On The Impossibility of Close Reading

CUBBENT ANTHBOFOLOOY VoIune 37, NunIev 2, ApviI I996
? I996 I TIe Wennev-Oven Foundalion Jov AnlIvopoIogicaI BeseavcI. AII vigIls vesevved OOII-3204/96/3702-0002$2.50
On lIe InpossiIiIil
oJ CIose Beading
TIe Case oJ
AIexandev MavsIacI
I Janes EIIins
Mosl discipIines concevned vilI visuaI avliJacls assune lIal
cIose veading is univevsaII lo Ie desived lIe nove accuvaleI oI-
jecls ave descviIed, lIe nove vesponsiII lIe can Ie inlevpveled.
CIose veading is said lo pvovide a cIecI on inadvevlenl pvojecliov
and inappvopviale lIeovizing, and il is lIougIl lo Ie an ideaI lIal
is nol speciJic lo an discipIine ov Iind oJ oIjecl. WilIoul lIe
concepl oJ cIose veading, discipIines sucI as anlIvopoIog, avl Iis-
lov, and avcIaeoIog vouId Iose an essenliaI inlevpvelive an-
cIov, since a vouline ov denonslvaII nisinJovned inlevpvelalion
couId lIen Ie said lo Ie Iellev lIan one lIal allends nove pve-
ciseI lo lIe pecuIiavilies oJ lIe oIjecl. Fov lIese veasons, even
lIougI individuaI cIose veadings na Ie laIen lo Ie JIaved ov Ii-
ased and even lIougI lIe cvilique oJ cIose veadings is a cenlvaI ve-
sponsiIiIil oJ an vivaI inlevpvelalion, lIe idea oJ cIose veading
ilseIJ goes IavgeI unanaIzed. Heve I avgue lIvee lIings aIoul
cIose veading, using AIexandev MavsIacI's anaIses oJ pveIislovic
Euvopean avliJacls as an exanpIe. Fivsl, lIeve is no sucI lIing as
a lvuI cIose veading, Iecause IeveIs ov dislances Jvon lIe av-
liJacl cannol Ie avvanged and cIosen al viII. Second, lIe veading
lIal seens cIosesl in an given case is lIe one vIeve il Iecones
nosl diJJicuIl lo dislinguisI Ielveen pvopevlies inIevenl in lIe
avliJacl and lIose lIal ave pavl oJ lIe acl oJ inlevpvelalion. TIivd,
lIe cIosesl veadings |sucI as MavsIacI's) pvesenl lIe Iesl oppov-
lunilies lo undevsland vIal a given discipIine undevslands I Ia-
sic levns sucI as inage, nolalion, sign, navI, and decovalion.
JAMES ELKINS is Associale FvoJessov oJ Avl Hislov, TIeov, and
Cvilicisn al lIe ScIooI oJ lIe Avl Inslilule oJ CIicago |37 S. Wa-
IasI, CIicago, III. 60603, U.S.A.). He vas educaled al lIe Univev-
sil oJ CIicago. His inlevesls incIude non-avl inages sucI as
scIenala and gvapIs, lIe Iislov oJ science, vepvesenlalions oJ
lIe Iod, lIe IisloviogvapI oJ avl Iislov and veIaled discipIines,
lIe Iislov oJ avlisls' lecIniques, and lIeovies oJ vepvesenlalion.
He Ias puIIisIed WIal BeaII Happens in Ficluves Misveading
vilI NeIson Ooodnan |Wovd and Inage 9349-62), On Mon-
slvuousI AnIiguous Fainlings |Hislov and TIeov 32227-
47), Belveen Ficluve and Fvoposilion Tovluving Fainlings in
Willgenslein's Tvaclalus |VisiIIe Language, in pvess), and TIe
Signs oJ Wviling On Sone FavaIIeIs Ielveen lIe UndecipIeved
FveIislovic Vinca Scvipl and Andvea Manlegna's TIe BallIe oJ
lIe Sea Oods |Seniolica, in pvess). TIe pvesenl papev vas suInil-
led 5 7II 94 and accepled 7 III 95: lIe JinaI vevsion veacIed lIe
Edilov's oJJice 17 Iv 95.
CIose veading oJ visuaI inages is a conslanl ideaI in avl
Iislov, avcIaeoIog, anlIvopoIog, visuaI lIeov, and
cvilicisn oJ aII sovls-il is vivluaII nevev queslioned,
and in genevaI il seens lo Ie a good idea in an JieId,
Jov an puvpose, and undev an lIeovelicaI veginen. Ils
geneaIog Iegins vIeve avl Iislov does, vilI anliquavi-
anisn and connoisseuvsIip in lIe 17lI and i8lI cenlu-
vies, and ascends lIvougI IglI-cenluv MoveIIian
nelIods |lIal is, invesligalions oJ cIavaclevislic delaiIs
in inages), IvancIing and pvoIiJevaling in lIe 2olI cen-
luv inlo slIe anaIsis, JovnaIisn, and iconogvapI.
CavIo OinzIuvg's specuIalive essa on MoveIIi, Fveud,
and SIevIocI HoInes |OinzIuvg i980) venains lIe pvin-
cipaI souvce Jov lIe Iislov oJ lIe idea, lIougI Oinz-
Iuvg's concalenalion oJ connoisseuvsIip, pscIoanaI-
sis, avl Iislov, and deleclive noveIs couId Iave Ieen
expanded I considevalion oJ lIe va lIe sane levn
is used in Iilevav cvilicisn-incIuding OinzIuvg's ovn
essa, vIicI Iecones an exanpIe oJ lIe nelIod il
exposils.
Il is queslionaIIe Iov nucI sense il naIes lo caII
sucI Jav-JIung pvaclices a nelIod, as OinzIuvg does:
inslead I vouId sa lIal lIe diJJevenl nelIods used I
FanoJsI, MoveIIi, Fveud, and olIevs gvov Jvon lIe en-
aIIing concepl oJ cIose veading. TIe lvanspavenl naluve
oJ lIe concepl vouId seen lo JoveslaII an divecl anaI-
sis ov cvilique-vIalevev a cIose veading na Ie in pvac-
lice, lIe concepl oJ cIose veading venains neavI inlangi-
IIe. Accuvac and even insigIl ave inluiliveI lied lo
lIe cIoseness oJ a veading, vegavdIess oJ dispules aIoul
evidence ov lIeov. TIe unoIjeclionaIIe univevsaIil oJ
cIose veading is nosl appavenl in ouv inaIiIil lo lIinI
vIal Iind oJ visuaI avliJacl |ov lexl, ov cvine scene, ov
navvalive) nigIl nol Ie Iesl undevslood I cIose exani-
nalion. In sIovl, lIe puvposive, vigiIanl scvulin oJ lIe
pavlicuIavilies oJ lIe oIjecl seens lo Ie a JoundalionaI
pvincipIe oJ undevslanding, vIelIev lIe oIjecl is lIe
nosl vecenl inslaIIalion avl ov lIe oIdesl navIings on
slone. AJlev cIose veading, veading can veIax, and lIeve
ave nan vas lo inlevpvel quicII, lo naIe epilones
and oulIines, lo pavapIvase and aIIveviale, lo scIena-
lize and sunnavize and condense and aIslvacl Iul eacI
one oJ lIen is dependenl on lIe possiIiIil oJ a IogicaII
pviov cIose veading.
WIen veadings ave queslioned Jov lIeiv cIoseness ov
sIoppiness, lIe puvpose is usuaII lo eIicil lIe Iislovians'
covevl agendas and lo sIov Iov lIeov delevnines vIal
and Iov ve see. Bul lIal Iind oJ cvilique Ias nove lo
do vilI a IocaI conslvuclion oJ lIeov and oJ visuaI
slvucluve lIan vilI lIe idea oJ cIoseness ov cIose veading
pev se. Il is possiIIe lo douIl lIal soneone's veading is
as cIose as il nigIl Ie ov lo cIain lIal il is sIeved I
pvejudiced seeing and al lIe sane line nevev Iegin lo
douIl cIose veading ilseIJ. Heve I viII Ie lving lo open
a cvilique oJ cIose veading, valIev lIan lIe puvposes lo
vIicI il is pul. In lIe end I viII avgue lIal in eJJecl
cIose veading does nol exisl, nol Ieasl Iecause an vead-
ing consisls oJ ecIoes oJ vaguev accounls and suppvessed
pvonises oJ even cIosev veadings. TIal vIicI appeavs as
cIose veading in innunevaIIe lexls-incIuding Oinz-
185
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i86 CUBBENT ANTHBOFOLOOY VoIune 37, NunIev 2, ApviI 1996
Iuvg's-is a nonenl oJ inconpIele avaveness, IuiIl on
seIJ-conlvadiclion and lIe vesuvgenl Iope oJ inlinac
vilI lIe oIjecl.
As an exanpIe I laIe lIe vovI oJ lIe avcIaeoIogisl
and avl Iislovian AIexandev MavsIacI, in Iavge pavl Ie-
cause I IeIieve-lIougI I viII nol Ie avguing lIis di-
veclI-lIal MavsIacI's nelIods naIe Iin one oJ lIe
nosl inpovlanl avl Iislovians oJ lIe cenluv, one vIose
vovI desevves lIe allenlion nol onI oJ aII avcIaeoIo-
gisls and avl Iislovians Iul aIso oJ anone invoIved in
lIe pvojecl oJ seeing and inlevpveling as JineI as possi-
IIe |EIIins I993I). MavsIacI's queslions ave especiaII
exenpIav Jov avl Iislovians vIo ave engaged in anaIz-
ing gesluvaI IvusIslvoIes, individuaI navIs, coIov aveas,
Jacluve, and olIev pIenonena lIal ave laIen lo Ie nini-
naI conponenls oJ picloviaI neaning-Iexenes, in lIe
seniolic levn-oul oJ vIicI lIe Iavgev signiJing unils
oJ picluves ave IuiIl. Seniolic avl Iislov in pavlicuIav
needs lo Ie cIeav aIoul lIe pIace vIeve suIseniolic
navIs Ieave oJJ and signs Iegin |EIIins 99g5 a), and I viII
suggesl lIal MavsIacI's anaIses pvess lIal poinl as no
olIevs Iave done. MavsIacI's appvoacI laIes sone in-
lvoducing: aJlev exanining one oJ Iis anaIses, I viII
oulIine lIe Iinds oJ vesponse Ie Ias veceived and sIelcI
lIe veasons Iis vovI exenpIiJies lIe concepluaI inpos-
siIiIil oJ cIose veading.
MavsIacI's Beadings
MavsIacI's accounls oJ navIs on Uppev FaIeoIilIic and
MesoIilIic Iones, sIale, and anIev ave anong lIe nosl
caveJuI anaIses in aII oJ avcIaeoIog as veII as in avl
Iislov and cvilicisn, visuaI lIeov, connoisseuvsIip,
and consevvalion. He IooIs cIoseI, IilevaII vilI a ni-
cvoscope, Iul unIiIe painling consevvalovs Ie aIso IooIs
al evev navI on a suvJace ov avliJacl, and Iis IooIing
does nol cease unliI Ie Ias salisJied IinseIJ lIal Ie Ias
dislinguisIed aII inlenlionaI navIs Jvon uninlenlionaI
ov vandon navIs, ovdeved lIe inlenlionaI navIs in cIvo-
noIogicaI sequence, dislinguisIed diveclions in vIicI
navIs veve nade, noled vIeve looIs veve IiJled Jvon
lIe suvJace and vIeve lIe venained in conlacl, and
delevnined Iov nan looIs ov culling edges veve used
lo naIe lIe navIs. His anaIses ave Iessons in IooIing
JovciIIe palienl allenpls lo see evevlIing, logelIev
vilI a concevled eJJovl lo concIude nolIing lIal cannol
Ie enpivicaII denonslvaled.
MavsIacI's cenlvaI cIain is lIal nan FaIeoIilIic
navIings-even lin ones, al lIe lIvesIoId oJ unaided
vision-ave nolalions vecovding lIe pIases oJ lIe noon.
Il is a IpolIesis lIal nigIl appeav lo Ie veadiI suscep-
liIIe lo vavious counlevcIains, and in Jacl MavsIacI pve-
senls il as a veasoned scienliJic IpolIesis oJ exaclI lIe
Iind lIal sIouId Ie open lo enpivicaI JaIsiJicalion. Yel
lIal genuineI scienliJic allilude Ias gone IavgeI un-
vead, and scIoIavs Iave Ieen nove slvucI I lIe pevsis-
lence vilI vIicI Ie Ias puvsued lIe IpolIesis ovev a
peviod oJ nove lIan 30 eavs. TIe avcIaeoIogisl Benise
ScInandl-Besseval, Jov exanpIe, Ias said lIal Mav-
sIacI's lIeov oJ Iunav vecovds cannol Ie pvoven ov
dispvoven nov can il Ie ignoved |ScInandl-Besseval
1992i6o). TIe avl Iislovian WIilne Bavis dedicaled a
IooI on Iale pveIislovic Egplian avl lo MavsIacI, vIo
Ie sas Ias Ieen asIing queslions lIal I an nol suve
an avcIaeoIog ov avl Iislov couId ansvev |Bavis
1992xvi). AnolIev Iislovian, BonaId Fveziosi, Ias ve-
cenlI used MavsIacI's veseavcI uncvilicaII, as an ex-
anpIe oJ lIe nosl inlevesling Iinds oJ queslions avl Iis-
lov can asI |Fveziosi I989133-42). |Il is cIavaclevislic
lIal lIese posilive assessnenls ave nol acconpanied I
JuvlIev cIose veadings: Fveziosi's accounl, Jov exanpIe,
is devoid oJ lIe delaiI lIal suppovls MavsIacI's concIu-
sions. He caIIs MavsIacI's vovI enIIenalic oJ lIe
poslslvucluvaIisl cvilique oJ vevIocenlvisl slvucluvaI-
isn, Iul Ie onils a discussion oJ lIe delaiIed avgu-
nenls lIal vouId suppovl lIe poinl [Fveziosi I989
141-42, 23i n. 34 and 441. Il is a lpicaI eJJecl oJ
exlveneI cIose veadings lIal lIe pass oulside lIe nov-
naI pvolocoIs oJ veading and ave necessaviI gIossed in
nove genevaI accounls.)
Il vas pvaise IiIe lIis lIal Jivsl allvacled ne lo Mav-
sIacI's vviling, and vIal Iepl n allenlion vas a
slvange dnanic lIal Ias vepealed ilseIJ ovev lIe eavs
as avcIaeoIogisls Iave vaised oIjeclions and MavsIacI
Ias vepIied and gone on lo naIe nev, even nove de-
laiIed anaIses. TIe Iunav IpolIesis oJlen seens pal-
enlI unIiIeI, Iul MavsIacI's delvaclovs seen lo Iave
no puvcIase on Iis nelIods and no povev lo ovevluvn
Iis concIusions. Il seens eas lo sa lIal MavsIacI is
seeing loo nucI and lving, Jov exanpIe, lo inlevpvel
caveIess decovalion ov neaningIess looI-sIavpening
navIs as deIiIevaled caIendvicaI nolalion. Bul vIen
lIese and olIev pvoIIens ave IvougIl up, lIe vesuIl is
aInosl invaviaII lIe sane lIe peopIe vIo oIjecl ave
Ied lo see lIal lIe Iave Ieen opevaling vilI cevlain
pveconceplions aIoul Iov accuvale navIs sIouId Ie, ov
vIal decovalion is, ov Iov il is diJJevenl Jvon nolalion.
WIal appeav lo Ie gIaving nislaIes in MavsIacI's
nelIod luvn oul lo Ie unvesoIved aspecls oJ ouv IaIils
oJ seeing. TIe cvilics ave siIenced, in eJJecl, I unan-
svevaIIe queslions WIal sIouId a FaIeoIilIic inage
IooI IiIe? WIal is decovalion, and Iov does il diJJev
Jvon nolalion? MavsIacI's anaIses, pevIaps nove lIan
an olIevs in lIe Iislov oJ avl, Jovce lIese queslions
inlo lIe open and aIIov us lo Iegin lo see Iov ve see
and vIal ve lIinI inages ave.
In vIal JoIIovs I an going lo do vIal Ias, I lIinI
signiJicanlI, seIdon Ieen done in lIe Iilevaluve up lo
lIis poinl I an going lo naIe a veading oJ one oJ Mav-
sIacI's veadings lIal is cIosev lIan Iis ovn. Since lIe
oviginaI lexl I viII Ie anaIzing is Iess lIan a JuII page
|lIougI il is inlevvupled I iIIuslvalions and occupies
pavls oJ Jouv pages), I viII Ie quoling il in JuII.'
i. TIe Jiguve nunIevs in IvacIels in n quolalions vepIace Jiguve
nunIevs in pavenlIeses in lIe oviginaI lexl: lIe ave nol inlevpo-
Ialed veJevences. I Iave vedvavn lIe Iine dvavings in MavsIacI's
lexl. To avoid conJusion, since I viII Ie ciling lIe lexl in ils en-
livel, I Iave onilled page nunIevs. TIe discussion Iegins on p.
