Research on the Chronology of Cupule-based Human-Face Petroglyphs in the West Liao River Basin, Inner Mongolia

Abstract

Cupule-based human-face petroglyphs represent a specific category of petroglyphs and are widely distributed throughout the West Liao River Basin in Inner Mongolia. The defining characteristic of this type of petroglyph is that both the eyes and mouth are composed of small, circular cupules created by grinding. Some of these cupules are adorned with outer contours in circular, double-circular, or heart-shaped patterns. In a sense, these petroglyphs can be regarded as a distinctive category—specifically, a variant of cupule-based petroglyphs. The vast majority of these petroglyphs are crafted using pecking and grinding techniques on isolated boulders, while a minority are executed on cliff faces. In fact, many cupule petroglyphs found in association with human-face imagery can be classified as this type of cupule-based human face. Distinct from traditional cupule petroglyphs in the conventional sense, these were all created during the Neolithic period or later, and likely represent a relatively early category within the regional rock art tradition.