Newly discovered slate gorget featured in "Ohio Archaeologist" may demonstrate engravings inspired by Turing instabilities seen entoptically during altered mind states

Illustration of an Ohio slate gorget, ca. 5,000 to 3,000 years before present

In Ohio Archaeologist, Volume 63, No. 2, Spring 2013, published by the Archaeological Society of Ohio, Elaine Holzapfel and Robert N. Converse introduce a newly found Glacial Kame period gorget from a glacial kettle depression in Darke County, Ohio. There is an engineer's analysis presented by William C. Light and the photo above is of an illustration of engravings on the gorget surface made by Mr. Light.

Illustrations of portable rock art engravings from Lake Rauchuvagytgyn, Siberia, Russia. Published in Early Art in the Northern Far East- The Stone Age, author M.A. Kiriyak, translated by Richard L. Bland.

Siberia, illustration by M. A. Kiriyak

Expanded view of William C. Light's illustration including the legend of features he identifies on the Darke County Ohio gorget.

Russian artifact at left compared to Ohio artifact at right

I think most significantly, Mr. Light's engineering report describes the Ohio gorget as having three apparent sections to the engraving. Mr. Light is an engineer with no archaeological background so his observation may be taken as independent of influence from the work of others regarding like engravings. M.A. Kiriyak also comments regarding three apparent sections on the Siberia, Russia, artifact and thinks it may be related to the universally reported experience of passing three stages in the transcendence to altered mind states as might be experienced in deep meditative or shamanistic activities. She notes similar patterns have been seen ethnographically on the cloaks worn by Siberian shamans.

These patterns are seen entoptically between the visual cortex of the brain and the eyelid. They are known to cognitive archaeology scholars as Turing instabilities.

Here is a recent article describing research into Turing instabilities engraved patterns on artifacts.

"The non-ordinary visual experiences were often characterised by similar kinds of abstract geometric patterns, which he classified into four categories of form constants: (1) gratings, lattices, fretworks, filigrees, honeycombs, and checkerboards; (2) cobwebs; (3) tunnels and funnels, alleys, cones, vessels; and (4) spirals."

The Archaeological Society of Ohio (ASO) quarterly journal edited by Robert N. Converse, Ohio Archaeologist, is available from the Society and also as a benefit of annual membership in the ASO which is just $30.00. Monthly meetings are available at local ASO chapters throughout the State of Ohio.

-kbj