Title: La Rumorosa Rock Art Along the Border

Speaker: Dr. Don Liponi

This presentation will describe new patterns in the rock art of the most geographically dominant rock art style of the Borderlands wilderness.  This rock art has at least three origins - trance imagery, archaeoastronomy, in particular a number of verified solstice sites, and cosmology/animism or ceremony.  In this talk, Dr. Liponi will show many breathtaking images of trance imagery in alignment with the work of Lewis-Williams, Thomas Dowson, Jean Clottes and David Whitley.  Not every image fits into trance and some of the presentation will show images that defy categorization.  Others appear to be related to ceremony and animism.  The presentation attitude is focused, but casual, and can be an interactive meeting.  Dr. Liponi would be happy to sign the recent coffee table book[25$] for you which supports ongoing research.  The event is free and open to the public.

Dr. Don Liponi [chemistry] has studied rock art for the past 50 years under the tutorage of such legendary teachers as Bob Begole, Michael Kelsey and Fran Barnes.  Don lamented around 10 years ago: "because I could only visit Utah or Arizona on vacations, out of desperation I realized that there was a huge vacuum in Kumeyaay-Patayan archaeology and rock art right in my own neighborhood."  In particular Southern California, Southwestern Arizona and northern Baja."  Don proceeded to organize a group of more than 50 professionals, Native Americans and avocationalists to recover the rock art of these "lost cultures".  The outcome has been elaborated in two books highlighting these images and textural foundation for these people.