9I |MavsIacI iggiI) and ends on p. 94. MavsIacI's pIologvapIs
Iave Ieen velained Ieve, lIougI lIeiv nunIevs Iave Ieen cIanged.
ELKINS TIe InpossiIiIil oJ CIose Beading I 887
TIe Balon in lIe Musee des
Anliquiles NalionaIes
In TIe Bools oJ CiviIizalion |i972a),
Jvon vIicI lIis
exanpIe is laIen, MavsIacI sels lIe slage Jov eacI nev
oIjecl vilI a IvieJ navvalive. In lIis case Ie Ias jusl
discussed a Iavge Ialon nade oJ Ione, scuIpled inlo a
Jox's Iead al one end, pievced vilI a IoIe, and engvaved
in vovs oJ nolcIes. TIe lexl conlinues
In caIinel nunIev one al lIe Musee des Anliquiles
NalionaIes, nol Jav Jvon lIe Iavge Ialon, Iies a
snaIIev, JvagiIe, Iellev-vovIed Iil oJ Ione, discoIoved
a dead gve vilI line. Il is lIe IandIe oJ a Ialon,
vilI lIe Iead and IoIe IvoIen oJJ, Iul vilI lIe avc
oJ lIe IoIe visiIIe al lIe IveaI. Il loo cones Jvon Le
FIacavd, appavenlI Jvon lIe MagdaIenian IV, and
na Ie a Jev eavs, a Jev Iundved eavs, ov a Jev
lIousand eavs Ialev lIan lIe Ialon vilI lIe Iead oJ
a Jox. Since il is a Jvagnenl, il Ias nol Ieen consid-
eved an inpovlanl Jind. Il is navIed vilI vIal Ias
Ieen lvadilionaII caIIed decovalion in a geonelvic
slIe [Jig. i, lop ].
MavsIacI divecls lIe veadev lo an ovevaII sIol oJ lIe
Jvonl Jace oJ lIe Ione |Jig. i, lop). TIen lIe veadev is
inviled lo nove in on lIe oIjecl and veviev ils navIings
nove allenliveI |Jig. i, Iollon)
TIe Ialon Ias Ieen vovIed lo cveale Jouv JIallened
sides, and on one oJ lIese lIeve is a vaised pIalJovn
on vIicI navIings veve nade. TIe IandIe ilseIJ is
unIvoIen and lIe navIings on il ave conpIele. Il is
possiIIe, lIen, lIal ve Iave aII lIe navIings ovigi-
naII nade.
TIe nexl pavagvapI announces lIe vesuIl oJ nicvoscopic
anaIsis. VivluaII aII oJ MavsIacI's sludies ave done
vilI a nicvoscope: Ie naIes pIolonacvogvapIs and
pIolonicvogvapIs and uses lIen lo IeIp nodiJ and
conpIele lIe noles Ie naIes in lIe pvesence oJ lIe oI-
jecl. TIis pavlicuIav pavagvapI is inlevvupled in a spec-
lacuIav JasIion, since lIe Jivsl senlence does nol con-
cIude on lIis page, and on luvning lIe IeaJ lIe veadev is
conJvonled vilI a JuII-page, navginIess iIIuslvalion oJ a
lin povlion oJ lIe Ione, al a nagniJicalion oJ aIoul 50
lines |Jig. 2). MavsIacI conlinues
Micvoscopic anaIsis oJ lIe nain Jace [Jig. i, Iol-
lon: Jig. 3] veveaIed sels oJ pavaIIeI Iines nade I io
diJJevenl
[engvaving]
poinls, vilI gvoups lIal seen
lo conlain snIoIs and signs.
As a Jivsl slep in lIe nicvoscopic anaIsis MavsIacI dis-
linguisIes sevevaI sevies oJ navIs nade I diJJevenl Iu-
vins
Al one pIace a navI al lIe end oJ a sevies oJ 14
Iines, aII nade I a sIavp, lIin poinl, is cvossed ovev
I anolIev poinl lIal scvalcIed a JIal JIoov vilI lvo
snaII poinls al eacI side 1\v-/) [Jig. 21.
TIe veJevence Ieve is lo lIe JuII-page pIologvapI, vIicI
is enIavged so nucI lIal al Jivsl il is diJJicuIl lo leII lIal
FIO. i. BvoIen Iadlon Jvon Le FIacavd, CIavenle, 7'/2, Musee des Anliquiles NalionaIes. Bepvinled I
pevnission Jvon MavsIacI |I972a9I, Jigs. 2i and 22a), ? AIexandev MavsIacI.
i88 CUBBENT ANTHBOFOLOOY VoIune 37, NunIev 2, ApviI I996
FIO. 2. Ba'lon Jvon
Le FIacavd, delaiI. Bepvinled I
pevnission Jvon MavsIacI
|I97.2a9g2,
Jig. .23),
AIexandev MavsIacI.
lIe navIs sIoping up and lo lIe IeJl ave a singIe
slvoIe
oJ lIe Iuvin, Ieaving
a douIIe Iine and a covvugaled
JIoov. TIe puvpose
oJ lIe Iavge
iIIuslvalion is lo naIe
lIe poinl
lIal diJJevenl engvaving
looIs veve used-a
cvuciaI slep
in lIe avgunenl
lIal lIis is nol decovalion
in a 'geonelvic' slIe.
TIe pavagvapI
conlinues
TIis Ivoad slvoIe Iegins
lIe nexl sevies. Since lIe
Ivoad slvoIe occuvs ovev lIe Jine slvoIe, il nusl
Iave Ieen nade Ialev, and lIe JuII sequence
on lIis
Jace Iegins
al lIe vigIl
and veads lo lIe IeJl, lovavds
lIe IoIe. TIe sequence Iegins
vilI an odd, deIi-
caleI
scvalcIed sign,
visiIIe undev lIe nicvoscope
|see [Jig. 3]).
4
TIe veJevence Ieve is lo el
anolIev delaiI, lIis line oJ
lIe vigIlIand
end oJ lIe Ialon. TIis is lIe pivsl nonenl
AW
FIO. 3. Balon Jvon Le FIacavd, delaiI. Bepvinled I
pevnission Jvon MavsIacI |I972aJig. 22I),
AIexandev MavsIacI.
lIal MavsIacI's veconslvuclions Iave lo Ie laIen Jov
gvanled, since in n cop oJ TIe Bools oJ CiviIizalion
lIe Iesl lIal can Ie discevned Jvon lIe pIologvapI is
sonelIing IiIe lIis
//
TIe navIs ave, Iovevev, vev indeJinile in lIe pIolo-
gvapI. TIe vovd sign does nol appeav in quolalion
navIs lIis line, since lIe conJiguvalion is pvesenled as
lIe odd oIjecl lIal Iegins lIe Jivsl sequence: Iul I
va oJ anlicipaling vIal Ie is aIoul lo do, Ie counls lIe
nine conponenl navIs in lIe odd, deIicaleI scvalcIed
sign
ELKINS TIe InpossiIiIil oJ CIose Beading I i89
Il is conposed oJ 9 slvoIes. TIis is JoIIoved I a
sonevIal cuvved Y oJ 2 slvoIes, nade I anolIev
poinl
Again lIe navginaI picluve in Iis lexl inpIicilI in-
slvucls veadevs aIoul lIe Iinils oJ lIeiv pavlicipalion in
lIe decipIevnenl and aIoul lIe Iinils oJ MavsIacI's
accuvac. TIe Y in MavsIacI's pIologvapI is cIeavI
diJJevenl, sonelIing nove IiIe lIis |Jig. 3)
Al lIis poinl il is appavenl, as il vouId aIvead Iave
Ieen Jov a veadev vIo Iad JoIIoved TIe Bools oJ CiviIi-
zalion up lo lIis poinl, lIal MavsIacI is veIaliveI unin-
levesled in lIe sIape oJ lIe navIs. I sa veIaliveI, since
Ie is concevned vilI sIape insoJav as il aJJecls veIalive
posilion-vIelIev a navI is vigIl ov IeJl oJ anolIev ov
aIove ov IeIov anolIev in ovdev oJ navIing-and Ie is
concevned vilI lIe sIape oJ lIe JIoov oJ lIe navI ilseIJ.
Bul lIe novpIoIog oJ eacI navI is oJ Iess inlevesl, Ie-
cause Ie is nol going lo Ie conpaving conJiguvalions oJ
ovevIapping ov juxlaposed navIs vilI olIev inslances
lIal nigIl vepvesenl lIe sane sign ov snIoI. He
conlinues
TIis is JoIIoved I a sevies oJ I4 slvoIes, nade I
sliII anolIev poinl: lIe Iasl ends vilI 2 snaII ap-
pended slvoIes
\
TIe veguIavil oJ lIe dvaving oJ lIe I 2vevlicaI slvoIes,
as conpaved vilI lIe voIII pvogvess oJ lIe I2 navIs
as lIe appeav in lIe acconpaning pIologvapI, naIes
il cIeav lIal MavsIacI's dvaving pvesenls vIal Ie caIIs
eIsevIeve a scIenalic vendilion valIev lIan an exacl
vendeving. He uses lIe pIvase Jov Iine dvavings lIal en-
pIo diJJevenl snIoIs |sucI as 7 ov ) lo discvininale
Ielveen navIs nade vilI diJJevenl Iuvins, and Ie uses
il in lIe caplions lIal eIucidale Iis pvoposed Iunav se-
quences |MavsIacI iggiI48, I93). TIis Iind oJ Iineav
scIenalizalion is puvposeI novnalive, and il is in-
lended lo naIe an undevIing pallevn visiIIe. WIal il
does in lIis exanpIe is evase vIalevev suIlIelies oJ av-
vangenenl nigIl aIso Iave Ieen neaningJuI in Javov oJ
a nove ov Iess veguIav pavade oJ equaI navIs. Heve, nove
cIeavI lIan IeJove, lIe JovnaI quaIilies oJ lIe Ialon ave
Ieing veginenled in Javov oJ lIe nolalionaI IpolIesis.
TIe nexl sevies, nade I anolIev poinl, Ias i ap-
pended slvoIe al lIe end. TIe JuII sequence on lIis
Jace, vilI lIe counls I cIanges and diJJevences oJ
poinl, is sIovn in [Jig 4, lop]. Al lIe end oJ lIe se-
vies lIeve ave io slvoIes nade I lvo poinls, in a 5
and 5 IveaIdovn. TIen, as lIougI lIis JiIIs oul aII
lIe avaiIaIIe nolalionaI space on lIis side oJ lIe Ia-
lon, ovev lIis, and Ielveen lIe Iasl 5 Iong slvoIes,
lIeve ave added io IigIl slvoIes.
TIese Iasl io slvoIes pIace JuvlIev veslviclions on lIe
veadev's pavlicipalion in lIe anaIsis, since a IooI al
Jiguve i, lop, sIovs sonelIing enliveI diJJevenl. I
vouId give il appvoxinaleI IiIe lIis
TIe nosl inpovlanl diJJevence is lIal lIe lvo Jainl pav-
aIIeI Iines in MavsIacI's dvaving |Jig. 4) seen cIeavI lo
Ie conlinued upvavd lIvougI lIe 7 lIal Ie dvavs aIove
lIen, and lIeve is a paiv oJ vev siniIav navIs a IillIe
lo lIe vigIl lIal Ie neavI onils aIlogelIev. Fvon lIe
pIologvapI il seens ivveJulaIIe lIal lIese lvo sels oJ
pavaIIeI navIs ave nade I singIe slvoIes and lIeiv ap-
pavenl douIIeness is neveI lIe douIIe JIoov cvealed I
lIe Iuvin lIal nade lIe navIs in lIe niddIe povlion oJ
lIe Ialon. SevevaI dozen olIev navIs can Ie discevned
in lIe pIologvapI, aII oJ lIen Jugilive and dependenl
on lIe quaIil oJ vepvoduclion in lIe IooI: Iul lIe sels
oJ pavaIIeI Iines seen lo Ie as dependaIIe as an Jovn
lIal Ie vepvoduces in Iis sIelcI.
So again, in lIis case Jov lIe Iasl line, lIe veadev is
vavned ava Jvon loo cIose a vieving ov loo cIose a
veading oJ MavsIacI's lexl. Il luvns oul lIal lIis Iasl
discvepanc is lIe nosl inpovlanl
AII lIe navIs on lIis Jace ave inlenlionaI. Il is oIvi-
ous lIal lIis odd sequence oJ Jiguves, counls, and
gvoups is nol ovnanenlaI ov decovalive, and lIal il is
nolalionaI.
I90
I CUBBENT ANTHBOFOLOOY VoIune 37, NunIev 2, ApviI I996
000 B
o a B
o 0
_
B
0
*00 B
10 5 5 8
8 14 2 4 -
5
28
31
FIO. 4. Balon Jvon Le FIacavd, scIenalic diagvan and covveIalion vilI a Iunav caIendav.
Bepvinled I
pevnission Jvon MavsIacI |I972a93, Jigs. 24, 25),
? AIexandev MavsIacI.
Heve as eIsevIeve in TIe Bools oJ CiviIizalion, lIe ov-
nanenlaI and decovalive ave disjoined Jvon lIe no-
lalionaI nolIing can Ie IolI decovalive and nola-
lionaI. Becovalion is inagined as an aclivil vilI ils
ovn agenda and vuIes lIal ave inconpaliIIe vilI nola-
lion. TIe vovd inlenlionaI Ias a pavlicuIav vaIence in
MavsIacI's vviling, since Ie does nol onI nean il in a
vigovous pIiIosopIic sense |as a navI inlevpveled lo Iave
Ieen nade vilI conscious puvpose). He aIso neans
sonelIing IiIe caveJuI, since pvesunaII a decovalive
lvealnenl oJ lIis Ialon vouId Iave sIovn evidence oJ
Ieing nove sIoppiI and quicII done, vilI one Iuvin,
al one line. Again lIe slalus oJ lIe signs, Jiguves,
and snIoIs is in douIl, since lIeve is an inpIicalion
lIal lIe Iind oJ cave lIal venl inlo naIing lIis nolalion
is pavlI evidenced I lIe signs: Iul MavsIacI is
aIoul lo ignove lIe signs in Javov oJ neveI counling
lIeiv conponenl navIs
Is il Iunav? Assuning one slvoIe pev da, ve Ia lIe
sequence againsl ouv Iunav nodeI [Jig. 4, niddIe and
Iollon].
TIe Iunav nodeI is lIe sane lIvougIoul TIe Bools
oJ CiviIizalion, and il sIovs lIe noon's pIases aIong
vilI a possiIIe counl oJ lIe das Ielveen lIen. BenealI
il MavsIacI pIaces Iis scIenalic vendilion oJ lIe navIs
on lIe Ialon. TIe assunplion lIal one slvoIe equaIs
one da is consislenl lIvougIoul lIe IooI and nevev
deJended as anlIing nove lIan a vovIing IpolIesis.
In ovdev lo anaIze lIe nolalion, MavsIacI dissecls IolI
signs inlo conponenl navIs, one Jov eacI nigIl's ap-
peavance oJ lIe noon. He lIen concIudes
TIis is an aIsoIuleI pevJecl laII Jov 2 nonlIs, Ie-
ginning al Iasl cvescenl and ending on lIe Jivsl da
oJ invisiIiIil 58 das Ialev.
We seen lo Iave in lIis sevies a deveIopnenl oJ
nolalionaI lecInique-vecaIIing lIe accunuIalion oJ
cueing navIs oJ lIe Tai pIaque [Jig. 51-in vIicI
lIe seening signs ov nuIlipIe navIs, nade I ap-
pended slvoIes oJ avns and gvoups oJ angIes, ave
used lo indicale poinls oJ cIange in Iunav pIase.
