Art rupestre du bassin de Minusinsk : nouvelles recherches franco-russes - article ; n°1 ; vol.48, pg 5-52

Arts asiatiques - Année 1993 - Volume 48 - Numéro 1 - Pages 5-52The article is an account of a Franco-Russian field work performed in the summer of 1992 in Southwestern Siberia, in the Minusinsk basin (Khakassia). Prof. Ja. A. Sher gives an historical account of the researches in rock art in this area, from the 17th century to present days. F. Soleilhavoup, geomicrobiologist, demonstrates that the patina and calcification on the rocks surfaces, before and after the creation of the petroglyphs, are of biological origin (bacterias, etc.). He describes in detail the methods used to evidence this old microbiological activity and to reactivate the organisms in vitro. These methods have a great potential for datation and restauration of stone moments. P. Vidal describes the way the photography records are used (notably stereomacrophotography), as well as a method of watching the evolution of rock surfaces. H.-P. Francfort and D. Sacchi give a full archaeological account of some surfaces, from fresh drawings. It appears that seasonality is a central concept in this naturalist art. It is argued that the traditional concept of a Neolithic art of elk hunters and a Chalcolitic- Bronze Age art of pastoralists (engraving images of bovids) is not enough founded. More reflexion and new interpretations are hoped, based on the elaboration of an extensive corpus of Central Asian rock art.48 pagesSource : Persée ; Ministère de la jeunesse, de l’éducation nationale et de la recherche, Direction de l’enseignement supérieur, Sous-direction des bibliothèques et de la documentation.