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The significance of social gestures and technologies of embellishment in Paleolithic portable art

The significance of social gestures and technologies of embellishment in Paleolithic portable art
The significance of social gestures and technologies of embellishment in Paleolithic portable art
This paper analyzes the gestures and technologies used to make Paleolithic portable art. Contextualized within the theoretical schools of the anthropology of technology and using the chaîne opératoire methodology, the approach advanced here quantifies the relationships between technology, society, and aesthetics in the production of Paleolithic art. Focusing on Pavlovian art, dating to between 28,000 and 24,000 radiocarbon years BP, this paper assesses the suite of art production technologies, particularly those used when modifying and decorating ivory, and traces the relationship between decorative techniques and other characteristics of art. These analyses offer insight into Pavlovian art traditions and the emergence of innovative techniques in Paleolithic societies.
art, technology, chaîne opératoire, gravettian
1072-5369
125-146
Farbstein, Rebecca
54cac522-b7f7-4f5f-9ac1-7d6db126e8e2
Farbstein, Rebecca
54cac522-b7f7-4f5f-9ac1-7d6db126e8e2

Farbstein, Rebecca (2011) The significance of social gestures and technologies of embellishment in Paleolithic portable art. Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, 18 (2), 125-146. (doi:10.1007/s10816-010-9085-9).

Record type: Article

Abstract

This paper analyzes the gestures and technologies used to make Paleolithic portable art. Contextualized within the theoretical schools of the anthropology of technology and using the chaîne opératoire methodology, the approach advanced here quantifies the relationships between technology, society, and aesthetics in the production of Paleolithic art. Focusing on Pavlovian art, dating to between 28,000 and 24,000 radiocarbon years BP, this paper assesses the suite of art production technologies, particularly those used when modifying and decorating ivory, and traces the relationship between decorative techniques and other characteristics of art. These analyses offer insight into Pavlovian art traditions and the emergence of innovative techniques in Paleolithic societies.

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e-pub ahead of print date: 8 June 2010
Published date: June 2011
Keywords: art, technology, chaîne opératoire, gravettian
Organisations: Archaeology

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 362544
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/362544
ISSN: 1072-5369
PURE UUID: b48d5029-ccef-41e6-88c1-dffee39fea81

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Date deposited: 26 Feb 2014 17:40
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 16:09

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Author: Rebecca Farbstein

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