Petroglyph

:For the company that makes computer games, see Petroglyph (game studio).

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A petroglyph is an image recorded on stone, usually by prehistoric peoples, by means of carving, pecking or otherwise incised on natural rock surfaces.

Related Topics:
Image - Stone - Prehistoric

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They are commonly associated with Neolithic people, and were a dominant form of pre-writing symbols used in communication from approximately 10,000 B.C. to 5,000 B.C. The word comes from the Greek words petros meaning "stone" and glyphein meaning "to carve" (it was originally coined in French as pétroglyphe). These images may have had deep cultural and religious significance for the societies that created them.

Related Topics:
Neolithic - Writing - Communication - Greek - French

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The term 'petroglyph' should not be confused with either the term "pictograph" - a more advanced symbol type, which uses the images to tells the chronological story spanning through time - nor with cave painting. The difference between cave painting and petroglyphs is twofold: first, petroglyphs are carved or engraved, while cave paintings refer to the images painted on stone. Second, petroglyphs are more evolved symbols compared to the cave paintings, showing specific events more clearly.

Related Topics:
Pictograph - Symbol - Cave painting

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