Rock Art Research

Hand stencils and prints occur on all continents occupied by humans. The oldest of  them date from Neanderthal times, and they continue at intervals at least until the 20th century. Seen as somewhat enigmatic by archaeologists, they, like other nebulous rock art motifs,  have only received serious attention from a handful of researchers, particularly in the measurement of hand attributes as an indicator of age and sex. Aspects of distribution, associated art,  shelter deposit, and other cultural materials have also been, to a varying extent, occasionally addressed. Considering these studies, this paper looks at some of the issues relating to the measurements of hand stencils and prints, and questions the validity of their interpretation.