate the
the necessity
necessity of representation (in
resentation
(in this
this case
case aapetroglyphic
petroglyphicininscription) in establishing
establishing human
human knowledge.
knowledge.
particular illustration
In this particular
illustrationwe
weare
areable
abletoto
we understand
understand the isolation
see even deeper if we
of the culture of origin. There are
are no
no known
known
books or other transportable
transportablemeans
meansof
ofcomcommunication found or related
related to
to the
the Parowan
Parowan
Fremont. Trade
Trade goods
goods are
arepresent
presentbut
butthe
the
development of
of local
local knowledge
knowledgewas
wasnecesnecesdevelopment
sary locally.
The second epistemological process referred
referred
to above is called jootsing. This term was
coined by Douglas Hoffsteader. The word is
really an
an acronym
acronym for
for "Jumping
"Jumping Out
Out Of
Of The
System". ItIt refers
refers to
to man's
man's ability to raise
System".
himself and
and look
look back
back on
on himself.
himself.
above himself
Hoffsteader used the term in reference to
heuristic software, i.e. software that is able
able to
to
own artificial
artificial intelligence within
develop its own
its own process of execution.
execution. Somewhere
Somewherein
in
the prehistory of man, he acquired
acquired this
this reremarkable ability to look back at himself and
himself in
in his
his own
own situation.
situation. This
This is
is the
the
see himself
second in our list of characteristics
characteristicsof
of human
human
intelligence. It is man's ability to image himAt the
the Gap
Gap is
is aa very
very telling
telling glyph
glyph which
which
self. At
resides at
at the
the Solstice-Equinox-Solstice
Solstice-Equinox-Solstice
Glyph. It contains just the head and
and torso
torso of
of
the classic Fremont
Fremont anthropomorphic
anthropomorphicfigure.
figure.
At
the gap
gap and from many
many other
other anthropoAt the
morphic calendric
calendric forms,
forms, it is apparent
apparentthat
that
the shape of the Fremont petroglyphic torso
torso is
is
indeed solstice, equinox, solstice in its very
very
form. The
The torso
torso contains the wedge-shaped
angle of the solar
solar traverse
traversebetween
between the
the solsolstices. The glyph
glyph is
is related
related to the solsticeequinox-solstice glyph
glyph in
in such
such aa way
way so
so as
as to
effect
effect aa signature which states that
that "I
"I am
am the
the
person" or
or "We
"We are
are the
the people
people who
who totally
model our lives after the sun". It is the ability
of man to see himself
himself in
in an
an image
image as
as though
he were apart
apart from
from himself
himself that makes him
what he is. Prehistoric
Prehistoric human
human images
images are
areenengraved all
all over
over the
the world.
world. Once
Once that
that was
was
done, man had already
already acquired
acquiredall
allthe
thepotenpotential of becoming what he is today be that considered good, bad,
bad, or
or indifferent.
indifferent.
The importance of the representation
representation of
of himglyphic image
image is
is undeniable.
undeniable. Ancient
Ancient
self in glyphic
represented himself
man represented
himself in glyphic image as
eternal god,
a mighty hunter, eternal
god, great
greatcopulater,
copulater,
great warrior,
great
warrior,in
inmany
manyanimal
animalforms,
forms,etc.
etc.In
In
this way man has shaped his identity, his persona, his directions
directions and
and meaning.
meaning. Man
Man could
could
totem in
in actuality
actuality but in
not become his totem
medium of
ofself
self
glyphic image. Through this medium
representation, man
representation,
man has
hasgained
gainedaameans
meansof
of
self expression and personal
personal direction.
direction. From
From
this we can see that petroglyphic image bears
bears
of
a necessary
necessary function
function in the development of
human culture, personal
personal and
andsocial
socialimage
image
study of
of rock
rock art
art is truly an interdiscipliThe study
nary science. This science is a synergism of
fields. My
My own
ownresearch
research has
has been
many fields.
based on philosophy, ethnography, and
and astroastrocalendar function.
nomical calendar
function. This
This research
research
thus entailed understanding
understanding petroglyphic
petroglyphic
related legends,
numbers, related
legends, and
and subsistence
subsistence
patterns. The
patterns.
