How to conduct an archaeoacoustic study of rock art sites through impulse response measurements

Incorporating intangible aspects of prehistoric experience, including sound, has become increasingly important in rock art research, offering a more comprehensive interpretation of the past. Scholars suggest that the acoustic properties of certain rock art sites may have influenced not only artistic...

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Detalhes bibliográficos
Autores: Álvarez Morales, Carmen Lidia, Santos da Rosa, Neemias, Díaz Andreu, Margarita
Formato: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2026
País:España
Recursos:Universidad de Sevilla (US)
Repositorio:idUS. Depósito de Investigación de la Universidad de Sevilla
OAI Identifier:oai:dnet:idus________::1b20df85c5bb93377ed1315880858e0b
Acesso em linha:https://hdl.handle.net/11441/185379
https://doi.org/10.1017/aap.2025.10118
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palavra-chave:Archaeoacoustics
Guidelines
Impulse responses
Rock art
Room acoustics
Arqueoacústica
Protocolos
Respuestas al impulso
Arte rupestre
Acústica de salas
Descrição
Resumo:Incorporating intangible aspects of prehistoric experience, including sound, has become increasingly important in rock art research, offering a more comprehensive interpretation of the past. Scholars suggest that the acoustic properties of certain rock art sites may have influenced not only artistic creation but also social and ritual practices. This article presents guidelines for recording, digitizing, and analyzing the acoustic features of open and semi-open rock art sites. The proposed protocol integrates two complementary approaches: a sonic exploration to gather subjective (person-centered) data, and experimental impulse response measurements based on room acoustics principles to obtain quantitative acoustic data. Given the lack of standardized methodologies for characterizing the acoustics of such sites, this protocol aims to enhance the reliability, reproducibility, and comparability of future archaeoacoustic research. By establishing a rigorous framework, it contributes to a deeper understanding of how sound shaped past human experiences.