Rock Paintings of Hua Mountain
Encyclopedia
The Rock Paintings of Hua Mountain
are an extensive assembly of historical rock art
that were painted on limestone cliff faces in Guangxi
, southern China over a period of several hundred years at least. The paintings are located on the west bank of the Ming River which is a tributary of the Zuo River. The area of the paintings is part of the Nonggang Nature Reserve and belongs to the Town of Yaoda in
Ningming County
.
The paintings are believed to be between 1800 and 2500 or between 1600 and 2400 years old. The period of their creations hence spans the times from the Warring States Period
to the late Han Dynasty
in the history of China. The
paintings are attributed to the ancient Luo Yue people, who are believed to be ancestors of the present-day Zhuang nationality and inhabited the valley of Zuo River during this period. Carbon dating suggests that the oldest paintings were executed around 16,000 years ago whereas the youngest are around 690 years old.
The main painted area along the cliff has a width of about 170 metres (557.7 ft)
and a height of about 40 metres (131.2 ft) and is believed to be the largest rock painting in China. The painting are located between 30 metres (98.4 ft) and 90 metres (295.3 ft) above the river's water level. It contains about
1900 discrete countable images arranged in about 110 groups.
a mixture of red ochre
(hematite
), animal glue, and blood. They depict human figures as well as animals along with bronze drums, knives, swords, bells, and ships. Human figures are typically between 60 centimetres (23.6 in) and 150 centimetres (4.9 ft) tall, but one figure reaches 3 metres (9.8 ft) in height.
are an extensive assembly of historical rock art
Rock art
Rock art is a term used in archaeology for any human-made markings made on natural stone. They can be divided into:*Petroglyphs - carvings into stone surfaces*Pictographs - rock and cave paintings...
that were painted on limestone cliff faces in Guangxi
Guangxi
Guangxi, formerly romanized Kwangsi, is a province of southern China along its border with Vietnam. In 1958, it became the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, a region with special privileges created specifically for the Zhuang people.Guangxi's location, in...
, southern China over a period of several hundred years at least. The paintings are located on the west bank of the Ming River which is a tributary of the Zuo River. The area of the paintings is part of the Nonggang Nature Reserve and belongs to the Town of Yaoda in
Ningming County
Ningming County
Ningming County is a county of Guangxi, China. It is under the administration of Chongzuo city....
.
The paintings are believed to be between 1800 and 2500 or between 1600 and 2400 years old. The period of their creations hence spans the times from the Warring States Period
Warring States Period
The Warring States Period , also known as the Era of Warring States, or the Warring Kingdoms period, covers the Iron Age period from about 475 BC to the reunification of China under the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC...
to the late Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
in the history of China. The
paintings are attributed to the ancient Luo Yue people, who are believed to be ancestors of the present-day Zhuang nationality and inhabited the valley of Zuo River during this period. Carbon dating suggests that the oldest paintings were executed around 16,000 years ago whereas the youngest are around 690 years old.
The main painted area along the cliff has a width of about 170 metres (557.7 ft)
and a height of about 40 metres (131.2 ft) and is believed to be the largest rock painting in China. The painting are located between 30 metres (98.4 ft) and 90 metres (295.3 ft) above the river's water level. It contains about
1900 discrete countable images arranged in about 110 groups.
a mixture of red ochre
Ochre
Ochre is the term for both a golden-yellow or light yellow brown color and for a form of earth pigment which produces the color. The pigment can also be used to create a reddish tint known as "red ochre". The more rarely used terms "purple ochre" and "brown ochre" also exist for variant hues...
(hematite
Hematite
Hematite, also spelled as haematite, is the mineral form of iron oxide , one of several iron oxides. Hematite crystallizes in the rhombohedral system, and it has the same crystal structure as ilmenite and corundum...
), animal glue, and blood. They depict human figures as well as animals along with bronze drums, knives, swords, bells, and ships. Human figures are typically between 60 centimetres (23.6 in) and 150 centimetres (4.9 ft) tall, but one figure reaches 3 metres (9.8 ft) in height.