Chronometric and Relative Age Determination of Petroglyphs in the Western United States.

This paper presents chronometric age determinations of petroglyphs from the Cow Range and Cima volcanic field and relative dating from other locations in the western United States using the new rock varnish technique of cation-ratio dating. Our results verify the proposed Great Basin relative stylistic chronology, which indicates that curvilinear abstract was followed by rectilinear abstract and representational. However, these styles have greater antiquity than previously proposed, suggesting new interpretations for the significance of the Coso Range rock art. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]