Schematic ~repack~ — Borneo

The Borneo Schematic Rock Art Tradition: Chronology, Symbolism, and Landscape Use in Island Southeast Asia

For over a century, the caves and rock shelters of Borneo have been known to contain prehistoric images. However, systematic archaeological research since the 1990s—particularly the collaborative French-Indonesian project in the Sangkulirang-Mangkalihat karst of East Kalimantan—has refined our understanding of two distinct pictorial traditions. The earliest, the "Naturalistic" tradition, features exquisitely rendered large mammals (banteng, bearded pigs) and hand stencils in reddish mulberry hues. The later "Schematic" tradition, typically in black, dark purple, or hematite red, comprises small, stylized, often repetitive geometric designs. borneo schematic

The lattice/tapis motif echoes the woven patterns used in ritual cloths that contain protective spiritual power ( semangat ). Placing such patterns on cave walls may have "activated" the shelter as a ritual locus for rainmaking, head-hunting success, or agricultural fertility. The later "Schematic" tradition, typically in black, dark

Plagnes, V., Causse, C., Fontugne, M., & Valladas, H. (2003). Cross dating (Th/U and 14C) of calcite covering prehistoric paintings in Borneo. Quaternary Geochronology , 22(12), 1259-1265. Plagnes, V

Study Area: Primary sites include Gua Saleh, Liang Karim, and Gua Tewet (East Kalimantan); Painted Cave (Niah, Sarawak); and Batu Tulug (Sabah). Over 80 rock art sites with schematic components were reviewed.