The Rock Art Podcast

In order to begin to understand the symbols we see on the rocks and the people that made them we need to understand their environment. Carlos Gallinger has spent a lifetime studying the habits of the Bighorn Sheep in order to understand the people that live with, and off, off them. For example, it’s not feasible to take down a Bighorn sheep ten miles from your family. You need to be where the shee...

Linda Hylkema is the editor of La Pintura, the newsletter of the American Rock Art Research Association. They discuss Linda's fascination with rock art and some ongoing research. Transcripts For rough transcripts of this episode go to https://www.archpodnet.com/rockart/96 Links California Rock Art Foundation La Pintura American Rock Art Research Association Contact Dr. Alan Garfinkel avram1952@yah...

Michael Adonts is a rock art cinematographer who is studying portable rock art and the source and character of rock art scholarship in general. He interviewed me at the recent Petroglyph Festival and I asked him to be on the show. Our wide-ranging discussion will intrigue you and as always you never know what aspects of our studies will be revealed. Come along with us for another interesting ride....

Hannah Salyer is an author and artist that has just finished work on an upcoming book for children and others on rock art from Harper Collins. This remarkable book is aimed at young people and gives them an overview of the world of rock art studies. Hannah is a unique individual and she marry's her passion for native understanding of the environment and twins that with an enduring study of rock ar...

Alexis Zubia, Performance Lead, for the Ridgecrest Petroglyph Festival. So how does one create and orchestrate something like a two-day outdoor extravaganza dedicated to Native American cultural and rock art? Tune in and find out... You'll love listening to Alexis who just finished the 9th Annual Ridgecrest Petroglyph Festival in Ridgecrest, California in the western Mojave Desert!!!! Transcripts...

From dancers to basket weavers, to knowledgable rock art scholars, the 2022 Ridgecrest Petroglyph Festival has it all! Dr. Garfinkel was a key element in this year's festivities and on today's episode he tells us all about the festival. Transcripts For rough transcripts of this episode go to https://www.archpodnet.com/rockart/92 Links California Rock Art Foundation Contact Dr. Alan Garfinkel avram...

Indexical animals are those that are very important to native cultures for a variety of reasons. On today's episode Chris interviews Dr. Garfinkel about Quail and Eagle, two of the more important indexical birds. Interested in sponsoring this show or podcast ads for your business? Zencastr makes it really easy! Click this message for more info. Transcripts For rough transcripts of this episode go...

The Rock Art Podcast is taking a break this month, but, we’d love for you to find a new podcast to love! Here’s an episode from The Archaeology Show. We've got a few articles that are all over the place - literally - this week. The first is about a re-analysis of what was thought was an ancient harbor in Italy. Turns out there's more to it. Next we talk about, well, the prehistoric world in genera...

This week we interview Charles White, the director of the Tehachapi museum in Southern California. Charles shares stories about the renovation of the museum building, creating exhibits with the input of the local native groups, and more! Interested in sponsoring this show or podcast ads for your business? Zencastr makes it really easy! Click this message for more info. Transcripts For rough transc...

Eric Hanson of Blue Planet is a specialist in employing virtual reality applications to the study and conservation of cultural heritage resources. He has pioneered the development of sophisticated methods to capture rock art and other indigenous imagery so that the general public and interested researchers can immerse themselves in a three-dimensional virtual gallery within the natural and cultura...

Matt Zubia joins Dr. Alan Garfinkle to talk about his involvement with the upcoming Ridgecrest Petroglyph Festival. They discuss some of the Native American groups that are being invited to the festival and what it means for the area and culture represented at the festival. Interested in sponsoring this show or podcast ads for your business? Zencastr makes it really easy! Click this message for mo...

On this podcast we interview Joseph Williams. Williams has collaborated on creating a nonprofit to specifically protect, conserve and educate about a world class rock art site and eastern California. The strategy used to do this is inventive and I think you’ll enjoy hearing his perspective and the steps he took to provide a strategy. Interested in sponsoring this show or podcast ads for your busin...