Hov ave lIe used? TIe Iunav nodeI veveaIs lIal on
lIe da oJ an expecled Iunav oIsevvalion avound a
pIase poinl a snaII slvoIe is used, as lIougI an oI-
sevvalion oJ lIe noon vas inpossiIIe on lIal da
and lIe slvoIe vepvesenled a da oJ vailing. On lIe
nexl cIeav da oJ oIsevvalion lIe nev sevies Iegins
vilI a diJJevenl slvoIing. Inlevesling aIso is lIe indi-
calion oJ a nolalionaI signiJicance Jov lIe quavlev
noon, and lIe visiIIe IaIJ-noon. None oJ lIis is diJ-
JicuIl lo undevsland. Il is once nove a visuaI nola-
lionaI lecInique. Il is non-avilInelicaI and il is cu-
nuIalive. BenenIev aIso lIal lIe Ialon vas
engvaved sone 5,000 eavs IeJove agvicuIluve Jov-
naII Iegan in lIe FevliIe Cvescenl oJ lIe MiddIe
Easl and sone io,ooo eavs IeJove lIe JovnaI Iegin-
ning oJ vviling.
ELKINS TIe InpossiIiIil oJ CIose Beading I
g9I
--
7[4eF g45 ov-& JYi1 lz'4 ) -/-i
l
I ,4 |
7- ) Ml
,
I-7
`Sl:
p
.-##1Z
I1.iZJIZI4))E
FAW)4441 I-5
&B-
2I
-/g i n i __ ':___n,*O, S 1z,0 1, ! lII,Il II.v *4u lI.l.\ l IU IJ l .L &/4 JJI I lZ- l vIl J
v)p1v|LTLLI:O L#42II. 11 1 l l-:
)I 1 )1 l .L 1 . I, & '.l.lI I '' 4 L 1-L M L LU I i
FIO. 5. Engvaved Jvagnenl oJ a viI Jvon lIe Ovolle du Tai: scIenalic diagvan. Bepvinled I pevnission Jvon
MavsIacI |iggia3I, Jig. 5), ? AIexandev MavsIacI.
TIe accounl oJ lIe Ialon vinds lo a cIose vilI an invo-
calion oJ lvo JuvlIev engvaved sequences, on lIe IacI
and on one side
On lIe vevevse Jace oJ lIis Ialon, scvalcIed so
JainlI lIal even vIen IeId in Iand nosl oJ lIe
navIings ave invisiIIe, el cIeav undev lIe nicvo-
scope, is anolIev unusuaI conposilion [Jig. 61. Once
nove lIeve is cevlainl oJ nolalion, appavenlI Jov
lvo Iunav nonlIs. TIe Iines, Iovevev, ave so JainlI
scvalcIed lIal a IaIIislic delevninalion oJ poinl diJ-
Jevences is diJJicuIl, and sone exceedingI Jainl Iines
ave diJJicuIl lo pvove.
TIis MagdaIenian IV Ialon veveaIs a JuvlIev slage
in lIe deveIopnenl oJ lIe nolalionaI lecInique and
a possiIIe deveIopnenl in lIe ease and pvecision oJ
Iunav oIsevvalion and use.
A lIivd slIe oJ navIing, a deveIopnenl oJ lIal
slIe oJ pavaIIeI slvoIing ovevengvaved lo naIe a
cvossIalcIing, occuvs aIong one side oJ lIis Ialon. Il,
loo, gives a sun Jov lvo nonlIs.
TIe anaIsis ends in lIis va, vilI lIe puzzIing un-
usuaI conposilion given a Iunav pIvasing oJ 27 30
das, and MavsIacI noves on lo lIe nexl exanpIe.
Coning lo Tevns vilI lIe Lunav TIeov
As MavsIacI IinseIJ Ias noled on sevevaI occasions, a
Jivsl encounlev vilI lIe Iunav lIeov can Ieave veadevs
incveduIous. I vanl lo lv lo capluve sone oJ lIal in
ovdev lo exIiIil lIe unexpecled dnanic lIal Ieads Jvon
lIe veadev's cevlainl lIal MavsIacI is vvong lo a nag-
ging uncevlainl aIoul lIe acl oJ inlevpvelalion ilseIJ. Il
is lIis nolion, I lIinI, lIal accounls Jov lIe idea lIal
MavsIacI is unansvevaIIe ov lIal Ie cannol Ie dis-
pvoved. EacI oJ lIe inpovlanl diJJicuIlies vilI Iis lIe-
ov can Ie vvillen as a pvoIIen oJ dislinguisIing anong
lIe noIiIe Iexicon oJ lIe vudinenls oJ visuaI inages
navIs, icons, signs, scIenala, nolalions, snIoIs, and
vepvesenlalions. Ovev lIe couvse oJ Iis caveev MavsIacI
Ias expIoved eacI oJ lIese |MavsIacI I976, I977, I979a,
I991C: KoIIin'sIi and KoIIin'sIa I979: Ounn I979:
EIIins
igg5I),
and lIe conlinue lo Ie acliveI dis-
cussed in lIe JieId oJ FaIeoIilIic avcIaeoIog: in lIis
conlexl I viII nenlion jusl lIvee.
i. TIe pvoIIen oJ signs. An iniliaI diJJicuIl, veII ex-
enpIiJied in lIe anaIsis oJ lIe Le FIacavd Ialon, is lIal
lIe signs and snIoIs Iave no voIe in lIe JinaI Iu-
nav laII inslead lIe ave picIed apavl inlo individuaI
ll l
27 30
FIO. 6. Balon Jvon Le FIacavd, scIenalic diagvan oJ IacI. Bepvinled I pevnission Jvon MavsIacI |I972a94),
I92 CUBBENT ANTHBOFOLOOY VoIune 37, NunIev 2, ApviI I996
navIs, and eacI navI is nade equaI lo eacI olIev navI.
Al Jivsl lIal seens palenlI vvong WI vouId a pevson
avvange navIs Jov appeavances oJ lIe noon |ov Jov an
olIev pIenonenon) inlo a caveJuII nade, appavenlI in-
lenlionaI conJiguvalion iJ aII lIal vas inlended vas a
sequence oJ equaI navIs? Il does nol naIe sense, on lIe
Jace oJ il, lo pvopose lIal lIe neaning oJ lIe FIacavd
Ialon is a sevies oJ singIe navIs vIen il consisls oJ coI-
Iecled and avvanged signs oJ vavious lpes. TIe veason-
ing seens no nove deJensiIIe lIan iJ MavsIacI Iad
laIen apavl a pvinl I AIIvecIl Buvev inlo ils individuaI
Iines.
TIe appavenl lIougIlIessness oJ lIe anaIsis onI
seens vovse vIen ve considev vIal MavsIacI nigIl
vepI. A veadev oJ TIe Bools oJ CiviIizalion, Jov exanpIe,
nigIl expecl Iin lo sa lIal Ie is neveI JoIIoving
good scienliJic pvoceduve and laIing one IpolIesis as
Jav as il viII go. MavsIacI IinseIJ poinls oul lIe signs
and lIeiv avvangenenls-lIe Jivsl is caIIed an odd, deIi-
caleI scvalcIed sign-IeJove Ie goes on vilI an anaI-
sis lIal does nol laIe lIen inlo accounl. TIe pvoIIen
Ieve, iJ ve ave lo judge I lIe cvilevia oJ a scienliJic
IpolIesis, is nol lIal Ie cIooses lo ignove lIe signs,
Iecause no scienliJic nodeI need accounl Jov aII pIe-
nonena pvesenled I ils sanpIe-no cIose veading nusl
Ie exIauslive. TIe signs Iave no neaning in lIe Iunav
scIena, since IolI signs al lIe vigIl oJ lIe Ialon JaII
in lIe conlinuous peviod Ielveen lIe nev noon and
lIe Jivsl quavlev. TIe na Ie neaningIess, ov lIe na
Iave olIev neanings: MavsIacI couId cIain vilI pev-
Jecl veason lIal lIe ave nol innedialeI undev consid-
evalion.
Bul lIal does nol jusliJ lIe va Ie excIudes lIe
signs. MavsIacI laIes nole oJ lIe veIalive posilions
oJ navIs in lvo pavlicuIav senses Ie vecovds Iov lIe
cvoss ovev ov undev one anolIev, and Ie is inlevesled in
lIe sequence oJ navIs, in lIis case Jvon lIe IandIe oJ
lIe Ialon lo ils vovIing end. As sevevaI veadevs Iave
poinled oul, Ie does nol considev veIalive posilions oJ
navIs in an olIev sense-sa, lIeiv conJiguvalion vIen
lIe conpvise a sign, ov lIeiv dislances Jvon one an-
olIev in a slvaigIl-Iine sequence |Levis-WiIIians and
Bovson i98948). TIe signs ave vead as coIIeclions oJ
individuaI navIs nade Jvon vigIl lo IeJl. Bul posilion-
aIil is vIal deJines lIe sIapes oJ lIe signs, and so il
does nol seen IogicaII suJJicienl lo disassenIIe lIen
inlo lIeiv conponenl segnenls vilIoul jusliJicalion. In
addilion, MavsIacI does sonelines inlevpvel posilion
in a videv sense. He noles lIe appended slvoIes oJ avns
and gvoups oJ angIes oJ sone navIs and sIovs Iov
lIe Jil lIe Iunav sequence. A snaII slvoIe, Ie sug-
gesls, is used on lIe da oJ an unexpecled Iunav oIsev-
valion avound a pIase poinl. TIese oIsevvalions Iave
lo do vilI lIe IeigIl, Jainlness, and spaliaI posilions oJ
navIs. WI do lIe nallev in lIese inslances and nol
in lIe case oJ lIe signs?
Al lIis poinl il na seen lIal a cvilic vouId Iave a
Jivn puvcIase on lIe anaIsis, IolI Iecause navIs ave
deJined so oddI |in vegavd lo sone posilions and ignov-
ing olIevs) and aIso Iecause lIe deJinilion seens seIJ-
conlvadiclov |since il vaviaII excIudes and incIudes
spaliaI cvilevia sucI as size). IJ size and deplI and ovevIap
oJ navI can nallev, lIen vI nol aIso navIs lIal jusl
loucI, as in lIe signs? Bul lIeve ave deepev pvoIIens
lIal slaII lIis Iind oJ oIjeclion. MavsIacI can appeaI lo
lIe speciJicil oJ lIe avliJacl vIo is lo sa lIe navIs
veve nol nade in a va lIal enlaiIs exaclI lIis deJini-
lion oJ posilion? AJlev aII, ve ave consideving a peviod
IeJove vviling and IeJove signs: pevIaps lIe conJiguva-
lions oJ navIs veve neaningIess lo lIeiv naIevs in pve-
ciseI lIese vas |WIile I982). EvevlIing is vecenl, and
nolIing is nalive, vIeve FaIeoIilIic avliJacls ave con-
cevned lIeve is no cuIluvaI IinI, no sIaved lvadilion oJ
neaning ov navIing. An inlvaclaIIe apovia is pvoduced
I lIe acl oJ idenliJing and lIen decIining lo vead
signs, since il nusl uIlinaleI Iead us lo queslion
lIe dislinclion Ielveen sign and navI, posilion-as-
sequence and posilion-as-conJiguvalion.
Il is aIso lIe case lIal MavsIacI does inlevpvel
signs and olIev sels oJ nonnolalionaI navIs in olIev
nolalionaI conlexls. His Iongesl anaIsis-and one oJ
lIe nosl inlense and ninule accounls oJ lIe seniolic
eIenenls oJ an visuaI oIjecl-concevns a 4-incI Ione
Jvagnenl Jvon lIe Ovolle du Tai scoved vilI Iundveds
oJ lin nicIs and gvooves |Jig. 5). On lIal avliJacl Mav-
sIacI Jinds nolalionaI navIs-lIal is, lIe IillIe IalcIes
lIal appeav Ieve as vevlicaI Iines-and IovizonlaI con-
laining Iines lIal sevve lo ancIov lIe individuaI navIs.
Bul Ie aIso nenlions 'non-nolalionaI' diveclionaI cue-
ing navIs lIal IeIp deJine lIe diveclion and 'JIov'
oJ lIe nolalion |lIe snaII enpl Ioxes al lIe exlvene
Iovev vigIl), an inilialing, 'non-nolalionaI' snIoIic
noliJ, pevIaps vepvesenling JIov and nolion, aIong
lIe uppev navgin, and exceedingI Jine engvaved 'Iaiv'
Iines lIal seen lo navI lIe veIevance oJ a da ov pe-
viod, Iul ave dislincl Jvon lIe sequenliaI accunuIalion
oJ da unils |MavsIacI IggIa28, 33, 47, 5o, 6o).
AnaIlicaII, lIe nosl inlevesling nonenls in lIe ac-
counl oJ lIe Tai pIaque concevn lIvee JuvlIev nonnola-
lionaI Jovns in lIe oIjecl's uppev-IeJl covnev, eacI one
nicvoscopic. TIe Jivsl is a lin IovizonlaI conlaining
Iine vilI 5 navIs. In Jiguve 7 il can Ie Jound lo lIe
vigIl oJ lIe Iellev B and jusl inside lIe encIosuve oJ
Ieav IIacI Iines. AnolIev is a lin sIovl sequence oJ
8 lo I2 slvoIes Ielveen pavaIIeI Iines |a 'Iaddev'), visiIIe
innedialeI lo lIe vigIl oJ lIe lin IovizonlaI con-
laining Iine. BolI oJ lIese, and especiaII lIe Jivsl,
vouId Ie diJJicuIl lo dislinguisI Jvon lIe pIaque's olIev
conlaining Iines and nolalionaI navIs, Iul MavsIacI
sas lIe veve cIeavI nol pavl oJ lIe cenlvaI nolalion
|MavsIacI iggia47).
In lIe Jav uppev-IeJl covnev, aIove
lIe Iellev A, is a ninuscuIe vecliIineav neandev Jovn
vilI six navIs inside and lIvee nove allacIed lo one
covnev-a conJiguvalion siniIav lo lIe signs lIal Mav-
sIacI decIined lo inlevpvel and delevnined lo counl in
lIe FIacavd Ialon. Heve lIe conJiguvalion is lvealed as a
Jovn lIal na Iave posilionaI veIevance Iul is
again nol inlegvaI lo lIe nolalion and lIeveJove need nol
Ie counled. Bul vI nol? Because il is so nucI snaIIev
lIan lIe olIev navIs? Bul iJ so, lIen vIal delevnines
ELKINS TIe InpossiIiIil oJ CIose Beading I
I93
=
=B4
4J
_
B
O .
T, A--A i1,v iiv
I C
FIO. 7. BelaiI oJ lIe exlvene
uppev-IeJl covnev oJ
lIe viI
Jvagnenl Jvon
lIe Ovolle du
Tai:
scIenalic
diagvan.
Bepvinled I pevnission Jvon
MavsIacI
|i99ia46, Jig. I7),
lIe lIvesIoId oJ size Ieond vIicI a navI is no Iongev
pavl oJ a nolalionaI sequence? TIe neandev sIape is aIso
indislinguisIaII siniIav lo lIe 'non-nolalionaI' divec-
lion cueing navIs al lIe Iovev vigIl oJ lIe avliJacl, and
lIe nolalionaI navIs oJlen niss lIeiv conlaining Iines
as lIese navIs do. B vIal cvilevion is lIis nol pavl oJ
lIe sequence?
BeJove I dvav a concIusion Jvon lIese queslions, il is
vovlI noling lIal lIe ansvev cannol Ie IislovicaI. Il is
nol suJJicienl lo avgue lIal signs oJ lIe lpe on lIe
Ialon ave nol IiIeI lo Iave neaning unliI lIe NeoIilIic,
Iecause al sone poinl avliJacls oJ lIe sane age as lIe
Ialon viII Iave Iad lo Iave Ieen anaIzed and Jound
deJicienl in signs. ConvevseI, vIen vepvesenlalionaI
signs occuv, Jov exanpIe, lIe pIanl ov avvov signs al
Lascaux, lIeiv inlevpvelalion depends on assunplions
aIoul lIe inlevnaI vuIes oJ sucI inages.
MavsIacI oJJevs onI a quicI IooI al lIe IacI oJ lIe
FIacavd Ialon, Iul iJ ve Iingev ve na Iegin lo see lIe
vev signs and picluves lIal pIa sucI a Iavge voIe
Ialev in TIe Bools oJ CiviIizalion, vIeve lIe ave inlev-
pveled as seasonaI, line-Jacloved inages oJ pIanls.
