SUBMITTED NEWS RELEASE
Carson City, Nev. — Angus Quinlan, Executive Director of the Nevada Rock Art Foundation (NRAF) presents Rock Art of Nevada, Thursday, April 22 at 6:30 pm, immediately following a free reception for the Rock Art Perspectives exhibit. The free reception begins at 5:00 pm.
In this presentation, Quinlan describes the heritage significance of Nevada rock art and the work of the Nevada Rock Art Foundation in working to promote rock art’s long-term preservation through programs of site documentation, research, and public education. The lecture is part of the museum’s monthly Frances Humphrey Lecture Series but is offered free of charge and at an earlier time to complement the foundation reception.
Nevada rock art is among the most striking and significant forms of symbolic expression found anywhere in the world. Located in spectacular landscapes and composed of imposing and evocative images, Nevada rock art is an enigmatic expression of the lifeways and cultures of the Native American peoples who have lived in the region for the past 13,000 years.
Often neglected in archaeological studies, Nevada rock art has the potential to inform global research debates on the social role of visual culture and the long-term sense of place that rock art establishes. Today, Nevada rock art is threatened by natural erosion, population growth and lack of public understanding for the importance of the cultural heritage it represents.
Dr. Angus Quinlan has worked as a research assistant, university lecturer and consulting editor. He completed his doctoral research on the archaeology of religion and domestic ritual contexts in Bronze Age Minoan Crete at the University of Southampton, UK, in 1993. Dr. Quinlan is an established Great Basin researcher and rock art specialist who has presented and published widely, including the 2007 edited book, Great Basin Rock Art: Archaeological Perspectives (University of Nevada Press). He has led archaeological inventories of major Nevada rock art sites in a variety of settings. Dr. Quinlan is currently the Executive Director of the Nevada Rock Art Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the preservation and protection of Nevada’s rich rock art heritage.
The Nevada State Museum actively engages people in understanding and celebrating Nevada’s natural and cultural heritage. Exhibits highlight the state’s history, geology, plants and animals, Native American cultural heritage, Historic Carson City Mint, a replica walk-through mine, and ghost town. Current changing exhibits include Interwoven 2010: Visions of the Great Basin Basketmakers, Rock Art Perspectives: Petroglyphs and Pictographs, Slot Machines: The Fey Collection and The Art of Nature: Images from the Wildlands of Nevada.
Due to mandatory state budget restrictions, the museum is closed Sunday – Tuesday, and open from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Wednesday – Saturday. Please enter through the Dema Guinn Concourse. Admission: $8 for adults and free for members and children under 18. For information, call (775) 687-4810.
The Nevada State Museum is one of seven managed by the state Division of Museums and History, an agency of the Nevada Department of Cultural Affairs. The Department serves Nevada’s citizens and visitors through cultural and information management, presentation and promotion of cultural resources, and education. The Department also includes the State Office of Historic Preservation, Nevada State Library and Archives and the Nevada Arts Council. For more information, please call Teresa Moiola at (775) 687-8323 or visit the department’s website at www.NevadaCulture.org.
