Palaeolithic art : more than meets the eye? : an object biography approach to engraved stone plaquettes from the Magdalenian site of Montastruc, south-central France
This thesis asks a simple question of Palaeolithic art: is there more to it than meets the eye? In exploring the history of the study of Palaeolithic art, a strong bias is revealed, a fixation on how the art looks in its finished form. An object biography approach, augmented by a suite of new digital techniques, and by non-western insights into ontology concerning humans, and animals and objects, is used to explore Palaeolithic art from a different perspective. This approach is explored through its application in a detailed case study: the analysis of engraved stone plaquettes from the Magdalenian site of Montastruc, southern France. The plaquettes are assessed not only based on their visual attributes, but how they were made, used and deposited, enhanced via the use of 3D models and microscopy. Emphasis is placed on trying to re-contextualise the collection, offering an analysis of all objects from the Peccadeau de lâIsle collection held in the British Museum, c. 15,620 objects. These broad life phases are considered within a Magdalenian cosmology occupied by numerous agents, beyond the bounds of humans alone. In the creation and use of art, this non-human agency is argued to be evident, playing an active
Needham, Andrew
Palaeolithic art : more than meets the eye? : an object biography approach to engraved stone plaquettes from the Magdalenian site of Montastruc, south-central France. This thesis asks a simple question of Palaeolithic art: is there more to it than meets the eye? In exploring the history of the study of Palaeolithic art, a strong bias is revealed, a fixation on how the art looks in its finished form. An object biography approach, augmented by a suite of new digital techniques, and by non-western insights into ontology concerning humans, and animals and objects, is used to explore Palaeolithic art from a different perspective. This approach is explored through its application in a detailed case study: the analysis of engraved stone plaquettes from the Magdalenian site of Montastruc, southern France. The plaquettes are assessed not only based on their visual attributes, but how they were made, used and deposited, enhanced via the use of 3D models and microscopy. Emphasis is placed on trying to re-contextualise the collection, offering an analysis of all objects from the Peccadeau de lâIsle collection held in the British Museum, c. 15,620 objects. These broad life phases are considered within a Magdalenian cosmology occupied by numerous agents, beyond the bounds of humans alone. In the creation and use of art, this non-human agency is argued to be evident, playing an active
palaeolithic art meet eye object_biography engrave stone site south_central france asks simple question palaeolithic art meet eye explore history study palaeolithic art strong bias reveal art look finish form object_biography augment suite new digital technique non_western insight ontology concern human_animal object use explore palaeolithic art different_perspective explore application detail case_study analysis engrave stone site southern_france assess base_visual attribute make_use deposit enhance via use model microscopy emphasis_place try contextualise collection offer analysis object isle collection hold british_museum object broad life phase consider within cosmology occupy numerous agent beyond bound human alone creation use art non_human agency argue evident play_active