%0 Journal Article
%T Rock Art Dating and the Peopling of the Americas
%A David S. Whitley
%J Journal of Archaeology
%D 2013
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2013/713159
%X The peopling of the Americas is both the oldest and most frequently researched question in American archaeology. Although rarely considered, early art has the potential to provide insight into questions that may be obscured by other kinds of evidence, particularly stone tools. What part did art play in the peopling of the Americas? This question is addressed starting with a reconsideration of rock varnish chronometrics as applied to Great Basin, eastern California, petroglyphs. This demonstrates, conservatively, that the petroglyph tradition began before 11,100 YBP, probably before 12,600 YBP, and potentially in the 14,000 years range. Comparison of these ages with evidence from other regions in the hemisphere demonstrates substantial artistic and stylistic variation in rock art by the Paleoindian period (circa 10,000¨C11,000 YBP). This suggests that, while art may have been part of the baggage of the first immigrants, regional cultural traditions had already been developed by the Terminal Pleistocene, if not earlier. The result is evidence for the development of regional cultural diversity in the Americas by Paleoindian times. 1. Introduction Few New World archaeological problems have received more attention than (and experienced as much debate as) the initial peopling of the Americas. Even with decades of research, basic questions like the earliest entry date and colonizing route remain elusive. Despite these uncertainties, the majority opinion currently seems to maintain that humans first arrived sometime prior to 13,000 years ago, though how much earlier is unknown (e.g., [1, 2]). More confidently, there is a consensus that the initial immigrants where behaviorally modern, in the archaeological sense of these terms (e.g., [3]). A key attribute of archaeological modernity is the ability to conceptualize and employ symbols, including the capacity to make and use art [4]. Although we still do not know when humans arrived in the Americas, we can assume that they were fully capable of producing art, and potentially had the proclivity to do so. But what and where is the evidence for the earliest American art, and what does it tell us about the peopling of the hemisphere? Recent research in North and South America, including improvements in chronometric techniques, has amplified our understanding of Terminal Pleistocene/early Holocene art. This demonstrates that it is more common than generally recognized, includes both portable and landscape (i.e., rock) art, and exhibits considerable geographical and stylistic variability. These studies are summarized
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jarchae/2013/713159/