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Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/221113
Dance scenes in Levantine rock art (Spain): a critical review
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We argue here that it is possible to study dance in prehistoric societies by analysing how it was depicted in rock art. For this research to be effective, subjectivity must be minimised by analysing the images systematically. We adapt a series of criteria first established in Garfinkel’s ‘archaeology of dance’ and apply them to our case study of dance representations in Spanish Levantine rock art. We conclude that only twelve scenes fit the typical parameters of dance representations. By studying this set of images, we are able to identify dances with a single individual, couples and groups. We suggest that dances took place in more than one context and followed specific cultural patterns, among which we highlight gender identity.
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SANTOS DA ROSA, Neemias, et al. Dance scenes in Levantine rock art (Spain): a critical review. Oxford Journal of Archaeology. 2021. Vol. 40, num. 4, pags. 342-366. ISSN 0262-5253. [consulted: 7 of October of 2026]. Available at: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/221113