Cave Paintings Of Baja California: Discovering the Great Murals of an Unknown People [Hardcover]

Harry W. Crosby (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 20, 1998

The Great Murals of Mexico's Baja California are one of the five greatest sites in the world for primitive rock art. They rank with those of southern France, northern Spain, northwest Africa, and outback Australia. These Great Murals, created by an unknown people, are without doubt the most distinctive trove of rock art in the Western Hemisphere. The site was unveiled to the modern world in the 1960s by adventure/mystery writer Erle Stanley Gardner who brought in UCLA archaeologist Clement Meighan to validate the importance of his find. But it was not until the 1970s, when author/photographer Harry W. Crosby undertook a systematic search for the largely unknown works hidden in the mountains of central Baja that the scope and significance of the find became known. He documented his search and discovery of over 200 previously unreported rock art sites leading to the original publication of The Cave Paintings of Baja California by Copley Books in 1975 which first introduced this cave art to the general public. Since that time, Baja California's Great Murals have been designated a United Nations Heritage Site.

This lavishly illustrated full-color account is greatly revised and expanded from the original edition and offers Crosby's unique perspective on the painted sites and painting styles found in different parts of the Great Mural area. Crosby's explorations, studies and writings since his original forays into the mountains of central Baja California have established him as one of the foremost authorities on Baja California's colorful past. This is the most complete treatment of this world-class archaeological site currently available.

Every year, more and more professional researchers, rock art aficionados, and curious tourists visit the caves and rock shelters of Baja California. To them as well as the armchair traveler, this is an invaluable reference work, field guide and adventure narrative to the magnificent art that survives on this rugged peninsula. This is a classic that will be read by the specialist and general reader for years to come.

The Cave Paintings of Baja California was named a selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club, History Book Club, and the Natural History Book Club. The book is endorsed by the Mexican government. Contributing photographer is Enrique Hambleton. Specifications: 246 pages; 10" x 10" hardbound with dust jacket; 71 full color photographs; 11 black and white photographs; 8 full color maps; 6 black and white maps; and 108 full color illustrations; bibliography; index; glossary of technical, colloquial, and Spanish terms.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Crosby spent a large part of the 1960s and 1970s doggedly ferreting out prehistoric rock art sites in the mid-peninsula region of Baja. This complete revision of a shorter work first published in 1975 reveals that it was not only a labor of love, but perhaps an obsession as well. Produced by an as-yet-unknown culture Crosby quaintly calls "The Painters," these cave paintings are stunning pictographs that rival the finest rock art and cave paintings in the world. But the text is a plodding, repetitious litany of every back country foray he undertook for some 20 years to discover those neglected sites. Not until the last chapter, "The Practices and Puzzles of the Painters," do we receive anything approaching speculation as to who it was that created these marvelous images. Crosby seems too interested in explaining the difficulty in reaching every cave and how disappointed he was by the woefully deteriorated condition of many of the murals. The photographs, too, tend to be similarly weighted toward the process rather than the outcome: too many of the 71 color photos are given over to man-with-mural, where mural alone might have been clearer. Without better pictures, or more thorough analysis of findings, this book becomes a sort of unsatisfying anthropological travelogue. 11 b&w photos; 108 color illustrations.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

This revised and expanded edition of The Rock Art of Baja California is one of a series that focuses on the natural and historical heritage of unique regions. Crosby conveys a great sense of adventure and discovery while highlighting the beauty and spirituality of the landscape and its art. His discovery of the rock paintings and some of the history of Baja California itself are skillfully woven into descriptions of the sites and interpretations of the art. Included are discoveries of rock art by early explorers, Jesuit missionaries, archaeologists, and one of the more famous aficionados, adventure writer Earl Stanley Gardner. Crosby himself covered hundreds of miles of rugged sierra trails and photographed over 200 open caves painted in the Great Mural style. Excellent maps, beautiful photographs both of the rock paintings and the people of the area, and illustrations clarifying the paintings enhance the text. Highly recommended for collections with an interest in art, archaeology, prehistory, or Southwest studies.?Sylvia Andrews, Indiana State Lib., Indianapolis
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 246 pages
• Publisher: Sunbelt Publications; Revised and expanded edition (February 20, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0932653235
• ISBN-13: 978-0932653239
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 9.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #474,697 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Baja has nice Pictographs!, January 7, 1999

By 

Dr.Science "TSME" (Olympia, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cave Paintings Of Baja California: Discovering the Great Murals of an Unknown People (Hardcover)

Crosby has an encyclopedic knowledge of the area. Based on many years of travel in the peninsula, this magnificently illustrated volume not only provides information on visiting the primary pictograph sites of central Baja, but also provides memorable insights to the contemporary human culture of the area. Highly recommended for anyone interested in prehistoric art of Southwestern America, particularly the Cochiti peoples.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars STUNNING...BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS, January 5, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Cave Paintings Of Baja California: Discovering the Great Murals of an Unknown People (Hardcover)

A MUST READ FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN PREHISTORIC ROCK ART. SUPERBLY DOCUMENTEDWITH EXCELLENT MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS. PEOPLEUNFAMILIAR WITH BAJA CALIFORNIA WILL BE AMAZEDBY THE SHEER NUMBER OF PAINTED SITES AND THE MONUMENTAL SCALE OF MANY OF THEM. A SURE AWARD WINNER.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars read the book found many of the sites, November 21, 1997

By 

[e-mail] (port angeles wa usa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The cave paintings of Baja California (Hardcover)

for three winters my wife and i searched for and found many of the painted sites crosby catalouged.some of the sites were disappointing but some were outstanding. without crosbys book a good spanish dictionary and atlas of baja it would be impossible to find any of these exciting paintings. this was a quest fulfilled thanks harry.......