DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.36958#0012
In rare cases, the carvings and bruisings can be dated by realizing
the influences from the Indus side. Relations to the mostly undat-
able petroglyphs in the Pamirs are so close that we could speak of
a "Pamir-Gilgit Complex". In many respects the iconography of
this province is totally different from the unique works visible
along the banks of the Indus. In this statement it is implicated that
not everywhere in the northern regions of Pakistan recording must
be done following the same standards. Our team, with the centre
of activities around Chilas, should include some sites of Baltistan
into its programme, but not necessarily the Gilgit-Pamir Complex.
The unique position of the Indus valley near Chilas as a centre of
rock art is not the result of consequent adherence to a particular
artistic tradition, eg the Buddhist art of the Gupta period. Persi-
stently preference was given to petroglyphs as the medium for
artistic expression - with astonishing technical sophistication and
readiness to accept all kinds of stimulation from different sides at
different levels. Some of the resulting trends were dropped rather
soon and replaced by what was more appreciated in the outside
world, others were blended with surprising results. Some semantic
concepts reappear in different styles, but there are graffiti expres-
sing a protest against too many and too quickly changing codes: a
chance for the non-conformist like in modern art.
I got a feeling for this artistic plurality when I concentrated on a
topic, locally of minor importance, but evoking many associations
in my mind. There is no indigenous tradition of the Animal Style
of the Northern Nomads along the ancient caravan routes. Appar-
ently some of the bypassing warriors settled down among the local
farmers and used part of their own artistic heritage as heraldic
signs. Deliberations in this context I had published in Pakistan
yfm/mcc/ogy (JETTMAR 1989b). A more detailed study appeared in
(JETTMAR 1991). Only this last article empha-
sizes the important insight that a late wave of Northern Nomads
propagated the Sarmatian variant of the Animal Style, persisting
during the later period of Kushan overlordship. The main evidence
for the Sarmatic impact is a necklace in the shape of a closed
circlet decorated with reliefs, featuring trees, humans, and mainly
wild and domestic animals. The object is of solid gold - the weight
was (and is) more than 16 kilos. The finders, villagers of Pattan
(Indus-Kohistan), cut it into more than 50 pieces. Without arrang-
ing the many interwoven figures into the right order there is no
VIII
the influences from the Indus side. Relations to the mostly undat-
able petroglyphs in the Pamirs are so close that we could speak of
a "Pamir-Gilgit Complex". In many respects the iconography of
this province is totally different from the unique works visible
along the banks of the Indus. In this statement it is implicated that
not everywhere in the northern regions of Pakistan recording must
be done following the same standards. Our team, with the centre
of activities around Chilas, should include some sites of Baltistan
into its programme, but not necessarily the Gilgit-Pamir Complex.
The unique position of the Indus valley near Chilas as a centre of
rock art is not the result of consequent adherence to a particular
artistic tradition, eg the Buddhist art of the Gupta period. Persi-
stently preference was given to petroglyphs as the medium for
artistic expression - with astonishing technical sophistication and
readiness to accept all kinds of stimulation from different sides at
different levels. Some of the resulting trends were dropped rather
soon and replaced by what was more appreciated in the outside
world, others were blended with surprising results. Some semantic
concepts reappear in different styles, but there are graffiti expres-
sing a protest against too many and too quickly changing codes: a
chance for the non-conformist like in modern art.
I got a feeling for this artistic plurality when I concentrated on a
topic, locally of minor importance, but evoking many associations
in my mind. There is no indigenous tradition of the Animal Style
of the Northern Nomads along the ancient caravan routes. Appar-
ently some of the bypassing warriors settled down among the local
farmers and used part of their own artistic heritage as heraldic
signs. Deliberations in this context I had published in Pakistan
yfm/mcc/ogy (JETTMAR 1989b). A more detailed study appeared in
(JETTMAR 1991). Only this last article empha-
sizes the important insight that a late wave of Northern Nomads
propagated the Sarmatian variant of the Animal Style, persisting
during the later period of Kushan overlordship. The main evidence
for the Sarmatic impact is a necklace in the shape of a closed
circlet decorated with reliefs, featuring trees, humans, and mainly
wild and domestic animals. The object is of solid gold - the weight
was (and is) more than 16 kilos. The finders, villagers of Pattan
(Indus-Kohistan), cut it into more than 50 pieces. Without arrang-
ing the many interwoven figures into the right order there is no
VIII