ABSTRACT
The history of the analysis of ancient rock markings 1 is replete with many examples of the subjective and erroneous interpretation of their meaning (eg Leroi-Gourhan 1968; Lewis-Williams et al 1986; Macintosh 1977; Sharpe 2004). This exercise is designed to show that, although the function of some rock markings can occasionally be discerned (particularly when relevant ethnographic data is available), the original intended meaning of the marks rarely survives their production (Grant et al 2002). Indeed, distortions to the rock marker’s intended meaning occur immediately as they begin the process of marking the rock to depict an idea. This transformation of original meaning generally arises in the first place because of constraints imposed by the available media and intensifies as the production of the rock markings unfolds. This is due to other, more ‘social’ restrictions, which demand further compromises of the rock marker.
