BOOK REVIEW: “Standing on the Walls of Time”

Cover, Standing on the Walls of Time:

Ancient Art of Utah's Cliffs and Canyons,

by Kevin T. Jones.

I have never understood why so many self-appointed “experts” in rock art make such a big deal about "it is not really art" or, "those people never even had a word for art." Why would you choose to devote yourself to a subject and then begin by denigrating it? These people are usually brand new to the field of rock art and almost invariably totally ignorant of the disciplines of Art History. As someone with a background in Art History my answer to them has always been "of course it is art. It is art because I say so." Art Historians have always chosen what they wish to study based on the creativity of the material and their curiosity about the culture, and the designation of art goes with their attention to the subject. So-called "Primitive Art" has been a subset of the field of Art History for at least a century and a half.

Barrier Canyon style,

"the Perfect Panel",

Fig. 3.1, p. 26.,

Photograph Layne Miller.

Now, I have an official and legal backup for my position because the legislature of the State of Utah in 2017 passed SB2017-171 declaring Utah's rock art as Official Art of the State of Utah, signed into law by the Governor of Utah on March 22, 2017.

Earlier in 2017 the Utah Legislature had named Robert Smithson’s Spiral Jetty (a work of landscape art that I have always admired) as the official Utah State Work of Art. As a former Utah State Archaeologist, Kevin T. Jones was not supposed to consider rock art as anything but an artifact, without meaning, and certainly not ART. Yet the news about the Spiral Jetty bothered him. How could Utah, a state named after its indigenous peoples, ignore the amazing petroglyphs and pictographs found in such abundance all over the State, left by those indigenous people? Jones came to the conclusion that this was actually art, and, as such, deserved at least equal billing with a modern construction done by someone from outside the State. His subsequent efforts led to the passage of Utah’s SB2017-171.

Figure with yucca, Barrier Canyon

style or Basketmaker, Fig. 2.5, p. 14.,

Photograph Layne Miller.

That leads me to this review of his book Standing on the Walls of Time: Ancient Art of Utah's Cliffs and Canyons, by Kevin T. Jones, with photographs by Layne Miller, University of Utah Press, 2019, 152 pp., 153 color photos, 1 map, $19.95 (paper).

This is not a text book - it contains very little factual or scientific information about the prehistoric peoples who lived in Utah and created the rock art. This is not a coffee table book, although it is filled with magnificent photographs by Layne Miller. This book is an art appreciation book although Jones himself had never thought of it that way. Indeed, he seemed surprised when I referred to it as such when discussing it with him. It is a paean to the creative imagination and sophisticated cultures of the people who created the pictographs and petroglyphs that fill its pages.

Fremont, "The family panel",

Nine-Mile Canyon, Fig. 7.8, p. 74,

Photograph Layne Miller.

In chapter one (on page 3) he writes "Some view the art of early cultures as code for something knowable through induction, such as representing maps, stories, calendars, astronomical markers, even validation of Western religious teachings. This book represents a departure from nearly all of these approaches. I am not going to try to interpret the artist's meanings or symbols. In fact, I am strongly opposed to that approach. I do not try to match or categorize symbols in an attempt to advance culture history studies. I advocate for a much simpler, more human approach - to view the work of ancient artists purely as art. Let it reach you on more of an emotional, as opposed to intellectual level."  Jones' inner journey from the traditional archaeologist's position that "rock art is nothing but artifacts, we will never understand it" to his present belief must have been in equal parts uncomfortable and exciting for a professional archaeologist. His 180^ᵒ reversal from the predominant "official" position of North American archaeologists of 20 -30 years ago to his present advocacy must have been a remarkable adventure.

Kevin’s conclusions on how we should relate to rock art have also taken a non-traditional turn. In chapter fourteen (on page 140) he wrote - "While some take pride in keeping site locations secret and only sharing them with "trusted" associates, this does nothing to protect sites. Hoarding special knowledge may be good for your status among friends, but it is self-serving and not beneficial to the resource.

Sharing your love and appreciation of ancient art is beneficial, as it enables better management and protection of sites and brings more allies into the ranks of caretakers and stewards. Take photographs, share them with your friends. Post them on social media without revealing exact locations. Enjoy and love these gifts from those who lived before us, and those who live after us, those who live a hundred years from now, will likewise be able to enjoy and love them."

Fremont, "The Wolf Man",

Nine-Mile Canyon, Fig. 9.6, p. 94,

Photograph Layne Miller.

This volume is a once-in-a-lifetime book. There are many good, even great, rock art books on today’s market. I have reviewed a number of them here on RockArtBlog over the years. But I have seen nothing like this book before. Do yourself a favor, read “Standing on the Walls of Time” by Kevin T. Jones.