Dr. Ana Paula Motta has unveiled a significant discovery in the realm of rock art studies, identifying a new category of figures known as Linear Naturalistic Figures (LNF) within the Kimberley rock art sequence. This research goes hand-in-hand with the Balanggarra Aboriginal Corporation’s work. It underscores the challenges of cultural expression in a time characterized by equally profound socio-environmental shifts, indicative of what perhaps occurred during the Mid-to-Late Holocene. The research was published in the journal Australian Archaeology. Orchestrated by guest curators Ryan Rice and Candice Hopkins, they provide new perspectives on the deeper story behind Aboriginal art.
The research further modeled 151 rock art sites, uncovering well over 4,200 motifs, including 98 unique figures as LNF. Researchers were able to determine the location at 22 different sites. They are distinctive as well for their zoomorphic designs and highly individualistic stylistic attributes, distinguishing them from the established IIAP style that originated some 17,200 to 13,000 years ago.
Characteristics of Linear Naturalistic Figures
Linear Naturalistic Figures are entirely made up of animal designs, in addition to two unknown plant designs. Dr. Motta’s analysis reveals that LNF encompasses two sub-styles: geometric and naturalistic.
Geometric Linear Naturalistic Figures have angular extremities, little anatomical detail. Naturalistic Linear Naturalistic Figures have highly linear profiles with lots of details that mimic musculature.
Dr. Motta noted, “The LNF motifs show regional cohesion across the two study areas (Drysdale River and King George River) and are composed of two main groups of images based on their body shape: geometric and naturalistic.” Such a classification helps to focus on the artistic expressions akin to those turbulent times. More importantly, it offers a glimpse into what early communities depicted about their world.
Historical Context and Artistic Evolution
The Mid-to-Late Holocene period was a time of increased environmental change, as Dr. Motta elucidates. “By this time, sea level had stabilized, new lithic technologies were introduced, and there was a possible increase in linguistic diversity.” This study indicates that in this transitional period, some communities began to explicitly depict life-size naturalistic forms, particularly macropods. Perhaps this rock art was their way of helping themselves to make sense of the changes they were undergoing.
This signature IIAP look includes naturalistic representations of animals done with broken brushwork. At first, everyone thought it was the only way to express themselves in the area. Dr. Motta indicates that “the IIAP style, despite being defined as containing naturalistic animals with irregular brushstrokes, in reality, contains a high diversity of forms.” Artistic complexity This complexity further highlights the importance of separating specific artistic characteristics before labeling emerging motifs like LNF.
Challenges in Rock Art Classification
One of the biggest challenges in researching Linear Naturalistic Figures is setting iconographic definitions clear enough to differentiate styles. Dr. Motta emphasized this challenge when she stated, “The main challenges are related to establishing iconographic boundaries between the styles.” Scientists are still learning how Aboriginal rock art was created and used. It is important to understand the complexity, the beauty and the protest within this art form.
Perhaps most interesting, the study points out all of the animal motifs that did not match up with previous IIAP images. “The study emerged as many animal motifs did not ‘fit’ with earlier IIAP figures,” Dr. Motta explained. These researchers specifically analysed the body forms, infill patterns and palimpsests found in the Kimberley rock art sequence. They decided that these motifs are part of a newly defined category.