Welcome to the designated online gallery for Anthrosphere II, the second instalment in the Anthrosphere series. Planning for the series commenced in 2022, with work spanning from spring 2023 to winter 2024. 

Anthrosphere II employs high-sensitivity photographic technology and focus stacking techniques to document the Helan Mountains’ elusive petroglyphs, many of which have been eroded to inconspicuity to the naked eye. These petroglyphs originate from three historical periods: the Late Neolithic, the Qin/Northern and Southern dynasties and the Western Xia dynasty. 

The petroglyphs were first noted in Li Daoyuan’s Commentary on the Water Classic (Shuijing Zhu, 水經注) and are distinguished by their timeless and unconventional motifs. Carbon dating and stylistic analysis indicate that many clusters were created collaboratively by artists, religious authorities and worshippers from empires separated by centuries. Some, such as Scan DSC08911, feature inscriptions (left) that either comment on or ceremoniously converse with earlier motifs (right) due to perceived ancestral, political or cultural relations. When taken together, the glyph clusters exhibit polytheistic traditions reminiscent of the Incan and Aztec civilisations in both artistic quality and the particular deities of worship, such as a sun god appearing as a humanoid visage encircled by a solar corona.

For the first instalment, please refer to Anthrosphere 01.  Please consult the Contact Form to request additional information or reading materials.

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Bienvenue dans la galerie en ligne consacrée à Anthrosphère II, le deuxième volet de la série Anthrosphère. La planification de cette série a commencé en 2022, et les travaux se sont déroulés du printemps 2023 à l’hiver 2024.

Anthrosphère II utilise une technologie photographique à haute sensibilité et des techniques de mise au point pour documenter les pétroglyphes insaisissables des monts Helan, dont beaucoup ont été érodés au point d’être invisibles à l’œil nu. Ces pétroglyphes datent de trois périodes historiques : la fin du Néolithique, les dynasties Qin/Nord et Sud et la dynastie des Xia occidentaux.

Les pétroglyphes ont été notés pour la première fois dans le Commentaire sur le Classique de l’eau (Shuijing Zhu, 水經注) de Li Daoyuan et se distinguent par leurs motifs intemporels et non conventionnels. La datation au carbone et l’analyse stylistique indiquent que de nombreux groupes ont été créés en collaboration par des artistes, des autorités religieuses et des fidèles d’empires séparés par des siècles. Certains, comme le glyphe intitulé “Scan DSC08911,” comportent des inscriptions (à gauche) qui commentent ou dialoguent cérémonieusement avec des motifs antérieurs (à droite) en raison de relations ancestrales, politiques ou culturelles perçues. Pris ensemble, les groupes de glyphes présentent des traditions polythéistes qui rappellent les civilisations inca et aztèque, tant par leur qualité artistique que par les divinités particulières qu’elles vénèrent, comme le dieu du soleil qui apparaît sous la forme d’un visage humanoïde entouré d’une couronne solaire.

Pour voir la première installation, veuillez vous référer à Anthrosphere 01.  Veuillez consulter le Contact Form pour demander des informations supplémentaires ou des documents à lire.

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Bem-vindo à galeria online designada para Anthrosphere II, o segundo volume da série Anthrosphere. O planejamento da série teve início em 2022, com trabalhos realizados entre a primavera de 2023 e o inverno de 2024.

Anthrosphere II emprega tecnologia fotográfica de alta sensibilidade e técnicas de focus stacking para documentar os elusivos petroglifos das Montanhas Helan, muitos dos quais foram erodidos a ponto de se tornarem quase imperceptíveis a olho nu. Esses petroglifos provêm de três períodos históricos: o Neolítico Tardio, as dinastias Qin/Setentrional e Meridional, e a dinastia Xia Ocidental.

Os petroglifos foram inicialmente mencionados no Comentário ao Clássico das Águas de Li Daoyuan (Shuijing Zhu, 水經注) e distinguem-se por seus motivos intemporais e não convencionais. Datações por carbono e análises estilísticas indicam que muitos agrupamentos foram criados de forma colaborativa por artistas, autoridades religiosas e devotos pertencentes a impérios separados por séculos. Alguns, como Scan DSC08911, apresentam inscrições (à esquerda) que comentam ou dialogam cerimonialmente com motivos anteriores (à direita), devido a relações ancestrais, políticas ou culturais presumidas. Considerados em conjunto, os agrupamentos de glifos revelam tradições politeístas que lembram as civilizações inca e asteca, tanto pela qualidade artística quanto pelas deidades específicas veneradas, como um deus solar representado por um rosto humanoide circundado por uma coroa solar.

Para o primeiro volume, consulte Anthrosphere 01. Para solicitar informações adicionais ou materiais de leitura, utilize o Contact Form.

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*The term “Anthrosphere” of the title Anthrosphere II is derived from the word “Anthroposphere”. Anthroposphere is defined as that which “encompasses the total human presence throughout the Earth system including our culture, technology, built environment, and associated activities.”¹

¹AGCI Contributors, "The Anthroposphere," Aspen Global Change Institute, accessed July 5, 2024, https://www.agci.org/earth-systems/anthroposphere#:~:text=The%20anthroposphere%20encompasses%20the%20total%20human%20presence%20throughout,%E2%80%93%20the%20age%20within%20which%20the%20anthroposphere%20developed.