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The 292-page book features previously unpublished photographs of hand stencils, matutuo, faces and abstract motifs found in Berau Gulf, Bitsyari Bay, Triton Bay and the Baliem Valley.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