George Nash - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by George Nash

The Antiquaries Journal, 2010

Tim Malim, 24 Station Road, Whitchurch SY13 1RE, UK. E-mail: tmalim@slrconsulting.com Steve Boreh... more Tim Malim, 24 Station Road, Whitchurch SY13 1RE, UK. E-mail: tmalim@slrconsulting.com Steve Boreham, Quaternary Palaeoenvironments Group, Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EN, UK. E-mail: sb139@cus.cam.ac.uk ...

This paper discusses in depth a recent discovery, among other observations, made by the authors i... more This paper discusses in depth a recent discovery, among other observations, made by the authors in 2015 at the Le Déhus passage grave in eastern Guernsey, Channel Islands. The discovery involves the probable medieval or post-medieval pigment enhancement of a Neolithic carving of a figure, arguably a warrior, known as the Le Gardien du Tombeau. We regard this enhancement as an act of Christianisation. The Christianisation of later prehistoric sites has long been known but inadequately discussed in archaeological circles. As part of our overall research strategy we also comment on the various engraved sections of the Le Gardien du Tombeau, detailing the attributes of this figure. We ask the question, why paint a Christian image within an already well-known and established prehistoric monument?

Warfare, violence and slavery in prehistory: …, 2005

The permanence of rock-art can be considered as reflecting economic, political, social and symbol... more The permanence of rock-art can be considered as reflecting economic, political, social and symbolic stability. Rock-art can also be seen as a dynamic component that manipulates and enhances social cohesion between individuals and neighbouring groups. This ...

This book gathers the most recent studies on a subject which has only recently been approached by... more This book gathers the most recent studies on a subject which has only recently been approached by archaeology. Today, the current literature on the topic of shamanism is not current compared when with other subjects studied by archaeology. Therefore, since it existed in all the regions of the world, we think it necessary to update the subject and to offer a global view of it. By putting together experts from three continents who have studied the phenomenon of shamanism, we hope to offer a novel approach on the worldwide material culture of shamanism. Recent interdisciplinary studies support the idea of the existence of shamanistic representations as long ago as the Middle/Upper Palaeolithic, but at the same time, do not follow developments during the history of the development of humankind. As ethnographic evidence shows, shamanistic activity represents a complex phenomenon that is extremely diversified, its spiritual activity possessing a large variety of expressions in the materia...

Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology, 2014

Current Archaeology, 2013

&amp;quot;A project to record the prehistoric decoration on the supposedly Bronze Age Tre... more &amp;quot;A project to record the prehistoric decoration on the supposedly Bronze Age Trefael stone has revealed the deliberate cannibalisation of an earlier Neolithic monument, and an 8,000 -year focus of human activity. Written by George Nash, Adam Stanford, Carol James, and Thomas Wellicome. Since the publication of this article the team have received important information concerning the date of the cremated burial found in Trench 2.&amp;quot;

The Antiquaries Journal, 2013

The Antiquaries Journal, 2011

The Antiquaries Journal, 2012

European Journal of Archaeology, Jul 18, 2013

ABSTRACT Pictures are often admired for their aesthetic merits but they are rarely treated as if ... more ABSTRACT Pictures are often admired for their aesthetic merits but they are rarely treated as if they had as much to offer as the written word. They are often overlooked as objects of analysis themselves, and tend to be seen simply as adjuncts to the text. Images, however, are not passive, and have a direct impact that engages attention in ways independent of any specific text. Advertising, entertainment and propaganda have realised the extent of this power to shape ideas, but the scientific community has hitherto neglected the ways in which visual material conditions the ways in which we think. With subjects including prehistoric artworks, excavation illustrations, artists' impressions of ancient sites and peoples and contemporary landscapes, photographs and drawings, this study explores how pictures shape our perceptions and our expectations of the past. This volume is not concerned with the accuracy of pictures from the past or directly about the past itself, but is interested instead in why certain subjects are selected, why they are depicted the way they are, and what effects such images have on our idea of the past. This collection constitutes a ground-breaking study in historiography which radically reassesses the ways that history can be written.

The recent finds and discovery of rock art at the Neolithic chambered monument of Duffryn Ardudwa... more The recent finds and discovery of rock art at the Neolithic chambered monument of Duffryn Ardudway, north Wales is discussed. The growing belief that a link exists between Neolithic burial-ritual monuments and megalithic art and rock art is highlighted.

In terms of the available pre-Historic rock art repertoire, the labyrinth motif can be considered... more In terms of the available pre-Historic rock art repertoire, the labyrinth motif can be considered rare and complex to construct. The origin of this design is not clear, however, it has a number of geometrical qualities that are found in other pre-Historic motifs such as the cup-...

Time and Mind

By the mid-seventh millennium BP Neolithic communities along the Atlantic Seaboard of Europe bega... more By the mid-seventh millennium BP Neolithic communities along the Atlantic Seaboard of Europe began to witness the emergence of a pictographic language based on a common repertoire of abstract and figurative motifs. Although largely confined to passage grave communities occupying the coastal fringes of Atlantic Europe, the megalithic art tradition unified much of the Neolithic world from the coastal regions of the Mediterranean to northern Scotland over a period of some 3,000 years. The art itself appears to have acted as a personal signature, unique to each monument and its builders, but drawing on a limited set of symbols. This article explores the geographic extent of this mainly abstract motif repertoire and proposes that, over time and space key symbols may have been expressed in different ways; forming a distinct relationship between aspect (the landscape) and architecture.

Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry

This paper explores the processes involved in the production of prehistoric paintings using inorg... more This paper explores the processes involved in the production of prehistoric paintings using inorganic pigmentation. The focus for discussion involves a number of rock-shelter sites that contain rock art within the western part of the Iberian Peninsula, with particular reference to the sites that contain Schematic rock art. A direct date cannot be obtained on rock art that is made with inorganic pigments. However, sampling and subsequent analysis has clearly shown that pigments were produced using tried and tested recipes that involved the use of sometimes organic binders. This paper will explore the chemical and mineralogical qualities of sampled pigments from a selected number of sites within Spain and Portugal and suggest that pigmentation was more than just applying paint to rock.