TIe IillIe sign lIal IooIs IiIe a Iivd's Jool on lIe IacI
oJ lIe Ialon is quile siniIav lo a sign al Lascaux lIal
MavsIacI veads as a sinpIiJied IvancI, in opposilion
lo Levoi-OouvIan's inlevpvelalion oJ il as a scIenalic
Jeninine vuIva sign ov lIe AIIe BveuiI's veading oJ il
as an avvov |MavsIacI I972a223-24)
MeaningIess
BvancI in
sign
on lIeBvnIi
FIacavd Ialon
Lascaux
Tvo conJiguvalions on lIe Ialon lIal IooI IiIe slaIIs
|sevenlI and ninlI Jvon lIe IeJl) ave vivluaII idenlicaI
lo signs MavsIacI caIIs pIanls and spvouls in a Ialev
cIaplev |MavsIacI I972aI72, 2I6)
MeaningIess FIanl on a
conJiguvalions on Ialon Jvon Cuelo
lIe FIacavd Ialon de Ia Mina
I94
1
CUBBENT ANTHBOFOLOOY VoIune 37, NunIev 2, ApviI 1996
MavsIacI considevs lIe pvoIIens oJ siniIav signs vIen
il cones lo Lascaux, since in lIal conlexl Ie vanls lo
sIov lIal pIanl signs on noIiIiav avliJacls nigIl Ie
cIose enougI lo sone signs al Lascaux lo inpI lIal
lIe sIouId Ie veinlevpveled as pIanls |MavsIacI
Ig97Ia
224). He does nol veason lIal va aIoul lIe FIacavd
Ialon Iecause il is loo eavI, Iul lIal does nol expIain
vI il is inappvopviale lo considev sucI possiIiIilies in
an anaIsis lIal pvesenls ilseIJ as inlevnaI lo lIe oIjecl
|MavsIacI I979I303).
To veluvn lo lIe queslions aIoul vIen signs sIouId
Ie vead once again-and I an onI laIing isoIaled ex-
anpIes Jvon a Jav Iavgev JieId oJ possiIIe issues-lIe oI-
jeclion aIoul lIe slalus oJ signs on lIe Tai pIaque
seens cogenl, Iul il can onI succeed in vaising lIe issue
oJ assunplions. TIe lin IovizonlaI conlaining Iine
vilI 5 navIs al lIe uppev IeJl oJ lIe Tai avliJacl is
nol vead as nolalion, vIiIe lIe nine Iines oJ lIe odd,
deIicaleI scvalcIed sign al lIe vigIl oJ lIe FIacavd Ia-
lon ave vead as nolalion. EacI veading devoIves Jvon diJ-
Jevenl assunplions aIoul lIe possiIIe veIalions oJ signs
lo individuaI navIs. Bul vIal delevnines vIen navIs
ave execuled diJJevenlI ov na vepvesenl a diJJevenl
calegov oJ navIing-as Ie sas in anolIev conlexl,
jusliJing lIe nonnolalionaI cIavaclev oJ a sel oJ navIs
-and lIeveJove vequive a diJJeving inlevpvelalion |Mav-
sIacI IggIa59)? CevlainI lIe veIalion oJ one navI lo
olIevs is essenliaI in an assessnenl, Iul Iov is il possi-
IIe lo delevnine vIen lIe posilion vilIin lIe Jvane
is diJJevenl enougI lo cvoss lIe Iovdev Ielveen navI
and sign? IJ lIe snaII veclangIe al lIe Jav uppev-IeJl oJ
lIe Tai pIaque veve sIigIlI Iavgev, ov iJ ils navIs veve
cIosev lo lIeiv Jvane, vouId il Ie six ov nine nolalionaI
navIs inslead oJ a singIe Jovn? An and aII oIjeclions
oJ lIis Iind, vIicI ave lIe onI oIjeclions lIal ave co-
genl vilIin lIe levns oJ lIe lexl, nusl appeav as vivaI
IpolIeses, and in lIal capacil lIe veluvn lo lIe ques-
lionev in lIe Jovn oJ counlevqueslions aIoul lIe veadev's
axions concevning lIe naluve, veIalion, and disposilion
oJ signs and navIs.
2. TIe pvoIIen oJ nolalion. TIe Iunav sequences Iave
IolIeved veadevs oJ TIe Bools oJ CiviIizalion a IillIe
eacI line lIe ave sIovn, Iecause lIe Jil and lIe pvinci-
pIes oJ covvespondence Ielveen navIs and nodeI diJJev
vilI eacI succeeding exanpIe. AIsoIule accuvac is in-
possiIIe and lIeveJove neaningIess, Iecause as Mav-
sIacI indicales lIe Iunav ccIe does nol Jaclov evenI
inlo das, and neasuvenenl vilIoul inslvunenls is aI-
vas a nallev oJ guessvovI-lIe cvescenl noon cannol
even Ie seen eavIiev lIan i
5
Iouvs aJlev il is nev, and
lIeve is a covvesponding pvoIIen judging lIe Iouv oJ
JuIIness |Minnaevl I954). Bul lIe aIsence oJ an aIsoIule
slandavd does nol nean lIal veIalive accuvac cannol Ie
neasuved ov lIal lIe pvincipIes oJ posiled covvespon-
dence cannol Ie conpaved.
Besponding lo MavsIacI's anaIses, AvnoId B. FiIIing
Ias oIjecled lIal MavsIacI Iad JaiIed lo pvovide evi-
dence lIal an lvo oIjecls Iave on lIen lIe sane
nolalionaI sslen |FiIIing I972: Lillauev I974328). Ev-
ev caIendav is lIe sane, and aII aslvononevs agvee on
lIe noon's pIases: Ience il seens inpvoIaIIe lIal a
conlinenlvide sslen oJ nolalion vouId nol sIov
nove seIJ-consislenc |Fv I972). TIe assunplion Ieve
is lIal nolalion oJ a singIe pIenonenon invoIves de-
leclaII uniJovn vepvesenlalion. Bul lIal is ouv ovn no-
lion oJ nolalion, and il need nol Jil lIe FaIeoIilIic one.
In vIal sense ave lIe Iunav pIases a singIe pIenonenon,
aside Jvon ouv cevlainl lIal lIe ave? To sone veadevs,
MavsIacI's anaIses seen lo Ie nalIenalicaII inde-
JensiIIe since Ie accepls so nan sequences as Iunav
ccIes |Levis-WiIIians and Bovson I98949). B nod-
evn slandavds oJ evidence, Ie is pIaing vilI nunevoIog-
icaI coincidences valIev lIan vequiving delevninale
vanges oJ Jil-lIeve is no nenlion oJ lIe usuaI scienliJic
cvilevia Jov pvoIaIiIislic nalcIing, sucI as conIined
sslenalic and slalislicaI evvov, quanliJied novnalive
nodeIs, ov slandavd devialions. In levns oJ scienliJic
nelIod, lIeve ave oJlen nove navIs in a given avliJacl
lIal do nol covvespond lo neaningJuI pIase cIanges
lIan navIs lIal do and nove inconsislencies lIan pavaI-
IeIs. SlalislicaII speaIing, MavsIacI's IpolIeses Jov
oIjecls sucI as lIe FIacavd Ialon ave a Iad Jil. Inlevnil-
lenlI lIvougIoul TIe Bools oJ CiviIizalion MavsIacI
sas lIal Ie lvied nan diJJevenl covveIalions and picIed
lIe Iesl one, Iul lIe veadev is IeJl vilI lIe inpvession
lIal olIevs nigIl Ie as good. In genevaI, Ie cIains lo
Iave done a gveal deaI oJ enpivicaI lesling, vIicI Ie Ias
consislenlI nol vepovled in Iis lexls. TIeve can Ie no
douIl lIal Ie does pevJovn sucI lesls. In one passage,
Jov exanpIe, a coIIeague nenlions nalIenalicaI, sla-
lislicaI, gvapIic, and sequenliaI anaIsis oJ lIe vesuIls
oJ ... nicvoscopic sludies |Movius I972). SliII, in scien-
liJic levns lIese ave sevious, even cvippIing onissions.
MavsIacI's pvincipaI allenpl lo vedvess lIal again onils
lIe discavded IpolIeses and accounls oJ nelIodoIog
lIal ave slandavd in IaIovalov veseavcI |MavsIacI i99ia).
Tesls can Ie lvied, vilIin a vange oJ possiIiIilies, I
anone inlevesled, Ie venavIs al one poinl |MavsIacI
I972a86). TIal is nol enliveI an inlevesling pvospecl,
since iJ I veve lo lv lo venalcI lIe Iunav sequence I
vouId Ie ve-pvoving Iis IpolIesis. An venalcI vouId
Ie anolIev inslance oJ lIe sane lIeov. TIeve is no va
lo dispvove lIe lIeov I adjusling lIe Iunav sequence,
and so lIe posilioning cones lo seen sonevIal avIi-
lvav. A veadev oJ TIe Bools oJ CiviIizalion viII lend, I
lIinI, lo Jind eacI sequence aIoul as pIausiIIe as evev
olIev-a scienliJicaII unlenaIIe silualion.
Bul lo aII lIese queslions MavsIacI couId vespond I
asIing vIal nodeI, and vIal cvilevia, nigIl Ie pveJevved
in anaIzing nolalions lIal ave pveavilInelicaI lIe sup-
posilion is lIal lIe veve nade IeJove lIeve vas sucI a
lIing as counling |see MavsIacI I974I265: I985:
i988I). Willgenslein lIougIl oJ lIis pvoIIen, I lIinI
covveclI, as an inslance oJ lIe nove genevaI queslion oJ
undevslanding vIen soneone is JoIIoving a vuIe. Al one
poinl in BenavIs on lIe Foundalion oJ MalIenalics,
Ie even inagines a cave-nan vIo naIes suvpvisingI
ovdeved navIs Jov no cIeav veason |I983344)
ELKINS TIe InpossiIiIil oJ CIose Beading
I
I95
TIeve nigIl Ie a cave-nan vIo pvoduced veguIav se-
quences oJ navIs Jov IinseIJ. He anused IinseIJ,
e.g., I dvaving on lIe vaII oJ lIe cave
ov
Bul Ie is nol JoIIoving lIe genevaI expvession oJ a
vuIe. And vIen ve sa lIal Ie acls in a veguIav va
lIal is nol Iecause ve can Jovn sucI and [sucI an]
expvession.
Fov lIe pvesenl puvposes, il is saJe lo ignove lIe pIvase
Ie anused IinseIJ, since Willgenslein pvoIaII
neanl il as a venindev lIal lIe cave-nan's inlenlions
and Ianguage ave inaccessiIIe. Willgenslein aIso inag-
ines a lIvusI lIal aIvas vepeals lIe sane pIvase sev-
evaI lines in a song. Ave ve lo concIude lIal pevIaps
il gives ilseIJ a vuIe eacI line, and lIen JoIIovs lIe
vuIe? |Willgenslein I983345). TIe slovies go lo sIov
lIal veguIav aclions need nol JoIIov veguIav vuIes and
lIal pvivale anusenenls do nol Iave vuIes in lIe ovdi-
nav sense. In lIe case oJ acluaI FaIeoIilIic nolalions,
lIeve is no nalIenalicaI slandavd avaiIaIIe lo use as a
cvilevion oJ adequac, since navIs give no evidence oJ
lIe navIev's conceplion oJ Iunav pIases-ov, lo sa il a
IillIe Iess exaclI, lIe navIs ave lIe navIev's concep-
lion oJ nolalion. SIouId an nolalion Ie uniJovn, iJ no-
lalion ilseIJ vas in ils inJanc? SIouId an Jil Ie opli-
naI, iJ lIe idea oJ vepvesenlalion ilseIJ vas sliII
incIoale?
In lIis va cogenl oIjeclions aIoul MavsIacI's IacI
oJ slalislicaI vigov gel luvned inlo queslions aIoul lIe
univevsaIil oJ quanliJicalion, nunevalion, and vigov il-
seIJ. TIeve Iave aIso Ieen oIjeclions lo MavsIacI's veIi-
ance on lin navIs, al lIe lIvesIoId oJ invisiIiIil |Lil-
lauev I974328). Bul vI assune lIal lIe nolalions
veve veJevved lo Ialev, ov lIal lIe couId Ie vead? FevIaps
lIese nolalions veve IinaeslIelic lIeiv neaning, as ve
vouId pul il, vas in lIeiv naIing. In lIal case an size
lIal lIe Iuvin couId scvalcI vouId counl-and as a cov-
oIIav, lIe engvavev nigIl Ie indiJJevenl lo lIe size oJ
lIe navIs vilIin lIe Iinils oJ lIe vegislev Iines ov lIe
avaiIaIIe suvJace. Ouv lIougIls aIoul cIavil and IegiIiI-
il-concepls lIal Ioon Iavge in cuvvenl lexls on gvapIic
connunicalion-depend on lIe nolion oJ nolalion as
sonelIing lIal can Ie eJJicienlI vead Iul vI assune
il sIouId Ie vead al aII?
MavsIacI is enpIalic aIoul lIe diJJevence Ielveen
Iis cIain lo Iave Jound nolalion and Iis IpolIesis oJ
lIe Iunav caIendav OJ lIe Iundveds oJ incised slones
lIvougIoul Euvope lIal I Iave sludied in lIe Iasl quavlev
oJ a cenluv . . . nol one Ias pvovided evidence Jov a
Iineav, sequenliaI 'Iunav' nolalion |MavsIacI I989). IJ
lIe cIain and lIe IpolIesis ave Iepl sepavale, lIen lIe
inadequac oJ scienliJic oIjeclions lo lIe Iunav caIendav
Iecones nove oIvious. TIe Iunav caIendav is suscepli-
IIe lo a nunIev oJ cviliques aIoul nelIodoIog and JaI-
siJicalion, Iul eacI oJ lIen Ias lo appeaI lo a pviov sense
oJ nolalion. And vIal do ve Inov aIoul nolalion lIal
nigIl sevve as a Iasis lo avgue againsl MavsIacI? Undev
vIal civcunslances, vilI vIal evidence and vIal vuIes
oJ inlevpvelalion, can ve cvilique Iis assunplions?
3. TIe pvoIIen oJ decovalion. IJ decovalion couId
Ie Iepl in quolalion navIs |as il oJlen is in lIe vecenl
Iilevaluve) ov deJined negaliveI as nonuliIilavian, non-
snIoIic, ov nonnolalionaI navIing |MavsIacI I989),
lIen lIeve vouId Ie no speciaI pvoIIen. Bul MavsIacI's
vovI seens lo pvovoIe lIe queslion oJ decovalion Ie-
cause Ie sees so IillIe oJ il in conpavison vilI vIal
olIev veseavcIevs vouId see. An avliJacl sucI as lIe peI-
IIe Jvon Bavna Ovande |Jig. 8) nigIl seen IiIe a JovnaI
expevinenl pevIaps lIe engvavev vas nalcIing and
conlvasling Iines vilI lIe sIape oJ lIe peIIIe and lIen
quicII JiIIing in IIanI aveas vilI IalcIes and cvoss-
IalcIes. Il na IooI IiIe vIal ve expecl oJ decovalion:
al an vale il does nol covvespond veII lo lIe slvucluve
oJ MavsIacI's exanpIes oJ FaIeoIilIic nolalion, vIicI
ave nove one-dinensionaI even vIen lIe vegislev Iines
snaIe IacI and JovlI. Yel in lIe Jivsl edilion oJ TIe
Bools oJ CiviIizalion |I 972a) Ie inlevpvels il as nolalion,
in vIicI evev navI Ias nolalionaI vaIue. He suvnises
lIal lIe Iongev pavaIIeI Iines veve inlended lo give lIe
engvavev an encIosed ov sepavale nolalionaI avea-lIal
is, a one-dinensionaI lvacI-and lIeveJove lo sevve as
a visuaI and IinaeslIelic aid |MavsIacI I972a84). He
slavls veading vilI lIe Iavge cuvving sel on lIe oIvevse
|Jig. 8, lop), since lIis cenlvaI Jovn ov Jiguve seens lo
laIe up lIe pvine space on lIis Jace. Il is aIso possiIIe,
Iovevev, lIal lIe angIe-navIs al lop and Iollon, sevv-
ing aInosl as edge-navIs, nigIl Iave Ieen nade Jivsl.
TIe lvo cIoices ave Iased on lvo vas oJ appvoacIing
lIe suvJace lIe pevson doing lIe navIing Iegan eilIev
I laIing cIavge oJ lIe IIanI suvJace ov I Ieeping lo
lIe edge. TIese ave assunplions Iased pavlI on Iinaes-
lIelic IuncIes aIoul vas oJ coning lo levns vilI
IIanI suvJaces and pavlI on assunplions aIoul lIe
vas inages nigIl Ie slvucluved. TIe anaIsis noves
Jovvavd vilI lIe discovev lIal evev vigIl-Jacing IalcI
navI vilIin lIese vegislev Iines vas nade IeJove evev
IeJl-Jacing IalcI navI: and so MavsIacI conlinues and
evenluaII counls evev Iine on lIe peIIIe. In lIe ve-
vised edilion oJ TIe Bools oJ CiviIizalion |MavsIacI
iggiI)
lIe Bavna Ovande peIIIe is onilled, Iul lIe
queslion oJ veading deveIoped lvo-dinensionaI pallevns
as nolalions venains |MavsIacI 99Ia`I48, I58, e2I6,
248, 254, 434, and especiaII MavsIacI
i995a).
