A Guide to Rock Art Sites: Southern California and Southern Nevada (Paperback)

by David S. Whitley (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Whitley has produced a valuable addition to the rock art literature aimed at the general public. . . . It is a useful guide and long overdue." --Bill Hyder, La Pintura,The Official Newsletter of the American Rock Art Research Association

David Whitely's A Guide To Rock Art Sites is an essential manual for not only the visitors to any of the 38 rock art sites covered, but also for anyone who seeks to understand why shamans in the Far West created rock art, and what they sought to depict. As on of North America's foremost authorities on prehistoric art, Whitley is on the cutting edge of dating and interpreting the images as well as the cultures that created them. A profusion of color photographs, with line-drawn site maps, makes A Guide To Rock Art Sites as much fun for the armchair traveler as it is practical for the on-site explorer. A Guide To Rock Art Sites is an ideal addition to any archaeology, Native American studies, aboriginal art, or travel guide collection. -- Midwest Book Review

Product Description
This unique full-color field guide is essential not only for the visitors to any of the 38 sites covered but also for anyone who seeks to understand why shamans in the Far West created rock art and what they sought to depict. As one of North America's foremost authorities on prehistoric art, Whitley is on the cutting edge of dating and interpreting the images as well as describing the cultures that created them.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Mountain Press Publishing Company (October 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 087842332X
• ISBN-13: 978-0878423323
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #855,232 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rock art Rocks!, February 14, 2000

By	Rick Jones (Carlsbad, CA) - See all my reviews

This book cuts through the clutter of previous rock art meanings and uses the wisdom of the native americans to describe these symbols. I enjoyed reviewing his descriptions of the sites I have already visited and learned the locations of many more. Complete directions, maps, and contacts for each site are included. This is an excellent resource for people who love rock art!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-have field guide, December 21, 2008

By	OtherHand (SoCal) - See all my reviews

This is a GREAT book to have if you have any interest in petroglyphs. Whitley lays out a plausible and well supported theory for what they mean and how they came about (keep that in mind the next time those interpretative park rangers tell you no one knows what they mean).

This is a very pretty book, in the best sense. Thee pictures of the sites are very good, and detailed driving/hiking directions and clear maps are given to get to the sites. They vary from easy to quite challenging. Pretty much all of the major sites inthe US Southwest are covered.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars rock art mystery and magic, January 18, 2000

By	[e-mail] (san francisco) - See all my reviews

An excellent survey of rock art that fits the pictographs and petroglyphs into a social and psychological model based on native american interpretations of meaning. Detailed listings and directions to more familiar sites will no doubt increase visitation but the presence of people interested in preservation will hopefully deter those only motive is to deface places of beauty and wonder. Whitley's academic background enhances the book and it has appeal to informed readers and those just discovering rock art.