I. Abstract

II. Introduction

III. Background

Interpretations of Rock Art

Shamanistic and totemistic ritual

Hunting magic

Documenting important events

Astronomy

Doodling

Aggregation sites

Component of a settlement system

Regional Archaeological Context

Archaeology of the Owyhee uplands and adjoining regions

Rock art research in Oregon and the Great Basin

History of rock art perspectives in Oregon and the Great Basin

Difficulties in dating rock art

Rock alignments in regions surrounding the Owyhee uplands

Debate over expansion of the Numic language family

Generalized Owyhee River chronology

Regional Ethnographic Context

Settlement and subsistence pattern as represented in Paiute and Shoshone ethnography

Rock art and rock alignments as represented in Paiute and Shoshone ethnography

Shamanic activities as represented in Paiute and Shoshone ethnography

Historic cultural affinity of the Owyhee uplands

Environmental context of the Owyhee uplands

Geological setting

Soils

Climate

Local wind patterns

Vegetation complexes

Animal community

IV. Research Methods

Site selection

Site documentation

Field procedures

Preparation of the data

Procedures for cataloging artifact associations of all sites in the Owyhee uplands

V. Results and Discussion

Archaeological sites

Summary of known archaeological sites in the Owyhee uplands

Distribution of archaeological sites in the Owyhee uplands

Rock art sites

Selection of sites from Malheur County

Location of rock art

Design elements

Abstract designs

Designs of anthropomorphic (human-like) figures

Scratched designs

Occurrences of pitting

Relative dating methods

Location of rock art at sites

Relative occurrence of other archaeological features at rock art sites

Context of archaeological sites with rock art

Riverside sites

Mesa top sites

Water tub sites

Classification of rock art sites

Evidence for dating of rock art

Modern impact on rock art sites

Discussion of rock features

Proposed dates for the construction of rock features

Hypotheses proposed before conducting research, reexamined

Aggregation sites of populations

Harvest of vegetative food resources

Procurement of animal food resources

Proximity to water

VI. Analysis

Design of petroglyphs

Function of rock features

Site location

Riverside sites

Water tub sites

Mesa top sites

Environmental context of site locations

Dating of rock art sites

VII. Conclusions

Rock art interpretations applied to the Owyhee uplands

The regional approach to rock art sites

Questions for future research

Works Cited

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