Inter- and intraregional variation in the Austronesian Painting Tradition: A view from East Timor

Sue O'Connor*, Nuno Vasco Oliveira

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    21 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    This article reports on the discovery of a new rock art site from East Timor that is located inland on the southern flanks of the central mountainous spine of the island. One particular painted motif, a socketed axe with haft, indicates that at least some of the motifs were painted c. 2000 B.P. This date and the stylistic and technical features of the art would place it within the later body of painted art associated with the Austronesian Painting Tradition (APT) elsewhere in the western Pacific. This later phase is characterized by greater diversity in style, color, and placement of motifs than is found in the earlier APT. Comparison with the other known art sites in East Timor shows significant differences between the rock art of the eastern and central parts of East Timor, indicating that these areas comprised separate stylistic regions.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)389-403
    Number of pages15
    JournalAsian Perspectives
    Volume46
    Issue number2
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2007

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