Undev
vIal civcunslances, and vilI vIal cvilevia, couId a
nove ov Iess uniJovnI navIed suvJace Ie inlevpveled as
a sequence oJ individuaI nolalionaI navIs?
TIis nove JuII uliIized suvJace sIovs vIal Iinds oJ
pvoIIens can Ie invoIved in delevnining sequences:
MavsIacI genevaII sas IillIe aIoul lIe lviaI-and-evvov
pvocess oJ Jinding lIe Iesl ovdev oJ veading Jov a suvJace
lIovougII scoved in lvo dinensions. Uppev MagdaIen-
ian inages exIiIil lIe aIiIil lo snlIesize and con-
pose a sun oJ inages inlo slovied suvJaces-in
olIev vovds, lo naIe neaningJuI navvalive sequences-
aIlIougI lIe ovdev oJ veading Jov sucI non-Iineav se-
I96 CUBBENT ANTHBOFOLOOY VoIune
37,
NunIev 2, ApviI I996
FIO. 8. Engvaved peIIIe Jvon Bavna Ovande, OvinaIdi, scIenalic diagvans. Bepvinled I pevnission Jvon
MavsIacI |1972a 83, Jig. i6a, I), ? AIexandev MavsIacI.
vies is genevaII indelevninale |MavsIacI I 972aig12,
21i). WIal Ie caIIs, in lIis conlexl, decovalion is
sonelIing dislincl Jvon a nolalion, Iul lIe cvilevia oJ
ils diJJevence ave devived Jvon vev diJJevenl Iinds oJ
avliJacls. On occasion MavsIacI veads nolalions I ex-
lending Iineav, one-dinensionaI conJiguvalions inlo
lvo-dinensionaI nuIlipIes vIose ovganizalionaI Iavs
cannol Ie devived Jvon lIe one-dinensionaI cases. Bul
vIal exaclI ave inages in lIe genevaI case, iJ nol exlen-
sions oJ Iineav navIs and Iineav accunuIalions oJ
navIs? And exaclI Iov ave inages nade, iJ nol in lIis
va?
Il Ias seened lo sone avcIaeoIogisls lIal MavsIacI
does nol vecognize decovalion ov aIIov Jov vandon, cave-
Iess, and neaningIess navIing |e.g., d'Evvico I993a). In
sevevaI papevs Ie Ias descviIed aIoul lvo dozen sn-
IoI sslens incIuding neandevs, JisIIiIe inages
|vIicI vesenIIe Iallices ov nels), zigzags, and douIIe
Iines |MavsIacI I979a). Bul il can appeav lIal Ie goes
loo Jav and enIisls lIe najovil oJ decovalions in lIe
vanIs oJ nolalions. Consideving a Ialon Jvon MezIevicI
in UIvaine, vIicI is engvaved vilI sevevaI sels oJ pavaI-
IeI IalcI navIs, MavsIacI opls Jov nolalion ovev decova-
lion even lIougI lIe slvucluve oJ lIe navIing diJJevs
Jvon lIe novnalive conlaining Iine and cvossing IalcI
navI |Jig. 9). Il is veIaliveI neulvaI lo sa lIe Ialon Ias
an accunuIalion oJ sels oJ navIs incised al diJJevenl
angIes, vilI unslvucluved, suIsidiav navIs al lIe Jav
IeJl. Bul lIe puvpose oJ pulling il lIal va is lo enpIa-
size lIe deIiIevalion and inlevnaI slvucluve oJ lIe navI-
ing vilIoul acluaII counling lIe navIs, Ie concIudes
lIal lIe Ialon vepvesenls a pevsonaI and idiosncvalic
slIe oJ accunuIaling sels oJ navIs. Il na vepvesenl
a nnenonic accunuIalion Jov a viluaI ov nlI, ov a
vecovd oJ das and evenls, Iul eilIev va, lIe inlevnaI
slvucluve ... suggesls lIal lIis conposilion is nol 'deco-
valive' |MavsIacI I987I49, lvansIalion Iis:2 i988a
2. une accunuIalion de s6vies de navques gvav6es seIon des angIes
diJJ6venls . . . navques auxiIiaives non slvucluv6es a I'exlvene
gaucIe ... vepvesenle un slIe pevsonneI el idiosncvalique d'accu-
nuIalion de s6vies de navques.... une accunuIalion nnenonique
I I97
FIO. 9. Balon Jvon MezIevicI, UIvaine, nannolI
ivov, 19.7 cn. Bepvinled I pevnission Jvon
MavsIacI |1987150, Jig. i4), ? AIexandev MavsIacI.
427: I994387). To olIevs, lIe navIings on lIe Ialon
nigIl appeav suJJicienlI Ioose and unslvucluved as lo
Ie cIassiJiaIIe as nonnolalionaI, iJ nol inlenlionaII
decovalive. Il seens lIal pvaclicaII nolIing is van-
don, one oIsevvev conpIains, and vev IillIe is decova-
live |LncI I972). OlIevs Iave oIjecled lIal nove
evoIved ovnanenlalion can Ie jusl as inlenlionaI, cu-
pouv un vilueI ou un nlIe, ou Ia-consignalion de jouvs el d'6v6ne-
nenls ... Ia slvucluve inlene ... suggeve que Ia suvJace n'esl pas
'd6covalive.'
nuIalive, and sequenliaI as sone avliJacls MavsIacI
pvesenls as nolalion |VencI I972). Bul vIeve, MavsIacI
nigIl asI, do ve gel ouv ideas aIoul lIe naluve and
Jvequenc oJ decovalion? WI can'l nolalion Ie lIe
novn and decovalion lIe unconnon counlevexanpIe?
MavsIacI lIinIs lIal a conpIex sequence oJ evenls,
nicvoscopicaII delevnined, eIininales lIe possiIiIil
oJ decovalive inlenl ov 'avl' |MavsIacI I972I474). Bul
vI vouId Ie nol see lIe MezIevicI Ialon as a Iess
caveJuII nade avliJacl? LiIe lIe Ialon Jvon Le FIacavd,
il IooIs as iJ il nigIl Iave Ieen lIe vovI oJ a Jev nin-
ules and lIeveJove, I ouv slandavds, IiIeI lo Ie un-
lIinIing nonseniolic navIing ov Ioose decovalion
|Bavis i989). I can inagine decovaling a slvip Ielveen
lvo vegislev Iines I naIing vigIl-sIoping navIs aJlev
IeJl-Jacing navIs as on lIe Bavna Ovande peIIIe ov, as
on lIe MezIevicI Ialon, I naIing a Jev sels oJ
IalcIes, adding a vegislev Iine, and noving on lo lIe
nexl sel. Bul lIese ave sIiding scaIes il is diJJicuIl nol
lo see decovalion as a Iind oJ caveIess ov innediale ac-
livil, as opposed lo nolalion, and il is even nove diJJi-
cuIl lo conceive nolalion as a polenliaII caveIess, quicI,
ov veIaliveI unslvucluved acl. Becovalion seens lo en-
laiI a veguIav design nade vapidI and sinpI, and
nolalion is soneIov ils opposile |d'Evvico I994IO).
In lIe cvilicaI Iilevaluve, lIe queslion oJ lIe diJJevence
Ielveen nolalion and decovalion Ias Jocused on Mav-
sIacI's cIain lo Jind Jvequenl cIanges in navIing looIs
vilIin a singIe suvJace, naIing il nove IiIeI lIal lIe
suvJaces veve navIed in a deIiIevaled, line-Jacloved
va. Bul lIal is a sIippev poinl: lIe lecInicaI evidence
Jov lIose cIains is nol cIeav, and lIe pevJovnalive aspecl
oJ nolalion and decovalion is loo vaviaIIe lo naIe lIe
division slicI. A Iand nigIl cIange gvip on a looI in
lIe couvse oJ a Jev cenlinelevs oJ navIs: and a pevson
vecovding a nolalion nigIl pul dovn a Jev navIs
quicII and caveIessI and lIen naIe lIe nexl Jev
navIs sIovI and vilI a diJJevenl looI |MavsIacI I 972I
474). Fvancesco d'Evvico and olIevs Iave laIen MavsIacI
lo lasI Jov Iis vas oJ dislinguisIing Iuvins and Iis av-
gunenls aIoul lIe inlevvaIs Ielveen sequences oJ
navIs. Since d'Evvico uses an eIeclvon nicvoscope
vIeveas MavsIacI uses an oplicaI one, d'Evvico's vead-
ings ave pIsicaII cIosev, and Ie Ias Ieen exlvacling
diJJevenl Iinds oJ enpivicaI dala. Fov a vIiIe il seened
as iJ lIe pvoIIen oJ FaIeoIilIic nolalion vouId cone
dovn lo lIe alonic scaIe in ils seavcI Jov dependaIIe
cvilevia. B'Evvico cIains, Jov exanpIe, lo Iave idenliJied
lIe aulogvapIic navIs oJ a singIe Iuvin, so lIal Ie couId
leII deJiniliveI vIen a looI vas veused ov vIen, as Mav-
sIacI cIains, one looI vas aIIegedI excIanged Jov an-
olIev in lIe couvse oJ a pvolvacled sevies oJ lenpovaI
nolalions |d'Evvico 1989a). Bul I vouId pvopose lIal lIe
pvoIIen Iies uIlinaleI on an enliveI diJJevenl IeveI
lIe concepls oJ decovalion and nolalion ave in sone dis-
avva, and lIe need lo Ie addvessed IeJove an lecInicaI
inquivies can Iope lo naIe sense. B'Evvico, Jov inslance,
uses a pvovisionaI lvipavlile cIassiJicalion oJ nolalions
lIose in vIicI lIe eIenenls consliluling lIe sslen
diJJev Jvon one anolIev, lIose in vIicI lIe eIenenls
I98 l CUBBENT ANTHBOFOLOOY VoIune 37, NunIev 2, ApviI I996
ave idenlicaI Iul can Ie diJJevenlialed I lIeiv dislviIu-
lion on lIe suvJace, and lIose in vIicI lIe navIs
cannol Ie diJJevenlialed Iecause lIe ave idenlicaI and
equidislanl |d'Evvico I994IO-Ii). Bul lIese cvilevia
appI lo an nunIev oJ decovalive oIjecls, and in pav-
licuIav lIe appI, vespecliveI, lo lIe Ialon Jvon Le
FIacavd, lIe MezIevicI Ialon, and lIe Bavna Ovande
peIIIe. B d'Evvico's vovIing cIassiJicalion, eacI oJ
lIen couId Ie a nolalion. TIe queslion is nol lIe ana-
IlicaI cvilevia Jov judging cIanges oJ looIs ov lIe passage
oJ line ov lIe sIovness oJ lIe navIing il is lIe pviov
pvoIIen oJ lIe disIeveIed concepls lIal pvonpl lIose
queslions lo Iegin vilI.
TIe IncoIevence oJ CIose Beading
TIese exanpIes ave enougI lo sIov lIe vondevJuI
povev lIal MavsIacI's veadings Iave lo luvn conJidenl
cvilicisn inlo vooled douIl, lIvoving ouv assunplions
aIoul inages, navIs, signs, nolalion, and decovalion
IacI al us inslead oJ siIenlI sevving lIose assunplions.
ExcessiveI cIose veadings can aIso Iegin lo IooI Iunalic
ov vvongIeaded, and lIe na sa nove aIoul lIe Iislo-
vian's nolions oJ inages lIan aIoul lIe avliJacls undev
slud. |TIal al Ieasl is n sense oJ MavsIacI's vovI,
since ils oddil slviIes ne JovciII as a 2olI-cenluv
quaIil. I Jind I Iave a Jivn sense oJ MavsIacI's use oJ
lIese avliJacls and vivluaII no idea aIoul lIeiv oviginaI
neanings.) A JeeIing oJ niId palIoIog Iangs ovev aII
cIose veadings, Jvon SIevIocI HoInes lo FanoJsI, Jvon
MoveIIi lo MavsIacI-and aIong vilI il lIeve is a douIIe
allvaclion and sIigIl vepuIsion al lIe aclivil ilseIJ. Il is
loo nucI, and el il is nevev enougI.
Since n iniliaI slvaleg vas lo sIov Iov a veading
couId Ie nade nove cIoseI lIan MavsIacI's, il na
seen as iJ I vouId advocale lIe cIosesl possiIIe vead-
ing-lIal is, lIe cIosesl veading lIal couId sliII seen
lo naIe sense-in an given case. CevlainI lIal nove
eJJecliveI upvools assunplions and sIiJls lIe convevsa-
lion Jvon dispules aIoul Jacls ov nelIodoIog lo lIe
undevIing concepluaI Iase. Bul lIeve is sonelIing sevi-
ousI vvong vilI advocaling cIosev veading, ov cIosesl
veading, even aside Jvon lIe Jacl lIal il nigIl nol Ie
neaningJuI ov IeIpJuI in a given inlevpvelive discouvse.
In lIe slud oJ visuaI avliJacls il is lacilI assuned lIal
veadings, IolI cIose and Jav, ave nallevs oJ cIoice. EacI
sevves pavlicuIav inlevpvelive ends, vIelIev lIe ave lIe
ones lIe inlevpvelev nigIl Iave descviIed ov nol. In eacI
inslance lIeve is lIe nonenl vIen lIe anlIvopoIogisl,
avcIaeoIogisl, ov avl Iislovian decIines lo vead a given
navI, ov lo vead il as a cevlain Iind oJ navI, and lIen
lIe avgunenl can pvoceed onI on lIe agveenenl lIal
lIe seniolic sslen Junclions as il is inpuled lo do.
TIe cIosesl veading vouId depend on Iov lIe con-
nunil oJ inlevpvelevs pevceived lIe disposilion oJ
neaningIess navIs and neaningJuI signs and Iov il
cIose lo undevsland navI and sign. TIal seens vea-
sonaIIe, and oJlen enougI il is lvue in pvaclice, Iul il
aIso IavIovs anolIev assunplion lIal lIeve ave IeveIs
oJ veading lIal Jind neaning in successiveI snaIIev sig-
niJing unils. One avcIaeoIogisl nigIl onI cave lIal
lIe FIacavd Ialon is a Ialon and lIal il vas Jound neav
anolIev, siniIav one. AnolIev nigIl Ie inlevesled in ils
size and sIape in veIalion lo conpavaIIe exanpIes. A
lIivd nigIl nolice lIe decovalion on lIe IandIe. A
JouvlI nigIl Ie dvavn lo lIe slvucluve oJ lIe decova-
lion |IalcI navIs Ielveen vegislev Iines). MavsIacI
nolices eacI navI, and I Iave suggesled lIal lIeve na
even Ie nove lo see. TIe nolion oJ IeveIs oJ neaning is
as cIeav Ieve as il evev gels oiI painling is a novass I
conpavison, a singIe sIuvved conlinuous Iine Jvon lIe
nane oJ lIe enlive painling lo lIe slva Iaivs oJ lIe
painlIvusI enIedded in lIe painl. In IolI inslances,
lIe poinl oJ unsuvpassaIIe cIoseness is a dislance vIeve
lIe Ienses oJ lIe inlevpvelive nacIine can no Iongev Jo-
cus, vIeve Jov lIe puvposes oJ lIe veading lIeve ave no
Jinev navIs, no JuvlIev signs lo Ie vead. Il is lIe pIace,
in a seniolic accounl, vIeve lIe Iexene |lIe neaning-
JuI unil, sucI as IvusInavIs lIal Jovn a lvee) gives va
lo lIe novpIene |lIe slvucluvaII deJined Iul neaning-
Iess unil, sucI as a IvusInavI), ov lIe cIavaclev gives
va lo lIe navI, ov-in lIe genevaI case-lIe seniolic
neels lIe non- ov suIseniolic. WIalevev lIe nediun
ov lIe levns oJ lIe anaIsis, lIe IpolIesis oJ vavious
IeveIs oJ veading cuIninaling and levninaling in a cIos-
esl possiIIe appvoacI is necessav lo naIe sense oJ lIe
idea oJ cIose veading.
