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A Reassessment of Red Linear Pictographs in the Lower Pecos Canyonlands of Texas

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Carolyn E. Boyd ,
Amanda M. Castañeda  and
Charles W. Koenig
Carolyn E. Boyd
Affiliation:
SHUMLA Archeological Research and Education Center, Comstock, TX 78837; Department of Anthropology, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 78666 (cboyd@shumla.org)
Amanda M. Castañeda
Affiliation:
SHUMLA Archeological Research and Education Center, Comstock, TX 78837
Charles W. Koenig
Affiliation:
SHUMLA Archeological Research and Education Center, Comstock, TX 78837
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Abstract

Red Linear is one of four presently defined prehistoric pictograph styles in the Lower Pecos Canyonlands of southwest Texas and Coahuila, Mexico. Based on interpretation of images and two experimental radiocarbon dates, the style was presumed to have been brought into the region by intrusive bison hunters around 1280 B.P. This would place production of Red Linear after the large, polychromatic Pecos River style paintings (4200–2750 B.P.). However, during a recent rock art recording project we identified Red Linear overlain by presumed older Pecos River style. This prompted our re-examination of Red Linear through analysis of 444 figures from 12 sites. We produced a list of diagnostic attributes for Red Linear and documented stratigraphie relationships through macro- and microscopic field analysis. We identified 38 examples of Red Linear under Pecos River figures, thus inverting the relative chronology for the two styles and forcing a reconsideration of previous assumptions regarding the culture that produced the art. This paper demonstrates the potential afforded by analysis of rock art assemblages to reveal inter- and intrasite patterning of attributes and provide insight into relative chronologies. Further, it cautions against the use of variation in artistic style as a marker for ethnicity.

Resumen

Resumen

El estilo lineal rojo (Red Linear) es uno de los cuatro en los que se clasifican los pictogramas de la región de los cañones en la desembocadura del río Pecos, situada en el suroeste de Tejas y en Coahuila, México. Se ha supuesto que este estilo se creó en el área por la intrusión de cazadores de bisontes hacia 1280 B.P., basándose en las fechas obtenidas por dos análisis experimentales con Carbono-14 y en la interpretación de las imágenes. De ese modo el estilo lineal rojo se habría producido después de las grandes pinturas policromátricas del estilo llamado Río Pecos (4200–2750 B.P.). Sin embargo, gracias a un proyecto reciente de registro de arte rupestre hemos podido identificar ejemplos en los que el estilo Río Pecos, supuestamente más antiguo, se sobrepone a ejemplos de lineal rojo. Esto nos obligó a reexaminar el lineal rojo mediante el análisis de 444 imágenes de 12 sitios. En consecuencia, hemos preparado una lista de atributos caracterizadores del lineal rojo y documentado las relaclones estratigráficas por medio de análisis de campo microscópicos y macroscópicos. En 38 ocasiones se encuentran ejemplos de lineal rojo debajo de imágenes de estilo Río Pecos. Se invierte asila cronología relativa de los dos estilos, lo que obliga a reconsiderar los supuestos previos acerca de la cultura que produjo ese tipo de arte. Este artículo demuestra la capacidad que aporta el análisis de conjuntos de arte rupestre para revelar esquemas de atributos entre yacimientos y dentro de cada uno de ellos y para establecer mejor sus cronologías relativas. Además, previene contra el uso de la variación en los estilos artísticos como marca de etnicidad.

Type
Articles
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 78 , Issue 3 , July 2013 , pp. 456 - 482
Copyright
Copyright © 2013 by the Society for American Archaeology.

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