Anaheim, Rock Art Thought Research

Rock art refers to the depictions or symbols engraved or painted on rocks. It is a major means of communication between men in non-literate societies. Rock art is widespread in five continents. It currently becomes a cosmopolitan popular study by its global extent as well as historical depth. Rock art, the typical product of the pre-script society, originated with the advent of Homo sapiens and usually died out when well-developed scripts were used as the common communication. Prior to the invention of scripts, the ancient people used to express feelings, exchange ideas and record events by means of the pictorial language. Rock art demonstrates the production economy, social life, living environment, primitive mentality, religious belief, psychological activity and aesthetic standard of the ancient people in an all-round, multidimensional way, showing their wise wits and creative talent, which represent a vivid picture depicting the human’s evolution from barbarism to civilization. Thus, as the most important record prior to the invention of scripts, rock art serves as an indispensable data source of the research on human’s evolution and development.In September,2010, the author attended the International Symposium on Rock Art and Prehistoric Civilization2010, where the author was fortunate enough to make acquaintance with Prof. Emmanuel Anati of world-renowned rock art expert. Emmanuel Anati, Italian, world-renowned rock art expert, is founder and director of Centro Camuno di Studi Preistorici (CCSP), which is based in North Italy’s Capo di Ponte. At the request of the symposium organizing committee, Prof. Anati delivered a wonderful address at the symposium. About six months later, the author was luckily selected into the State-Sponsored Building Top-Notch Universities Scholarship Program by China Scholarship Council (CSC). Sponsored by the CSC, the author went to study in the CCSP with the hope of taking the opportunity to conduct an in-depth study on the research theories of European prehistoric art. Upon arrival in Italy, the author collected and read the literatures related to European prehistoric art research under the guidance of Prof. Anati, having irregular discussions concerning relevant topics with Prof. Anati. Meanwhile, from the chats with Prof. Anati in private, the author got to learn of the frequent interaction of Sino-Italian rock art experts and scholars in the past30-plus years since the1980s and the profound friendship cemented in such interaction. More importantly, Prof. Anati has become an international rock art expert, with whom the Chinese circle of rock art is most familiar. A sort of close interaction forms between Prof. Anati and the circle of rock art in China, in particular the Rock Art Research Association of China (RARAC). It certainly stems from Anati, or the particularity of Anati phenomenon, a scholar dedicated to the cause of rock art as long as50-plus years, a scholar making great contribution to the rock art in both Italy and the world. As a Ph.D. candidate at the RARAC, the author should not only pay tribute to this rock art scholar, but also need to conduct meticulous and in-depth study and research on him. With this goal in mind, the author decided to choose the topic of Research on Anati’s Rock Art Thought as his doctoral dissertation.Prehistoric art research has begun since the19th Century. Faced with various challenges in the second half of the20th Century, it urged researcher at that time to continuously consider how to address challenges, further seeking the possible direction and new path of rock art research development. Prof. Anati’s rock art research thought formed in the course of long-term rock art practices is just a direct response to the aforementioned problem. During the writing procedure, the following three main research methods are used:data index, literature research and comparison. By tracking the history of Anati’s rock art research, the article follows several steps and reaches some achievement as follows. First, the article classifies and reassesses the past research on the literature of Anati’s rock art fieldwork. Second, the article constructs Anati’s rock art research theories. Third, the article further expands Anati’s rock art practice and research.The dissertation consists of an introduction and four chapters. In Chapter Ⅰ, the author focuses on Anati’s rock art investigation and record, showcasing how to discover Valcamonica engravings as well as the procedure of getting involved in rock art, Anati’s early investigation into Valcamonica engravings, and the further work in the aftermath of the establishment of CCSP in an all-round manner. Based upon the long-term rock art fieldwork, Prof. Anati put forward concepts of rock art site and rock art area, gradually forming a set of standard fieldwork procedure.In Chapter Ⅱ, the author constructs the theoretical system of Anati’s rock art research. Prof. Anati created an Anati style method of chronological analysis. In the methodology of rock art interpretation, Anati regards rock art as a means of communication in the non-literate societies, putting forward the idea of writing in non-literate societies. As a result, rock art is endowed with linguistic function in a groundbreaking way, with a complete set of rock art grammar and syntax formed.In Chapter Ⅲ, the author set his eyes on the extension of Anati’s rock art practice in Mid-East region. An archaeological expedition led by Prof. Anati begun to conduct archaeological investigation in Har Karkom of Sinai Peninsula in1980, from which Anati came out of Italian valleys, marching towards Mid-East and even the world, and starting his internationalization trip of his rock art research and investigation. With the long-term and continuing archeological investigation in Negev Desert, Anati’s increasing attention was paid to desert archeology, with his consideration to the relationship between man and desert.In Chapter Ⅳ, the author has interest in the extension of Anati’s rock art research. In November,1979, the International Committee on Rock Art (CAR) was established in Warsaw of capital city of Poland by the ICOMOS. Anati served as President of CAR. For Anati, a brand new era begun. The post enabled Anati to obtain opportunities to see more rock art in various continents and countries, which strongly promoted the construction of Anati’s rock art thought and theory. Meanwhile, the author makes an attempt to periodize Anati’s rock art research thought:1.1950s-1980s, the construction of Anati’s archaeological investigation and methods of rock art;2.1980s-2000s, the formation of Anati’s rock art research theory;3,2000s-present, Anati begun to explore broad concept of culture---the establishment of desert archaeology. Meanwhile, Anati actively gets involved in and organizes international conferences and academic events of various scales, constantly expanding his influence in the global circle of rock art and promoting the development of international cause of rock art.