AII lIvee oJ lIese ideas-IeveIs, Jvee cIoice anong lIe
IeveIs, and a JinaI IeveI-can Ie queslioned. And Ieve I
vanl lo svilcI discipIines, Iecause sone oJ lIe nosl
inlevesling vovI on cIose veading Ias Ieen done nol in
anlIvopoIog ov avl Iislov Iul in Iilevav cvilicisn. TIe
cvilic FauI de Man's essas on poels, pIiIosopIevs, and
olIev cvilics ave pvesenled as exenpIav cIose veadings
lIose vIo JoIIov Iis avgunenls caveJuII can Ie IeJl
vilI lIe inpvession lIal nolIing couId Ie cIosev. Bul
in eacI case lIeve venains a cevlain neasuvaIIe dislance
Ielveen de Man's cvilicaI slvalegies and lIe lexls Ie
exposils. TIe dislance is nol an exlevnaI one lIal nigIl
Ie neasuved I conlvasling de Man's vevsions oJ lexls
vilI olIev accounls Iul an inlevnaI one lIal appeavs
Ielveen Iis vevsion oJ lexls and aIlevnalive vevsions
lIal can Ie vead in lIose sane accounls. In olIev vovds,
lIeve is al lines a pvinav lexl ivveguIavI vepvesenled
in Iis vviling lIal is nove nuanced and avlicuIale lIan
lIe lexl as il is JovnaII pvesenled.
An exceIIenl avlicIe I Henv Slalen vaises lIis ques-
lion in vegavd lo de Man's veading oJ NielzscIe's BivlI
oJ Tvaged |Slalen i990). Slalen oIsevves lIal a Iievav-
cI oJ degvees oJ cIoseness is inpIicil in lIe levns oJ de
Man's veading oJ NielzscIe. Be Man, Slalen sas, vievs
NielzscIe Jvon a niddIe dislance, and Slalen pvo-
poses lo nove in cIosev in ovdev lo discevn Jissuves . ..
Ielveen unilies oJ neaning, sucI as NielzscIe's appav-
enlI uniJied ApoIIonian ov Bionsian. EacI dis-
lance Ias ils ovn ideoIogicaI Jovce |il is a conslvuclion
lIal can Ie sIovn lo Ie uliIized Jov a given puvpose),
aIlIougI lIe neaning oJ lIe degvee oJ cIoseness lIal de
Man enpIos venains invisiIIe lo de Man IinseIJ Jov
ELKINS TIe InpossiIiIil oJ CIose Beading I ig
lIe duvalion oJ Iis veading. OlIev veadings ave sup-
pvessed I lIe lexl in a va lIal couId Ie vecoveved,
Iul in Slalen's veading de Man's pavlicuIav dislance is
vIal de Man IinseIJ vouId caII a nonenl oJ necessav
IIindness. Il Ias lo do, Slalen lIinIs, vilI de Man's pasl
and Iis coId veJusaI lo Iislen lo lIe 'ecslalic caII' oJ
lIe 'Bionsian Iivd' |Slalen I9903 7)-Iul Iovevev ve
na cIoose lo expIain il, Slalen's veading denonslvales
a va in vIicI cIosev veadings can Ie IaIJ-Iidden in an
accounl, and il Iocales a nonenl oJ IIindness ovev lIe
exacl pIace lIal is undevslood as lIe cIosesl appvoacI lo
vIalevev lexl is undev considevalion. I lIinI nucI lIe
sane couId Ie said oJ accounls oJ inages, and I vouId
suggesl lIal one oJ lIe veasons MavsIacI's veadings Iave
pvoved so diJJicuIl lo cvilique is lIal IIindness concen-
lvales vIeve lIe veading seens cIosesl. In veading Mav-
sIacI's inlevpvelalions, I Iave deIiIevaleI nade use oJ
Iis ovn pIologvapIs in ovdev lo suggesl lIal cIosev vead-
ings IuvI in lIe lexl ilseIJ |lexl Ieve laIen as lIe sun
oJ pIologvapIs, diagvans, and vviling in lIe IooI). TIe
pIologvapIs ave evidence oJ vavianl veadings, sliII unpev-
Jovned, and lIe conIine vilI lIe inlevpvelalion Ie
gives lo cveale a lension Ielveen Iis ovn inlevpvelalion,
pvesenled as lIe cIosesl neaningJuI vesponse lo lIe avli-
Jacls, and sonelIing cIosev lIal nigIl el Ie given
vovds. MavsIacI's IIindness is especiaII cIeav in a pas-
sage vIeve Ie assevls lIal Iis vovI does nol vead in
neaning |I974a330)
Calegovizing a sequence as a laII ov, nove descvip-
liveI, as a possiIIe Iunling ov ganing laII ov even
as a nnenonic device is nol a Jovn oJ scienliJic anaI-
sis. Il is a Jovn oJ anaIogic ganing, Iased on lIe
nalcIing oJ cevlain gvoss visuaI siniIavilies. Inlen-
sive nelIodoIogicaI anaIsis oJ eacI sequence, on
lIe olIev Iand, pvovides a Iod oJ inlevnaI dala nol
vequiving elInogvapIic conpavisons.
Il na seen lIal lIe pvoIIen Ieve Ias lo do vilI pIac-
ing lIe Iovdev Ielveen inlevnaI and exlevnaI dala, so
lIal evevlIing inside inIeves in lIe oIjecl and is sci-
enliJic and innune lo anaIog and evevlIing oulside
depends on unslaIIe anaIogies |MavsIacI i992a i82).
Bul lIal Iovdev in luvn depends on lIe Iocalion oJ lIe
cIosesl veading. TIe signiJicanl pIvase Ieve is gvoss vi-
suaI siniIavilies lIe dislinclion Ielveen veading and
veading in is delevnined in advance I assunplions ve-
gavding vIal is gvoss and vIal is Jine, vIal is vague and
vIal is inlensive. In olIev vovds, pvopev scienliJic
inlevpvelalion is sel in nolion I an invisiIIe decision
vegavding lIe Iocalion and naluve oJ lIe Jinesl avaiIaIIe
dala.
WIen cIose veading ilseIJ is al slaIe, as il is in diJJev-
enl vas Jov OinzIuvg and de Man, a vvilev's dislance
viII necessaviI Ie vepvessed valIev lIan openI decIaved
as il seens lo Ie, even lIougI-and, in de Manian
levns, Iecause-olIev posilions venain IegiIIe in lIe
lexl. TIis couId Ie pul-a IillIe exlvavaganlI, Iul in
lIe spivil oJ de Man's pavadoxes-as lIe inpossiIiIil
oJ cIose veading, since il goes lo sIov lIal cIose veading
is lIe nane oJ a nelIod lIal posils a nunIev oJ dis-
lances Jvon a vovI Iul does so in ovdev lo Ie aIIe lo
venain IIind lo lIe one dislance lIal is JinaII adopled.
MavsIacI nevev addvesses lIe appvopvialeness oJ Iis
cIosen IeveI oJ cIose veading, excepl I saing lIal Ie
sludied evev signiJicanl navI: in de Man's levns, Ie
cannol addvess lIe queslion vilIoul vviling an accounl
lIal vouId Ie inconpaliIIe vilI lIe one Ie pvesenls.
TIis IeIps expIain lIe occasionaII incoIevenl and
unIeIpJuI Iilevaluve lIal is genevaled in lIe vaIe oJ con-
cevled cIose veading lIeiv anaIlic disjunclion Jvon lIe
vovI al Iand na Iesl Ie assigned lo lIe va lIal un-
inpvovaII cIose IooIing seens lo Ie Iocaled vilIin a
JieId oJ IIindness. TIe aulIov oJ lIe cIose veading veIies
on lIe nolion oJ IeveIs ov dislances oJ veading and sup-
pvesses IolI lIe exislence oJ cIosev veadings and aIso
lIe assunplions aIoul cIoseness lIal inJovn Iis cIosen
dislance. MavsIacI is vesouvceJuI in descviIing Iis vead-
ing Iul Iess so in uncoveving lIe assunplions lIal naIe
il possiIIe: and in a siniIav va, Iis cvilics Iave usuaII
Ieen quicI lo Jind aIlevnalive veadings Iul Iavd-pvessed
lo sa vI lIeiv veadings sIouId Ie pveJevved lo Iis.
A cIose, ov cIosesl, veading cannol succeed in evasing
signs oJ cIosev neaningJuI veadings |lIal is, nol jusl
cIosev IooIs al neaningIess navIs), and il cannol JuII
undevsland ov exposil ils ovn posilion. Il na seen lIal
lIis is an acceplaIIe apovia, Iecause il is aIso lIe de-
scviplion oJ a vev advenluvous pIace, JvaugIl vilI visI
and polenliaI vevavd Iaving IvougIl lIe cvilique Jov-
vavd aIong a sevies oJ Inovn veadings, lIe vvilev inIaI-
ils a Jogg pIace vIeve evevlIing seens cIosesl and
lIeve is no nove voon lo nove. EvenluaII soneone
eIse na Jind a va lo assess lIe accounl and pusI Jov-
vavd again. I pul il as a dvanalic scenavio lo Iving oul
ils suspicious valionaIil. Il is a picluve oJ inlevpvelalion
lIal nodeIs ilseIJ on pvogvess ov expIovalion-IolI oJ
lIen suspecl ideaIs. A deepev cvilique, nade I de Man
IinseIJ in olIev lexls, denonslvales lIal lIis Iasl Iope
oJ cIose veading is aIso nisguided.
Al lIe Ieginning oJ AIIegovies oJ Beading, de Man
sels oul vIal anounls lo a pvooJ oJ lIe inpossiIiIil
oJ uninpeded nolion lovavd ov ava Jvon lIe oIjecl
|I 997 94)
On lIe one Iand, Iilevaluve cannol neveI Ie ve-
ceived as a deJinile unil oJ veJevenliaI neaning lIal
can Ie decoded vilIoul Ieaving a vesidue. TIe code
is unusuaII conspicuous, conpIex, and enignalic:
il allvacls an inovdinale anounl oJ allenlion lo il-
seIJ, and lIis allenlion Ias lo acquive lIe vigov oJ a
nelIod. [Hence] Iilevaluve Iveeds il ovn JovnaI-
isn ....
On lIe olIev Iand-and lIis is lIe veaI ns-
lev-no Iilevav JovnaIisn, no nallev Iov accuvale
and envicIing in ils anaIlic povevs, is evev aIIoved
lo cone inlo Ieing vilIoul seening veduclive ...
A naive veading oJ Iilevaluve, vIicI undevslands il as
a ninelic pvojecl, is aIvas al odds vilI lIe cvilicaI
inpuIse, vilI ils incveasingI slvicl nelIod. TIe dia-
Iogue Ielveen lIe lvo Iinds oJ veading cveales a slale
oJ aJJaivs in vIicI lIeve ave pevsislenl allenpls lo vecon-
.2001
ciIe lIe lvo inlo a genevaI lIeov oJ veading. Be Man
vesisls lIal, and venains sIeplicaI oJ JaIse nodeIs and
nelapIovs aIoul lIe inside and oulside oJ Iilevav
vepvesenlalion. BavIava JoInson caIIs lIis vigovous un-
veIiaIiIil lIe nove vigovous a cIose veading Iecones,
lIe Iess veIiaIIe il is veveaIed lo Ie |JoInson i984285).
TIeve is no sinpIe palI Jvon one side lo lIe olIev vead-
ing ilseIJ cIanges en voule, and il passes lIvougI lIe
conspicuous, conpIex, and enignalic acls oJ decoding
and Jovgelling lIal naIe nelIod possiIIe. In a cIavac-
levislic nove, de Man undevslands lIis injunclion in
levns oJ Iis ovn lIeov aIoul veading lIe nove vigov-
ous Ie Iecones aIoul lIe veconciIialion oJ lIe lvo
Iinds oJ veading, lIe Iess veIiaIIe Iis lexl Iecones. TIe
lvo ave IinIed in a singIe nolion-Ience JoInson's
pIvase vigovous unveIiaIiIil.
Il is a connonpIace in avl Iislov, avcIaeoIog, and
olIev discipIines concevned vilI visuaI inages lIal an
veading can Iecone as cIose as il vanls, ils onI Iinil
Ieing lIe lexluve oJ lIe vovI ilseIJ I can cIain lIal an
navI is signiJicanl iJ I can naIe a pevsuasive case lIal
il is a navI al aII. In lIis va lIe Iinils oJ an uIlinaleI
cIose veading seen eJJecliveI onI a nallev oJ oplics
|WIal can ve see vIen ve gel lIal cIose?), pvopviel |Is
il appvopviale lo IooI al Monel lIvougI a nagniJing
gIass?), ov anaIlic coIevence |Can ve assign neanings
lo evev gesluvaI navI?). TIese vovIing nolions sIave
a connon Jiguve in vIicI lIe inlevpvelev noves in I
eas, gvaduaI sleps, lIvougI a Inovn Iandscape, lo a
Iinil inposed I vIal ave laIen as seniolic vequive-
nenls ov I vIal I Iave caIIed pvopviel ov oplics.
MucI oJ conlenpovav avl Iislov and avcIaeoIog sliII
IeIieves in lIe possiIiIil oJ adjudicaling, in a veIiaIIe
and vigovous nannev, Ielveen inlevnaI, JovnaI, pvivale
slvucluves and exlevnaI, veJevenliaI, and puIIic eJ-
Jecls. Be Man's cvilique laIes ava lIe Iasl Iope lIal
a cIose veading Ias oJ conlvoIIing ilseIJ il cannol suc-
ceed in vepvessing cIosev veadings, il cannol undevsland
ils ovn posilion, il cannol Inov Iov lo nove Ielveen
posilions-and il cannol avoid appeaving unveIiaIIe
in veIalion lo nove veIaxed, naive ov genevaI veading.
And de Man's inlevpvelalion aIso suggesls vI cIose
veading Ias lo seen slvange, especiaII vIen il is nosl
enlvancing and unsuvpassed cIose veading is an aIsoIule
veJusaI lo negoliale lIe levns oJ veading. Il is veduc-
live, as de Man sas, and lIeveJove aIso sluIIovn, in-
lvaclaIIe, oIslinale, and diJJicuIl aII quaIilies lIal Mav-
sIacI's veadevs Iave JeIl vIen lIe Iave lvied lo cone
lo levns vilI Iis vovI.
ConcIusions, vilI a SpecuIalion on lIe
FalIoIog oJ CIose Beadings
TIeve ave nan nove lIings lIal couId Ie said aIoul
cIose veading, and I nigIl nenlion sevevaI oJ lIen Ie-
Jove I Iving lIese lIougIls lo lIeiv concIusion. Il vouId
Ie inlevesling, Jov exanpIe, lo see vIal ideas olIev lIeo-
vies nigIl Iving lo Ieav on IaIils oJ cIose veading and
lo conpave pvolocoIs oJ veading in discipIines sucI as
veIigious exegesis, pscIoanaIsis, and nedicine |aII oJ
vIicI Iave IigII deveIoped Iexica lo nonilov inlevpve-
live accuvac). Since n concevn Ias Ieen visuaI avli-
Jacls, I Iave nol even opened lIe queslion oJ lIe pavlicu-
Iav neanings cIose veading Ias vIen ils oIjecl is
Iinguislic. I Iave said nexl lo nolIing aIoul lIe Iislov
oJ cIose veadings Jvon OveeI Iilevav cvilicisn lo lIe
pvesenl, even lIougI il is oJlen veIevanl lo lIe supposi-
lions oJ n ovn appvoacI. Nov Iave I addvessed lIe
diJJicuIl covvespondences Ielveen vovds sucI as deco-
valion, nolalion, and sign and lIe levns oJ visuaI
seniolics, incIuding sign, navI, lvace, and lIeiv
Iinguislic counlevpavls |EIIins i995a). Oiven lIe aInosl
unenconpassaIIe vange oJ lIe ideaI oJ cIose veading in
aclivilies as diJJevenl as deleclive noveIs and suvgev, il
vouId aIso Ie inpovlanl lo expIove Iov lIe pvoIIens I
Iave descviIed occuv in discipIines olIev lIan avcIaeoI-
og, in ovdev lo see vIal pvopevlies nigIl unile diJJevenl
senses oJ cIose veading. Bul I Iave onilled lIese ques-
lions, anong olIevs, in ovdev lo concenlvale on vIal I
laIe lo Ie ivveduciIIe condilions oJ cIose veading in vi-
suaI avliJacls. To concIude, I vanl lo Iving logelIev a
Jev pvagnalic connenls on lIe queslion oJ FaIeoIilIic
avliJacls and lIen end vilI sone videv specuIalions on
vI cIose veadings venain so vave and so slvange.
