Skalní umění

The monograph Rock Art: Portuguese Sites in Foz Côa and Mazouco presents a description, analysis and interpretation of rock art. The book consists of two relatively independent parts. The first one, focusing on theory, covers the research strategy, documentation, preservation and presentation of rock art. It also analyzes the relationship between rock art and landscapes as different perceptions of landscape in different cultures resulting from different perceptions of the environment by artists and in different forms of artistic expression. Rock art is thus presented in the context of the lifestyle of hunters and gatherers. The first section of the book also presents approaches to and methods of interpreting rock art from different perspectives, including landscape, ergonomic, historical, sociological, ritual, artistic and aesthetic. The second part of the book focuses on one of the most significant areas where rock art can be found – archaeological sites in Foz Côa and Mazouco in Portugal. It describes and analyzes art techniques, and typical and specific features of rock art in Foz Côa. The Upper Palaeolithic sites are presented with regards to the local geographical and climatic conditions. The book also pays attention to the method of dating and prehistoric settlement in Foz Côa. The final part of the book is devoted to the Mazouco archaeological site, where prehistoric zoomorphic engravings, similar in style to those discovered in Foz Côa were also found. The book strives to present a complex view of rock art, presenting Foz Côa and Mazouco archaeological sites to both the professional and lay public.