Project goals
Since the beginning of the Project research, its main tasks have been:
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to georeference the site and each boulder, and
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to produce documentation and detailed records of the petroglyphs.
Then, the list of goals was extended to cover the analysis of information concerning the cultural processes taking place at the site. Therefore,
the new stage of our work also included:
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excavations in the area surrounding the boulders with petroglyphs.
We also decided to complement our research with the analysis of other elements of the cultural landscape of the site. Apart from documenting rock art, the project tasks include:
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registration of roads and communication routes;
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documentation of geoglyphs;
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documentation of other cultural components, and
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registration of elements of the natural environment.
During the subsequent research seasons, we documented the petroglyphs, we carried out excavations, and we analysed a whole series of data related to the site and its history. The collected data should help us to answer questions about:
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the chronology of the Toro Muerto complex;
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the functions of the entire site and its individual sectors;
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the nature of the relationships between the sectors;
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the nature of the relationship between the petroglyphs and the landscape;
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the ways of using the specific acoustics of selected parts of the site;
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the symbolism of selected iconographic motifs;
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the geographical distribution of individual motifs in the individual sectors and the importance of this differentiation, and
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obtaining a full 3D model of the entire surveyed area.
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Parallel to the field work, we also conducted laboratory studies on the cultural material obtained during the excavations. We are assisted by specialists in the analysis of bone material, organic materials, dyes used for painting stone tiles, etc. We also collect and analyse data on the history of the site’s immediate neighbourhood, the history of its research, and the use of Toro Muerto motifs in contemporary art and crafts, and commercially – in the economy and tourism.