In levns oJ lIe Iinds oJ avliJacls I Iave nenlioned
Ieve, cIose veadings ave lIe Iesl pIaces lo Iegin lo asI
vIal is neanl I lIe nosl JundanenlaI levns lIal ave
used lo descviIe lIe inages. SucI an inquiv vouId Iave
lIe vivlue oJ luvning ouv convevsalions invavd Iong
enougI lo see vIal ve expecl in an given case oJ lIe
cenlvaI levns in ouv discouvse aIoul inages. In Mav-
sIacI's vovI, a pvovisionaI Iisl nigIl incIude lIe JoI-
Ioving assunplions aIoul nolalion, sone oJ lIen sliII
unexanined in lIe Iilevaluve
i. Nolalion is nade up oJ navIs disposed in a one-
dinensionaI nannev, eilIev in a slvaigIl Iine, in vovs,
in cuvving Iines, aIong an edge, ov Ielveen vegislev Iines.
IJ a suvJace is nolalionaI and is enliveI coveved vilI
navIs, il viII IveaI dovn inlo one-dinensionaI se-
quences.
2. Nolalion is inlenlionaI, neaning lIal eacI navI
is caveJuII and deIiIevaleI nade. SIopp ov IapIazavd
navIings ave nove IiIeI lo Ie decovalive.
3. Becovalion and nolalion ave nuluaII excIusive: a
navIed avliJacl na Ie eilIev decovalion ov nolalion Iul
nol IolI. WIen a conJiguvalion oJ navIs is slvucluvaI
and sequenliaI, lIe Iavs oJ pvoIaIiIil avgue
againsl ... an 'avlislic' inlenlion |MavsIacI 991ia36).
Becovalion and ovganized designs do nol usuaII sIov
unvIlInic cvovding oJ Iines |MavsIacI 199 Ia5 I).
4. Nolalions ave nade ovev
line,
vilI neasuved
pauses Ielveen navIs |lIe ave line-Jacloved, in
MavsIacI's pIvase). MavIs na Ie nade aII al once, Iul
iJ lIe ave nolalionaI lIe viII vepvesenl an accunuIa-
lion oJ line inlevvaIs lIal vouId sland Jov Iongev inlev-
vaIs. ConvevseI, navIs nade ovev line ave IiIeI lo Ie
nolalion |MavsIacI I 972a I69).
5. NolalionaI sequences sIov inlevnaI ivveguIavilies
ov divide inlo sels |MavsIacI I972a86). ConvevseI, en-
liveI uniJovn navIs ave IiIeI lo Ie decovalion.
6. IJ a sel oJ navIs is a nolalion, evev navI is signiJi-
I
2oi
canl and nusl Ie counled. No vuIe oJ Jovn ov Iocalion
ov slvenglI oJ navI can exenpl a navI Jvon Ieing
counled.
7. Nolalion does nol naIe use oJ signs ov snIoIs
nade oJ sels oJ navIs. IJ a conJiguvalion is a nolalion,
conpound navIs lIal appeav lo Ie signs ov snIoIs
need lo Ie dissecled inlo lIeiv individuaI navIs |Mav-
sIacI I 99 I I 3 9).
8. TIe sIape oJ a navI is genevaII nol signiJicanl: il
can Ie an size. |TIe exceplions occuv vIeve snaIIev
navIs covvespond lo pIase poinls in lIe Iunav sequence.)
ConvevseI, a sIaped ov vepvesenlalionaI navI viII nol
novnaII Ie nolalionaI |MavsIacI I 972a230-3i).
9. TIe ovienlalion oJ a navI is genevaII nol signiJi-
canl: il can Ie IovizonlaI ov diagonaI in a sequence lIal
is pvinav vevlicaI. MavIs can Ie Jeel ov conpIenen-
lav cvossIalcIing added lo olIev navIs lIal Iave aI-
vead Ieen Iaid dovn |MavsIacI 199III49).
io. TIe posilion oJ a navI on a suvJace is genevaII
nol signiJicanl: a JuII navIed suvJace can sonelines
Ie vead I delevnining lIe ovdev oJ navIs, sonelines
I lviaI and evvov |MavsIacI I972a2i2).
TIese ave lIe Iinds oJ assunplions lIal need lo Ie
addvessed Jivsl, ov aIong vilI, nove pvaclicaI ov conven-
lionaI inlevpvelalions iJ ve ave lo incvease ouv avaveness
oJ ouv ovn pIace in Iislov and lIe expeclalions ve Iave
oJ avliJacls |ov, lo sa il lIe olIev va avound, lIe nean-
ings ve Jind in lIen). TIal puvpose is nol aIvas
cogenl, especiaII vIen inlevpvelive connunilies ave
aIvead posing and ansveving inlevesling queslions: Iul
vIen lIe Iecone slaIIed vilI insoIuIIe cIains, as lIe
Iave in MavsIacI's case, lIese queslions can dissoIve
sone oJ lIe oIslacIes lo JuvlIev diaIogue.
Il na seen lIal lIis Ias Ieen lIe ovevI cIose exani-
nalion oJ an oIsessiveI cIose veadev, Iul lIe ideas in-
voIved ave videI appIicaIIe. MavsIacI's nelIod is nol
an eccenlvic ov navginaI veginen Iul lIe vigiIanl appIi-
calion oJ a cenlvaI nelIodoIog oJ an discipIine lIal
vovIs vilI vIal il laIes lo Ie a slvucluved, sslen-
alic avliJacl oJ an Iind, Jvon FaIeoIilIic avliJacls lo
Neoexpvessionisl canvases and Jvon gvapIs lo Iilevav
lexls |EIIins i995c). MavsIacI does vIal ve aII sa ve
sIouId do, Iul Ie does nove oJ il, and in nan vespecls
Ie does il Iellev and Jov lIal veason lIe diJJicuIl lIal
peopIe Iave expevienced lving lo avgue vilI Iin needs
lo Ie laIen seviousI.
One oJ lIe jos oJ MavsIacI's vovI is lIal il sIovs
jusl Iov IooseI ve vead lIe nove connonpIace inages
lIal occup nosl oJ anlIvopoIog and avl Iislov. An-
lIvopoIogisls inlevpvel cuIluvaI avliJacls in accovd vilI
assunplions aIoul decovalion lIal aIIov lIen lo gel on
vilI lIe Iusiness oJ vviling vilIoul slopping lo counl
evev veIl in a scaviJied Iod ov evev Iead in a necI-
Iace. TIe Iesl va lo veveaI lIose Iinds oJ decisions
is lo conlvasl lIen vilI olIev inlevpvelalions Iased on
diJJevenl concepls oJ adequale ov cIose veading. ScaviJi-
calions and IeadvovI, aJlev aII, ave line-Jacloved
eacI Iead laIes a nonenl lo slving, and eacI pievcing
Iuvls. An inlevpvelalion lIal dissecled a lalloo ov a piece
oJ jeveIv inlo nonenls and gesluves lIal Jine nigIl
veII appeav as Iunalic as MavsIacI's Iunav caIendavs
Iave sonelines seened Iul lIal vesponse disguises a
sevious pvoIIen-a IoIIovness in lIe concepl oJ inlev-
pvelalion ilseIJ. TIe sane is lvue in n ovn discipIine.
Avl Iislovians and cvilics pa IillIe allenlion lo gvoup-
ings, lpes, sequences, and sevies oJ navIs and vivluaII
none lo individuaI navIs. Ouv snaIIesl unils lend lo
Ie inages in lIeiv ovn vigIl |depicled Jiguves, povlvails,
oIjecls, snIoIs), and vIen il cones lo individuaI
navIs, as il does Jov exanpIe in FoIIocI's vovI, ve gen-
evaII pveJev lIeovizing aIoul lIeiv naluve lo sluding
lIen. AII lIese ave signs oJ vIal ve ovevIooI in ovdev
lo pvesevve a cevlain vovIing nolion oJ cIose veading. B
MavsIacI's slandavds, ouv seeing is IIuvved and cuvsov,
and ouv slandavds oJ IooIing ave indeJensiII Iax. In Iil-
evav cvilicisn, vIeve lIe concepls I Iave Ieen expIov-
ing ave nosl JuII deveIoped, lIe IIindnesses oJ cIose
veadings aJJecl lIe lIeov oJ cIose veading ilseIJ. Oinz-
Iuvg |i980) is JuII avave oJ Iis allvaclion lo cIose vead-
ing in deleclive Jiclion, avl Iislov, and pscIoanaIsis
Iul onI pavlI avave oJ lIe veasons Ie is so allvacled.
His IooIs vepIa lIal allvaclion I appIing lIe nelIod
lo vavious suIjecls, valIev lIan deIving inlo lIe cvilicaI
queslion oJ lIe pIace oJ Iis vviling vilIin lIe lvadilion
and lIe Iinils oJ seIJ-veJIexivil in an given inslance.
LiIe avl Iislovians, anlIvopoIogisls, and avcIaeoIogisls,
OinzIuvg pveJevs cIose veadings ovev Ioosev ones, and Ie
sonelines Iecones inlevesled in lIe Iislov oJ cIose
veading ilseIJ-Iul lIal inlevesl does nol inlvude on Iis
cIosen veginens oJ cIose veading, vIicI ave uninpeded
I an polenliaII disvuplive cvilicaI veJIeclion.
CIose veading is slvucluvaII palIoIogicaI in veIalion
lo olIev nodes oJ veading. EavIiev I suggesled lIal is a
vesuIl oJ ils posilion al lIe Jav end oJ a donain oJ vas
oJ veading vIose olIev exlvene enIvaces naive de-
coding vilIoul-as de Man sas-inlevpvelive vesi-
due. A Iess exacl va oJ saing lIal vouId Ie lo poinl
oul lIal nosl oJ ouv veadings ave nove ov Iess-noslI
nove-Iaz. Mosl oJ us vanl lo escape lIe lvann oJ
pvoIonged cIose engagenenl vilI lIe avliJacls ov vilI
ouv vviling. TaIing nove ovdinav encounlevs vilI oI-
jecls as lIe slandavd, veadings IiIe MavsIacI's |ov Mo-
veIIi's ov FanoJsI's) ave apl lo seen a IillIe slvange. Yel
sliJIingI cIose veading is an inpevalive oJ Iunanisl
scIoIavsIip and oJ Iilevac nove genevaII il Ias lo Ie
possiIIe in ovdev Jov lIeve lo Ie sucI a lIing as a lexl,
ov an inage, lo undevsland: Iul il aIso Ias lo Ie inpossi-
IIe in ovdev lo Iel us gel on vilI lIe vaguev neanings
ve aII pveJev.
Connenls
MICHAEL BA7ANBALL
Bepavlnenl oJ Hislov oJ Avl, Univevsil oJ
CaIiJovnia, BevIeIe, CaIiJ. 94720-6020, U. S.A.
29 I7 95
A pveIininav avIvavdness-vIicI il vouId nol Ie
useJuI lo puvsue Ieve as sucI Iul vIicI I nusl decIave
20.21
Iecause il viII coIov n connenl-is lIal I an used
lo laIing cIose veading in a diJJevenl sense Jvon lIal
slipuIaled I EIIins. |TIe exenpIav cIose veading, Jov
ne, is lIe Iilevav cvilicisn oJ WiIIian Enpson in Seven
Tpes oJ AnIiguil.) WIal I lIinI oJ as cIose veading is
nol penelvalion lo a coIIocalion oJ snaIIesl signiJing
unils and couId nevev enlevlain a veduclive dislinclion
Ielveen nolalion and ovnanenl oJ lIe Iind ascviIed lo
AIexandev MavsIacI, and il Ias nolIing lo do vilI in-
levpvelive vigouv ov a seniolic IievavcI oJ cIoseness oJ
lIe Iind descviIed vilI veJevence lo FauI de Man. So
n Jivsl pvoIIen is lIal lIe cIose veadev oJ EIIins's pa-
lIoIog is cevlainI nol a slvav nan Iul a conslvucl
designed lo Iving oul sone IogicaI consequences en-
laiIed in a conslanl Iul unanaIzed ideaI lIal I
do nol lIinI I sIave.
TIis said, and luvning lo lIe sense oJ cIose veading
Ie slipuIales, il seens, Jivsl, lIal lIis is a scvulin oJ
lIe oIjecl in vIicI lIe Iovesl-IeveI signs possiIIe ave
dislinguisIed and assenIIed inlo signiJing conIina-
lions and, second, lIal lIe puvpose oJ sucI scvulin is
lo cIecI on lIe covveclness oJ inlevpvelalion. TIe ne-
diun oJ anaIsis is seniolic and lIe pvojecl Ievneneu-
lic. M pvoIIen Ieve is lIal, even Ieaving aside lIe inlvi-
cale issue oJ vIelIev Ievneneulic and seniolic can
coupIe pvoducliveI al aII, seniolics seens lo ne inade-
quale lo lIe inlevesl |ov neaning) oJ lIe avliJacls I nusl
deaI vilI as an avl cvilic. I need nol avgue lIis Ieve, since
EIIins IinseIJ, in Nonseniolic EIenenls in Ficluves
|igs9a),
Ias exceIIenlI descviIed lIe pvoIIens vaised
I seniolic veadings oJ visuaI inages oJ lIe Iind ad-
dvessed I avl Iislovians-sa, Jov puvposes oJ connon
visuaIizalion, an painling I BenIvandl. As Ie sas in
lIal papev, I lIinI, lo acconnodale lIe pvopevlies lIal
naIe lIe picluves vovlI scvulin-lIe va lIe ave
painled, on lIe IeveI oJ lIe individuaI navI al one
exlvene and lIe lolaI cIavaclev oJ ouv expevience oJ a
picluve al lIe olIev-eilIev lIe nolion oJ lIe sign nusl
Ie expanded and divevsiJied a Ia CIavIes Feivce lo a poinl
vIeve I douIl vIelIev lIe speciJic inlevpvelive lIvusl
oJ sign is an Iongev doing nucI vovI ov an ineIeganl
appavalus oJ suI- and supvaseniolic accessovies Ias lo
Ie coIIIed logelIev lo covev pveciseI vIal is pvopev lo
sucI painling. EilIev vecouvse puls lIe nolion oJ sign
undev sucI pvessuve lIal iJ il Iad an aulIenlic lIeoveli-
caI slalus il vouId Iave lo ieId pIace.
I suppose il is unconlvovevsiaI lIal a vaIid veading
sIouId Ie adequale lo Iov-IeveI ovdevs. Bul acluaII,
even lIougI an appeaI lo Iov-IeveI coIevence na sal-
isJ an inpovlanl Ievneneulic canon, I lIinI lIal cIose
veading lpicaII sevves a Ieuvislic puvpose valIev lIan
a Ievneneulic one. TIe cIose veading is lIen IocaI and
seIeclive valIev lIan ovevaII ov conpIele-and nol a van-
don lviaI Iove Iul lIe puvposeJuI JoIIoving oJ a vein.
WIal il Jixales is lIe pvegnanl delaiI in vIicI Iavgev
ovdevs ave inpIicil ov I vIicI Iavgev ovdevs ave con-
lvoIIed.
I veaIize lIal lIe conpIele veading EIIins is veJev-
ving lo is nol a cvilicaI pvogvan. Il is a polenliaIil en-
laiIed I a cevlain sense oJ lIe slvucluve oJ lIe oIjecl.
Bul vIal lIis ideaI conpIele veading vouId seen lo ne
inadequale lo is lIe naluve oJ lIe visuaI acl, vIicI is
delevnining in diJJevenl vas Jov IolI lIe naIev and
lIe IeIoIdev oJ picluves. TIis is as nucI a sequenliaI
pvocess as lIe naIing and navIing oJ one oJ AIexandev
MavsIacI's Ialons. Bul il loo is inlenlionaII sIaped-
ained and Jvaned, Jocusing and discvininale, oppovlu-
nislic and eIIiplicaI, veslIessI conjecluvaI and divevled
I lIe inJovnaliveI diJJevenl, disnissive oJ exlevnaI ve-
dundanc Iul ilseIJ vepelilious in ils eIecled scanning
palI, onI veaII velenlive oJ puve visuaI dala and quicI
lo IanI econonicaII calegovized oIjecls inslead-and
so on. |FevIaps lIis is lIe Iaz veading EIIins JeeIs ve
viII and sIouId evenluaII vevevl lo: I vecIon il is pvopev
veading oJ visuaI avl.) WIal is lIe lIeovelicaI slalus oJ a
pvoceduve lIal vision is nol even lIeovelicaII capaIIe
oJ? And vIal is lIe slalus oJ lIe signiJing slvucluve
lIal enlaiIs il?
