W. Papuan rock art sees light of day

W. Papuan rock art sees light of day

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) has launched a definitive reference book on
rock art across four areas in West Papua.

Friday's launch of Rock Art in West Papua by Karina Arifin and
Philippe Delanghe comes as good news for Indonesian archeology
and for archeologists around world, particularly those
specializing in rock art.

The 292-page book features previously unpublished photographs
of hand stencils, matutuo, faces and abstract motifs found in
Berau Gulf, Bitsyari Bay, Triton Bay and the Baliem Valley.

Karina, a professor of archeology at the University of
Indonesia, said she hoped the book would contribute to the
development of archeology in Indonesia.

According to Karina, she and Delanghe -- who is a former
Programme Specialist for Culture at UNESCO Jakarta and now holds
the same post at the UNESCO office in Amman, Jordan -- spent only
one month conducting field research in Papua.

"But it took almost 10 years to finish writing the book
because of additional research," she said during the launch.

Truman Simanjuntak, head of the Indonesian Archeologists
Association, presented a brief review of Rock Art at the event,
praising the authors' work.

Truman said the book would become fundamental reading for
further research on rock art in Indonesia, while the Ministry of
National Education's director for culture Edi Sedyawati said it
provided solid research material for use in comparative studies.

Rock art comes in three main forms: paintings, engravings and
carvings. Primeval tribesmen often created these art forms,
either as a medium for a religious service or as a form of self-
expression.