The practice of superimposing images is well documented in Palaeolithic art. The suggested reasons for this are manifold. At Asphendou cave, however, many of the superimpositions are certainly Holocene in date. I have argued elsewhere that the basal layer of the petroglyphs depicts a herd of now extinct deer, endemic to Crete during the Pleistocene. Unlike the Palaeolithic superimpositions that frequently seem to augment the art; the superimposed petroglyphs at Asphendou do not enhance the underlying figural imagery as much as it obfuscates it. They are not complimenting the previous images. It seems unlikely there was a narrative presented by the Holocene superimpositions. Nevertheless, they may not be accidental.
Because there is evidence elsewhere on Crete that Homo sapiens and the extinct Pleistocene fauna coexisted, some questions can be asked. Why are none of the other extinct fauna (mice, hippopotami, elephants, shrews) presented in the basal layer? Is this perhaps marking a spot for hunters? Setting aside some modern graffiti, what could have been the purpose of the superimposed images? Similar examples from Europe, Australia and the American Southwest are analyzed to sharpen our analytical focus on these illustrations.

First Author: Thomas Strasser

Keywords:
Crete
Petroglyphs
Superimposition