Rock art - Definition and Overview

Rock art is a term in archaeology for any man-made markings made on natural stone. They can be divided into:

• Petroglyphs - carvings into stone surfaces
• Pictographs - rock and cave paintings
• Mobilliary rock art - smaller, portable examples of either of the above types.

Both petroglyphs and pictographs can be parietal, meaning on the walls of a cave or rock shelter, open-air meaning they are made on exposed natural outcrops or monument-based which are made on stones consciously deposited.

Traditionally, individual markings are called motifs and groups of motifs and known as panels. Sequences of panels are treated as archaeological sites. This method of classifying rock art however has become less popular as the structure imposed is unlikely to have had any relevance to the art's creators. Even the word 'art' carries with it many modern prejudices about the purpose of the features.

Rock art can be found across a wide geographical and temporal spread of cultures perhaps to mark territory, to record historical events or stories or to help enact rituals. Some art seems to depict real events whilst many other examples are apparently entirely abstract.