Technological parameters of rock art at the Kalgutinsky Rudnik site on the Ukok Plateau, Russian Altai region

Abstract

One of the most common problems encountered in research on open-air petroglyph sites is determining the age of the imagery. Most images are not covered by calcite or other deposits which can be directly dated. Archaeological layers located under petroglyph panels may allow connections between imagery and datable cultural contexts to be established. When archaeological layers are lacking, the analysis of stylistic elements of petroglyphs themselves can be highly significant for temporal and cultural attribution. We regard style a Bos including not only artistic characteristics of images but also the ways in which rock panels were modified as well. Technological features can be important for understanding the broader concept of style in rock art. As illustrated by the open-air Kalgutinsky Rudnik site in the Russian Altai region, natural substrate characteristics often demanded specific technological adaptations that can be revealed by the analysis of anthropogenic and natural traces on rock surfaces. These data supplement the discussion of dating the earliest petroglyphs from the Kalgutinsky Rudnik rock art site.