The calendar
calendarfunction
function research
researchenentailed astronomy, computer modeling and
The
trigonometric field survey techniques. The
superb thing about
about the
the close
close and
and unmistakunmistakable identification of calendar
calendar function
function with
with
petroglyphic inscription and
and petroglyphic
petroglyphic
of the
the particular
particular glyph
numbers is the fixing
fixing of
with that function and the meaning of that
This is
is aa superb opportunity to see
glyph. This
symbolic or
or geometric
geometric figures
figures were
were used
used
how symbolic
represent aa known
to represent
known and
and proven
proven meaning.
meaning.
glyph is
is accomaccomThe certainty of meaning to glyph
correlation of
plished by the correlation
of glyphic numbers
to alignments and event dates. From
From this
this itit is
is
calculate probabilities
possible to calculate
probabilitiesfor
foraavalue
value
of validity.
validity. However
However there
there are
are
judgment of
many other avenues through which to approach rock
proach
rock art
artresearch.
research.
you are
are an artist,
If you
artist, you
you would
would be interested
interested in
in
creation
the skills and techniques used in the creation
glyph itself.
itself. IfIfyou
youare
are an
an archaeoloarchaeoloof the glyph
would regard
regard the glyph as an
gist, you would
an artifact
artifact
glyph with
with its
its culculand want to identify the glyph
tural affiliation
tural
affiliation and
and date
dateof
of creation.
creation.IfIfyou
you
are an
are
an anthropologist,
anthropologist,you
youwould
would be
be interinterested in the glyph's function and meaning in
a cultural
cultural context.
context. If
If you are
are photographer,
photographer,
you are interested
interested in
in recording
recordingthe
theglyph
glyph in
in
accurate detail
the most accurate
detail possible.
possible. And
And if you
are aa rock
are
rock art
artresearcher
researcherfrom
fromany
anyprofession
profession
or avocation,
avocation, you
you are
are interested
interestedin
inall
allof
ofthe
the
above.
We may
may never
never read
read rock art inscriptions
We
inscriptions but
but
that's not saying that
that we
we can't
can't understand
understand
them. Through the various different disciplines that may be applied to rock art
art reresearch, aa person
search,
person is
is able
ableto
toextract
extractthat
that
information to which that particular
particulardiscidiscipertains. When
think about
about it, that
pline pertains.
When you think
may date
date
can be aa lot
lot of
of information. You
You may
identify their
their style; address the techthem; identify
which they
they were
were created;
created; test them
niques by which
for calendar
calendar function;
function; identify
identify the standard
standard
symbolic forms,
forms, i.e. archetypes etc.;
symbolic
etc.; evaluate
evaluate
their function within their cultural
cultural origin;
origin;and
and
relate them
relate
them to known legends.
obvious
Every since Penfeld, it has become obvious
that the brain
brain for
for some
some large
largepart
partisisspatiality.
spatiality.
Of course the Heiddegerians
Heiddegerians will
will argue
argue that
that
spatiotemporal but
it is spatiotemporal
but you
you can't
can't be
be carve
carve on
on
a rock so let's
let's just
just talk
talk about
about spatiality
spatiality
(space). Penfeld proved by touching electrodes to the exposed, but living brain, that
that
neurological space
the neurological
space of
of the
the brain
brainisisisometisometseem
rically mapped into the body. That may seem
simple enough at the outset but some analysis
of the human thought soon concludes that the
mind has taken this spatiality and
and extended
extended it
Art Research:
Research: The State of
of the
the Art,
Art, Page
Page 59
Nal Morris, Rock Art
way beyond
beyond the
the human
human body.