In the last episode we didn't get a chance to complete the discussion of Dr. Garfinkel's upcoming publication. We talk more about what the pointed petroglyphs could mean and why they are significant. We also talk about Dr. Garfinkel's latest appearance on the Skinwalker Ranch series on The History Channel. Interested in sponsoring this show or podcast ads for your business? Zencastr makes it reall...

The Coso Range in the eastern Mojave Desert is a place we've talked about a lot. Now, Dr. Garfinkel, with help from two other researchers, is releasing a new book this fall about the pointed petroglyphs of the Coso range. He talks about what they look like, what they mean for our understanding of the area, and how they dated the images. Interested in sponsoring this show or podcast ads for your bu...

Our guest scholar, Ann Norman, provides a remarkable story of her life and passion as a student of rock art. From extensive studies and first-hand testimony from indigenous people on the rock paintings in South Africa to her work in the Middle East, she captivates with insightful and sensitive treatments of her rock art travels. You will love this upbeat and striking discussion. Interested in lear...

China Lake Naval Weapons Center in central eastern California is home to many weapons inventions and the most dense collection of rock art in the western hemisphere. At nearly a mile long Little Petroglyph Canyon contains 10s of thousands of individual rock art images. Both Chris and Alan have been there and Alan leads tours there every year. We talk about the rock art and some of the preservation...

For this 82nd episode we interview Stephen Bryne, professional archaeologist and a student of rock art. Stephen talks about his adventures studying Chumash rock art as well as his recent studies with his extensive field trips to some of the largest prehistoric paintings in the world: the rock art of the Sierra de San Francisco in Baja California Mexico. Interested in learning about how to use X-Ra...

Today we visit with Donald Liponi, noted author and rock art scholar. He shares his research on his next book and the most contemporary scientific understanding of shamanism, altered states of consciousness, and rock art. Interested in learning about how to use X-Rays and similar technology in archaeology? Check out the linked PaleoImaging course from James Elliot! Connect with James on Twitter: @...

David is an Integrated Resources Program Manager at Great Basin National Park (Acting), and the Park Archeologist and Cultural Resources Program Manager for the Mojave National Preserve and Castle Mountains National Monument. On today's episode David shares his experiences at Great Basin National Park in Nevada where there is a rich history of Basque sheep-herder dendroglyphs as well as Prehistori...

This episode is with Kevin Stein an entertainment, marketing, and public relations consultant and rock art aficionado. Kevin has traveled widely and studied the intimate details of rock art both in the Americas and in the old world. He has also conducted his own seminars and presentations on the nature of shamanism and the connections with the study of cognitive anthropology. This is a fascinating...

Previous guest of the Rock Art Podcast Noel Hidalgo Tan has organized a new course on rock art: Rock Art in Southeast Asia and the World. It's an online course and is filled with useful and practical information. Check out this episode and sign up for the course using the link below! Interested in learning about how to use X-Rays and similar technology in archaeology? Check out the linked PaleoIma...

For episode 76 we had a great conversation with Gloria Brooks who is a teacher and a writer of content for students. She has crafted scholarly material relating to Native American culture and used it as a means of inspiration in recognition of the cultural value and heritage of indigenous people. Interested in learning about how to use X-Rays and similar technology in archaeology? Check out the li...

Steve Waller is an expert in the study of ArchaeoAcoustics. ArchaeoAcoustics is the study of sound in the prehistoric environment. Mr. Waller got his start in the caves of France while pursuing a passion for rock art study. One idea that Mr. Waller pursued was the idea that rock art was actually inspired by sound - specifically the sound in a cave. What Mr. Waller found was that the acoustic impac...

Today we talk with noted author Cynthia Waldman. She is the author of three children's books that focus on Native Americans including their sacred narratives, oral traditions, ceremonies and rituals and also provide inspirational life changing messages. One story revolves around the Animal Master and his home and this is the site of an important rock painting of the Native people of eastern Califo...

Trace Fleeman Garcia joins me today for an interview and collaborative discussion. He is an inter-disciplinary researcher for the Oregon Institute for Creative Research. We talk about the discipline of semiotics, which is the study of the meaning of meanings and its direct relationship to our study of Rock Art when we’re evaluating symbols and trying to understand their cultural content. Join us f...