Before the Olmec

“There is no life that does not contribute to history.”

Dorothy West

The Power of 9 or I Know It So I Show It!

Chapter 5

Part 1

As illustrated in the previous chapters, over many years of research a number of repeated patterns emerged. One of the most significant was a replication in certain artistic styles used to create these works of stone art. Recognizing and understanding these specific styles proved to be invaluable in the congregation of my findings. For you, the reader (especially if you are someone that collects these ancient stones), it is essential to know these styles if you wish to fully understand them.

Perspective Stones (or portable rock art if you like) were created in nine (9) basic styles. Each style can be found separately or in combination with the other styles. Stones made in all of these styles, except for one, have previously been shown to you. Now we are simply affixing a name to the types of stones you’ve seen. Simultaneously, I will provide key insight on visual techniques the Aha employed in crafting these stones.

The nine (9) basic styles of Perspective Stones (a.k.a portable rock art) are as follows:

• 1. SIMPLE
• 2. STACKED or LAYERED
• 3. BIPLANAR
• 4. MULTIPLANAR
• 5. CUT-AWAY
• 6. GOUGED or SCOOPED
• 7. COMPLICATED
• 8. PUT TOGETHER or ADD TO
• 9. CONGLOMERATE (Type 1 & Type 2)

Did you know that these stones have built-in orientation points? They do and one of them is color. Or more specifically contrasting color(s).

SIMPLE STYLE: The easiest style of stone to recognize is the SIMPLE style stone. SIMPLE style Perspective Stones have faces or other images easily discernible to the naked eye. SIMPLE style stones, like all other stones, may portray faces or depict animals. SIMPLE style stones rely on aspects of the other eight (8) styles to create their imagery. Images may be found by following the borders or ridged-lines of a stone. They may be found via paint or pigments on the surface of the stone. Images can be produced by multiple layers comprising the outer stone casing. And, like other stones, SIMPLE style stones may have images that are produced via silhouette or shadow.

_{Don’t rotate your device! This is the position this stone should be viewed in. From this perspective this person is looking up ⤴. Did you know that this is the intended orientation for many of these stones?  It is. The reason why will be given in another chapter 🙂. In this piece the dark brown outer stone layer represents the persons skin tone. The contrasting white symbol forms the eye of the person looking upwards. The nose is formed by a sharp angular cut; an example of the Cut-Away style. Below the nose there is a slightly darker brown undulating (squiggly) line that forms a grinning mouth. Notches and cut-aways at the top and back of the head represents the hairstyle. There are two other faces present on this side of the stone. A diagramed image is provided.}

Tip: when you view these stones, no matter the style, when such a contrast in colors exist, the lesser of colors forms an eye.

STACKED or LAYERED: The STACKED style is so name because of the way the stone itself was created by using individual layers stacked atop each other. There can be many layers in Stacked style stones. The layers themselves can be straight, curved, wavy, or spiral. Generally the stacked layers can be visualized when significant erosion of the outer stone casing has occurred or when the stone is wet.

_{This STACKED or LAYERED style stone has a large divot similar to the smaller stones that were shown in the last chapter. The divot was used to create a large shared eye for the several faces on this side of the stone. A large percentage of the tan outer stone casing is missing on this side of the piece. The minimal erosion isn’t all bad because it allows a detailed view of the stacked layers. If you look closely at the exterior of the divot you can see the circular layers best. Also, below the nose, the section that makes up the interior of the mouth is formed by a series of undulating (squiggly) layers. In both the Simple Style stone and this Stacked Style stone the meaning of the undulating lines is the same.}

BIPLANAR STYLE: Just as the name implies, BIPLANAR style stones have images created on two (or more) geometric planes. Generally the image is created when one portion of the stone rises verticalally then makes about a 30⁰ (or more) turn horizontally at its vertices . A portion of the facial features are viewed on one plane with the remainder of the face on the secondary plane. Often times the stone itself has to be rotated about 30⁰ towards the viewer. This style is quite similar to the Bent Pyramid of Egypt with its trapezoid base & triangular upper portion. 🤔 💭

_{This BIPLANAR piece has a long biplanar neck that rises vertically from the base. Plane 1 comprises the back of the neck and back of the head. Plane 2 (going horizontally) comprises the side of the neck (from the right 👉 profile), a chubby check, and the right side of the head up to the temple. At the top Plane 3 angels about 30⁰ horizontally going backwards. Plane 3 is divided into two distinct planes. The top plane consists of the back and crown (top) of the head. The bottom plane forms the brow and nose. In this example the eye was created by shadowing. A diagramed image is provided.}

How do I know that the shadow in the last piece was an intended eye? Simple, I know what symbol the shadow is forming and soon you will as well. 😉

MULTIPLANAR: MULTIPLANAR style stones were created to view facial features shaped on different geometric planes of the stones. Each plane contains a portion of the image. Images may be produced in a variety of ways including by rotation, in a stair-step style, or offset layers.