body. Susan
Susan Langer
Langer
coined an expression that
that II often
often think of
studying rock
rock art
art inscriptions. She said
while studying
in the introduction to one of Ernst Cassirer's
Cassirer's
works that symbolic
symbolic forms
forms are
are "the odyssey
odyssey
my research
research in pictographic
of the mind" In my
and petroglyphic inscriptions,
inscriptions, II see
see spatialspatialthink in
in most
most every
everyglyph.
glyph.For
For instance,
instance,
body think
that while I agree
agree that
that aasheep
sheepcan
canbe
bejust
justaa
you come
come to
to aa two-headed
two-headed
sheep, when you
sheep, you are compelled to conclude a symglyph. When
Whenthe
thesun
sun
bolic function for this glyph.
ram reaches
reaches either
eithersolstice,
solstice,as
asthe
thesun
sunbearer
bearer
acquires an
he acquires
an extra
extrahead
headso
sothat
thathe
hemay
mayconconsimultaneously
tinue forward in time while simultaneously
reversing his direction
direction as
as the
the sun
sun reverses
reversesits
its
direction toward
toward the
the other
other solstice.
solstice. The
The sun
sun
ram has
has acquired
acquiredsymbolic
symbolic spatiotemporality
spatiotemporality
while remaining a purely spatial
spatial device.
device. He
He
was given bidirectionality to run forward
forward in
in
while he
he starts
starts his return
time while
return to
to the
the other
other
solstice in the opposite direction. However,
function is
is spatial.
spatial. There is no
all symbolic function
without aa
way to represent time symbolically
symbolically without
spatial device
spatial
device like the running year
year in
in
are
Grapevine Canyon. Geometric devices are
of
also used as
as in
in the
the one
one snow
snow glyph spoken of
there is another means of
above. Although
Although there
representing time
representing
time that
that is
is totally
totally sufficient.
sufficient.
becomes the
the vehicle
vehicle of
ofboth
bothtime
time
Number becomes
and space.
space. But
But we still have problems. Often
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in linguistic usage there
there is
is no
no distinction
distinction bebetween space and time, i.e. 'How long is your
arm?'
arm?' or
or 'How
'How long
long have
have you
you been
been waiting?'.
waiting?'.
The same word is used to describe both
space and
and time.
time.
There are
are vast
vast dimensions
dimensions of the universe that
understand. In
man does not understand.
In some
some ways huknowledge is
is quite
quite feeble.
feeble. We
Wecan't
can't
man knowledge
know what
what we
we do
do not
not know.
know.Logic
Logichas
hasaa
know
of reality
reality
rough time proving the existence of
himself (i.e. the
and man the existence of himself
philosophy). This
This is
is because
because logic
logic
shame of philosophy).
below it.
it. The
The founfounsits above existence not below
dation of a house (i.e. existence) does not sit
on its roof (i.e. logic). Where is this leading
us? Man is thrown into aa world
world of
of existence
but through language
language acquires
acquireslogic.
logic.HowHowever because man has
has being,
being, he
he seeks
seeks to look
Time is
is the
the substance
substance of
of
back at himself. Time
impossible for
for the
the human
human
existence. It is impossible
identify itself
itselfwithout
withoutexpressing,
expressing,
mind to identify
representing, comprehending,
representing,
comprehending, and
and utilizing
utilizing
However, symbols
symbolsfor
fortime
timeare
are hard
hard to
time. However,
by in
in aa time
time before
before watches,
watches, clocks,
clocks, and
and
come by
printed calendars.
calendars.Nevertheless,
Nevertheless, there
therewere
were
symbols ifif we
we recognize
recognize them.
them.The
The
such symbols
need for man to represent
himself
in
the
form
represent himself
of time
time generated
generated a family of
of anthropomoranthropomorphic calendar
calendar glyphs.
glyphs. This,
This, at
at present,
present, is
is the
the
direction of my
research.
my research.