_{Looking leftward with its bulging eyes, pushed-up nose, and triangular shaped cranium, this “Orc” face entity is a superior example of a MULTIPLANAR style stone. Of special note is the applied outer stone layers. In this example the first applied outer stone layer was incised to form sharp menacing teeth. A pronounced ridged line follows the contours of the cheek bone and what would have clearly been a large and powerful mouth. A secondary applied outer stone layer is located in the center of the forehead. In this case the incised lines have been used to create a partially hidden triangular face. A diagramed image is provided.}

CUT-AWAY: The CUT-AWAY style of stone creates faces & other images in stone by removing or cutting away sections of the stone. Like other stones, the CUT-AWAYS sometimes employ styles like BI-PLANAR or GOUGED to complete their design.

CUT-AWAY: The CUT-AWAY style of stone creates faces & other images in stone by removing or cutting away sections of the stone. Like other stones, the CUT-AWAYS sometimes employ styles like BIPLANAR or GOUGED to complete their design.

_{This CUT-AWAY style stone is of a chubby cheek person. Both eyes 👀 and the hairstyle were created by angular cut-away sections. In addition, the right eye has several stones added for meaning. The largest of these stones has an irregular pentagon shape. CUT-AWAY and ADD TO styles were utilized for this piece.}

GOUGED OR SCOOPED: This type of stone is so called because portions of the stone have been removed in a gouging or scooping process. The gouges or scoops were used to create facial features like eyes, noses, & mouths. A diagramed image is provided.

_{This GOUGED style stone features a person looking upwards. Both the right eye and mouth were created by gouging. The left eye is produced by shadowing. A diagramed image is provided.}

COMPLICATED: Complicated style stones typically can be some of the most difficult stones to visualize. Without knowing all nine (9) styles, how the Aha made use of them, and what their civilization was capable of this type can be elusive. But, when you do know all of the aforementioned, pieces like the next one are all the more impressive. In some cases, COMPLICATED style stones are intricately made. They are often fashioned with superior craftsmanship. Moreover, COMPLICATED style stones many times consist not only of faces, but full body representations of those pictured.

_{A COMPLICATED style stone with a person looking leftward and down. Notice the fine details used in creating the hairstyle. The face seems to be expressing sadness or maybe a pensive mood. A diagramed image is provided.}

PUT TOGETHER or ADD TO: PUT TOGETHER style stones are comprised of two contrasting types of stone or materials wedded together to produce images. Frequently PUT TOGETHER style stones are comprised of terracotta stone with a hard stone attached. Another common method is hard stone attached to Type 2 CONGLOMERATE style stone.

_{This Add To style stone portrays an elderly individual. A tattered looking face is attached to a misshapen cranium. The cranium is one solid stone. The face was created using the Type 2 Conglomerate style. This piece also features black banding representing smoke. A diagramed image is provided.}

CONGLOMERATES: Type 1 Conglomerate style stones typically are comprised of many small pebbles cemented together forming a conglomerate. The pebbles, frequently colored, have been purposely bonded together to produce shapes, faces, or other images.

Type 2 Conglomerate style stones consist of small irregular shaped stones or stone fragments bonded together to create images. However, the unique nature of Type 2 Conglomerate style stones is that they were seemingly made by some type of metallurgical process. Stone fragments, and in some cases glass, have been attached to some type of low grade iron. The stone fragments in conjunction with the iron forms the images. In all honesty, the technique used to make this style stone still astonishes me. The use of metallurgical skills, especially artistically, is a hallmark of civilizations the world over. The repition of these metallurgical skills signifies it was not random.

_{This exceptional Type 2 CONGLOMERATE style stone is of a seated baby elephant 🐘 facing left. For a detailed view I have provided the image on the right.}

Next post Chapter 5 part II. If you still don’t believe perhaps in time you will. Just think, I haven’t made it to language yet. Until next time, please share and keep the love coming. 😉😊👌