BAVIB CABBIEB
Bepavlnenl oJ FIiIosopI, Cavnegie MeIIon Inslilule,
FillsIuvgI, Fa. I52I3-3 890, U.S.A. 6 I7 95
To speaI, as EIIins does, oJ cIose veading is lo enpIo
an odd lvope, Jov vIal does il nean lo Ie cIose enougI
lo a visuaI inage lo vead il pvopevI? Hov, il is vovlI
asIing, ave lIe concevns associaled vilI vision and vead-
ing lo Ie conIined vIen deaIing vilI visuaI avl? Sland-
ing loo Jav ava Jvon sonelIing, ou cannol see ils
delaiIs pvopevI. Oelling loo cIose, ou viII nol Ie aIIe
lo viev lIe vIoIe oIjecl al once. To viev il adequaleI,
lIen, an oIsevvev needs lo Jind jusl lIe vigIl dislance-
neilIev loo cIose nov loo Jav ava. WIal, JinaII, Iave
lIese vas oJ descviIing visuaI expevience lo do vilI
veading? A cIose veadev is soneone vIo sees inpovlanl
delaiIs vIicI olIevs vIo ave Iess oIsevvanl ave loo Jav
ava lo viev. Bul a veadev vIo gels loo cIose, Jocusing
on ninov poinls, is unaIIe lo gel vIal, speaIing nela-
pIovicaII, ve caII lIe Iig picluve.
TIese vas oJ laIIing aIoul cIose veading seen lo
dvav on ouv evevda expevience oJ undevslanding olIev
peopIe. WIen I an cIose lo a pevson, lIen I Inov vilI-
oul nucI need Jov queslions Iov sIe ov Ie JeeIs. Bul
pevIaps I an loo cIose lo inlinale Jviends lo judge lIen
oIjecliveI. CevlainI il is Iavd lo Ie oIjeclive aIoul
nseIJ, Jov I an loo cIose lo nseIJ lo viev nseIJ as
olIevs see ne. Undevslanding soneone, IiIe doing cIose
veading oJ a visuaI avlvovI, vequives lIal lIeve Ie sone
dislance Ielveen us.
Because I Iave vead lIe Iilevaluve on NicoIas Foussin
|I594-i665), I JeeI cIose enougI lo Iis vovIs lo Iave
a sense oJ vIal Iinds oJ inlevpvelalions ave veasonaIIe
|Cavviev I993). His cuIluve is dislanl, Iul lIvougI vead-
ing I Iving il cIose, Ividging lIe gap Ielveen Iis vovId
and nine. Because I Iave Inovn lIe aIslvacl painlev
Sean ScuII |I945-) Jov i6 eavs, I JeeI cIose enougI lo
Iin lo Iave good inluilions aIoul Iov lo descviIe Iis
avl |Cavviev I994245-67). We ave cIose enougI Jov ne
lo give veIiaIIe cIose veadings oJ Iis vovI. TIe anlIvopo-
ELKINS TIe InpossiIiIil oJ CIose Beading l 203
IogicaI exanpIes discussed I EIIins diJJev Jvon lIese
cases. WIen lIe inlevpvelev Ias in Iand onI an oIjecl,
lIen delevnining vIal navIs ov olIev pvopevlies oJ lIal
oIjecl desevve anaIsis seens Iavd. LacIing an inde-
pendenl vvillen evidence aIoul Iov lIese oIjecls veve
undevslood I lIeiv cvealovs, undevslanding vIal counls
as a cIose veading oJ oIjecls Jvon vev dislanl cuIluves
is vev diJJicuIl. IJ no conlenpovav connenlav on lIe
avlvovI is avaiIaIIe, vIal can lIe Iislovian do excepl
IooI as cIoseI as possiIIe al lIe oIjecl ilseIJ? Bul vIo
is lo sa iJ lIal inlevpvelev is loo cIose lo Ie oIjeclive?
And iJ lIeve is deIale aIoul vIal Jealuves oJ lIe oIjecl
in queslion ave veIevanl, Iov can ve sellIe a conJIicl oJ
inlevpvelalions?
TIe avl Iislovian vIo Ias expIoved lIese issues in lIe
nosl Jav-veacIing va, BicIavd SIiJJ, naIes lIe conlvasl
Ielveen iconic and indexicaI Jealuves oJ painlings
vIicI capluves lIe essenliaI Iogic oJ lIis silualion Al
one nonenl, as ve vespond lo lIe iconic Junclion, ve
na JeeI lIal a painling signiJies vIalevev il vesenIIes
and gives sone accounl oJ il: lIis is lo vespond lo ils
iconic Junclion. Al lIe nexl nonenl, as ve vespond lo
lIe indexicaI Junclion, ve na JeeI lIal a painling signi-
Jies lIe Iand lIal nade il, giving us inJovnalion aIoul
lIe pevson vIo nolivaled lIal Iand |SIiJJ i98968).
IndexicaII, Ie suggesls, cIavaclevizes nodevnisn. Fev-
Iaps, lIen, MavsIacI sIouId Ie idenliJied as a nodevn-
isl avl Iislovian. TIis idenliJicalion oJ Iis vovI na
expIain vI Iis vovI Ias allvacled allenlion, Iul il does
nol, oJ couvse, ansvev EIIins's queslions aIoul Iov lo
evaIuale il.
T. J. CLABK
Bepavlnenl oJ Hislov oJ Avl, Univevsil oJ
CaIiJovnia, BevIeIe, CaIiJ. 94720-6020 U.S.A. 30 Ix 95
Tvo connenls on EIIins's exceIIenl avlicIe-lIe Jivsl
JvanII analeuvisI, lIe second a Iil nove JivnI
gvounded
A veadev Jvon lIe Iunanilies inevilaII JaIIs lo von-
deving Iov MavsIacI undevslands lIe veIalions Ielveen
lIe nolalionaI aclivilies Ie is lving lo veconslvucl and
lIose ve caII Ianguage. Having given oneseIJ lIe vegu-
Ialion snacI on lIe vvisl Jov Iogocenlvisn, one sliII
vanls lo Inov In vIal possiIIe vovId oJ FaIeoIilIic
Iunan doings does MavsIacI sel Iis caIendvicaI navI
naIing? UIlinaleI I lIinI lIe ansvevs Ie gives lo lIis
queslion ave gvisl Jov EIIins's niII. Fivsl oJ aII, Ie JveeI
adnils lIal Ie does Iave a specuIalive picluve oJ FaIeo-
IilIic cuIluves and capacilies and lIal lIe picluve in
sone sense dvove Iis inquiv TIese concepls [oJ lIe
pallevn oJ sIiIIs and polenliaIs inlo vIicI nolalion Jils]
ave inpovlanl, Jov lIe veve pavl oJ lIe inluilive insigIls
lIal aIIoved ne lo pvoceed vilI lIe veseavcI |Mav-
sIacI I 972aii8). Bul do nol lIe concepls lIenseIves,
as MavsIacI pvesenls lIen, vun counlev lo Iis eJJovl lo
dvav Jivn Iines Ielveen nolalion, decovalion, and
sign? TIe slviIing Jealuve oJ MavsIacI's specuIalive
FaIeoIilIic-lIe va il diJJevs Jvon pvevious vis-
don-is suveI ils visI lo add inlo lIe picluve oJ Iunan
pvaclice nan nove dinensions lIan Ianguage, looI
naIing, and conlvoI oJ Jive. Language vas an adjuncl
and a pvoducl oJ lIe incveasingI conpIex, videning,
line-Jacloved, line-Jacloving capacil and polenliaI oJ
lIe Ioninine Ivain and ils cuIluve. Connunicalion-
Jov inslance, lIe vange oJ vovds and gesluves lIal Ie
IeIieves cane inlo Ieing lo navI pain, Jeav, Jvuslvalion,
desive, elc.-vesls on a connon avaveness lIal vas
essenliaII line-Jacloved and non-vevIaI, veJevving lo
pvocesses and veIalions vilI a Iavge neasuve oJ eno-
lionaI, IineslIelic, ov ninelic undevslanding. I do nol
see Iov lIis genevaI picluve oJ FaIeoIilIic deveIopnenl
laIIies vilI MavsIacI's eJJovl lo sepavale oul nolalion
Jvon, sa, IineslIelic ov ninelic Iinds oJ navI naI-
ing. Ov al Ieasl lIe genevaI picluve seens lo ne lo sug-
gesl lIe sovl oJ insecuve Ioundavies Ielveen navI-as-
nelonn and navI-as-nelapIov vIicI I laIe EIIins lo
Ie avguing Jov. And in lIe end I do nol JeeI loo aIasIed
al suggesling lIal lIe Ie queslion na venain lIal oJ
vevIaI Ianguage. IJ ve siluale lIe navIings MavsIacI is
descviIing aIvead vilIin sone Iind oJ Iinguislic JieId,
in vIicI a sIiJling Ielveen vegislevs oJ vepvesenlalion
is incveasingI nade possiIIe-a sIiJling Jvon nenov
lo pvediclion lo inJevence lo puncluaI insislence on lIe
pvesenl slale oJ lIings, Ielveen enolionaI, Iines-
lIelic, ov ninelic undevslandings-lIen suveI ouv
vIoIe picluve oJ lIe navI navIev's sense oJ lIe vange
oJ lIings a pallevn oJ navIs nigIl do |nigIl do concuv-
venlI) is luvned in EIIins's diveclion.
I nucI adnive EIIins's pvesenlalion oJ de Man, Iul I
an nol quile suve vIelIev Ie IeIieves lIal de Man Iin-
seIJ vouId Iave cIained lo Ie doing cIose veading. I
douIl lIal Ie vouId. I lIinI Ie sav cIoseness as one
oJ a JaniI oJ levns, vIicI viII nevev go ava in episle-
noIog, lIal visIes ov inagines a JinaI IeveI oJ naleviaI
visiIiIil Jov lIe acl oJ signiJicalion. OlIev sucI levns,
vIicI de Man conJvonls diveclI, aIvas in a sceplicaI
spivil, ave gvannav, inscviplion, seniolic, and
signiJianl/signiJie. As EIIins Inovs veII, lIe nain
dviJl oJ de Man's Ialev vovI is lo avgue againsl lIese
Jovns oJ scienliJic naleviaIisn in Javov oJ a lvuI
necIanislic |and lIeveJove JiguvaI) one. Beading in
de Man's viev is neilIev cIose nov dislanl, ov aIvas
cIose and dislanl, as veII as IilevaI and Jiguvalive, se-
nanlic and vIelovicaI, sunnav and exIauslive, pava-
laclic and peviodic, vigovous and Iaz, connonsensicaI
and Jovced-and aII lIe Iundved olIev nelapIovs vilI
vIicI ve lv, as veadevs, lo gel IoId oJ lIe nolIing ov
evevlIing |lIe unInovaIIe, lIe unjusliJiaIIe) ve do. In
veading veading, sas de Man, ve IooI Jov lIe deIicale
avea vIeve lIe lIenalic, senanlic JieId and lIe vIelovi-
caI slvucluves Iegin lo inlevJeve vilI eacI olIev |de
Man I993200). You couId aInosl pul nolalionaI Jov
'.senanlic Ieve, and decovalive Jov vIelovicaI. AI-
nosl, Iul nol quile, since il is line and again de Man's
cIieJ poinl lIal lIe dislinclion Ielveen lIe decova-
live and lIe ninelic in vIelovic is inpossiIIe lo
dvav. TIis is lIe veaI scandaI Jov cIose veading. TIe
decovalive-neaning lIe neve Jiguve oJ speecI, lIe
204
1
neve lvading on lIe accidenlaI possiIiIilies oJ lIe ne-
diun-is aIso lIe nonenl, in signiJicalion, al vIicI
nolalion Iecones ninesis-onI appavenlI, oJ
couvse, onI deIusiveI, Iul ivvesisliII. And in an case,
lIe IogicaI slalus oJ lIe onIies Ieve is pveciseI vIal
veading puls in douIl. TIe inpIicalions oJ aII lIis Jov
MavsIacI's Ie dislinclions ave oninous. EIIins speIIs
lIen oul vilI a vondevJuI IacI oJ poslnodevn gIoaling.
IAIN BAVIBSON
Bepavlnenl oJ AvcIaeoIog and FaIaeoanlIvopoIog,
Univevsil oJ Nev EngIand, AvnidaIe, N. S. W.,
AuslvaIia |idavidsoOnelz.une.edu.au). 2o x 95
TIis papev seens lo Iave lvo pavls lIal need nol Jil
logelIev a useJuI anaIsis oJ sone oJ MavsIacI's vovI
and an allenpl lo pul lIal anaIsis inlo a lIeovelicaI
JvanevovI oJ olIev avl cvilicisn. I Iave no InovIedge
oJ lIe inlevnaI deIales in avl cvilicisn: n venavIs na
Ieav on lIe lIeovelicaI issue, Iul Jov ne lIe inipovlanl
lIing is lIe evaIualion oJ MavsIacI's vovI.
We ave indeIled lo EIIins Jov Iis sunnav oJ Mav-
sIacI's assevlions aIoul nolalion, vIicI exposes sone
oJ lIe diJJicuIlies in evaIualing Iis descviplions and in-
levpvelalions. TIese diJJicuIlies IigIIigIl lIe inpov-
lance oJ sone JvanevovI Jov dislinguisIing nolalion,
decovalion, uninlenlionaI navIing, and navIing lIal
Ias sone olIev Junclion. As I undevsland il, MavsIacI
vouId Ie conJovlaIIe vilI a cIain lIal nicvoscopic ex-
aninalion is essenliaI Jov eslaIIisIing |i) lIe sequence
oJ navI naIing and |2) lIe use oJ one ov nove looIs
|aIlIougI lIese ave nol lvuI independenl oIsevvalions).
I agvee. WilIoul vIal EIIins is caIIing cIose veading
lIeve can Ie no useJuI oIsevvalions. SucI oIsevvalions
ave JundanenlaI Jov eslaIIisIing inlenl, Iul lIe ave nol
suJJicienl. TIe issue lIal EIIins and olIevs Iave gvap-
pIed vilI is vIal olIev oIsevvalions eslaIIisI inlenl.
WIal is appvopviale cIose veading, Iovevev, is nove
open lo dispule. MavsIacI Ias occasionaII Ieaped
scovn on oIsevvalions lIal do nol devive Jvon lIe use oJ
a nicvoscope, as lIougI oIsevvalions veve sonevIal
Iellev vilI nagniJicalion. Boes lIis nean lIal an eIec-
lvon nicvoscope ieIds Iellev vesuIls lIan an oplicaI
one? I lIinI nol. Hov cIose is cIose enougI seens lo Ie
an issue Iul nol one lIal IeIps us undevsland anlIIing
nove aIoul lIe inpovlance oJ MavsIacI's vovI.
Fivsl and Jovenosl, MavsIacI Ias nade us aII avave
lIal cIose veading is necessav. WIal navIs nean and
vIelIev lIe veve nade inlenlionaII can in sone in-
slances Ie vesoIved I exanining lIe Jovns oJ lIe navIs
and lIe suvJaces lIenseIves. TIus, I Iave avgued lIal
caveJuI exaninalion oJ navIed Iones Jvon BiIzings-
IeIen, FecI de I'Aze, and Haua FleaI sIovs lIal lIe
Iave Ieen gnaved ov IeaviI evoded |pevIaps I slon-
acI acids) ov IolI |Bavidson 1990, 1991).
TIis is visiIIe
vilI eilIev no nagniJicalion ov lIal oJ a Iand Iens, and
lIeveJove cIosev veading is unIiIeI lo veveaI anlIing
aIoul lIeiv neaning. TIese lapIononic civcunslances
seen lo Iave pviovil in an inlevpvelalion oJ lIe speci-
nens, and, as vilI lIe pievced Iones Jvon La Quina
|CIase i990), lIeve is no good case Ieve Jov eavI snIoI-
isn. CIosev veading viII nol gel us cIosev lo undev-
slanding.
MavsIacI Ias aIso nade us avave lIal nolalion na
Ie an inpovlanl issue. I an Jav Jvon lIinIing lIal Ie
Ias eslaIIisIed lIal il vas going on. NevevlIeIess,
sIouId Iis inlevpvelalion Ie covvecl, il is pavl oJ lIe Iis-
lov oJ codiJicalion lIal Iegins vilI Ianguage ovigins
and goes on lo vviling, pvinling, conpulev discs, and
eIeclvonic naiI. BeJove lIe nessage vas cavvied in a cIeJl
slicI, lIe slicI ilseIJ cavvied lIe nessage. Bid nolalion
Iappen as MavsIacI sas, and did lIe nessages Iave
anlIing lo do vilI lIe noon? We na nevev Inov,
Iul lIe ansvev viII suveI cone Jvon Iellev lIinIing
valIev lIan Iellev IooIing, Jvon cIosev avgunenl valIev
lIan cIosev veading.
WHITNEY BAVIS
Bepavlnenl oJ Avl Hislov, NovlIveslevn Univevsil,
Evanslon III. 60208, U.S.A. i6 x 95
Man avcIaeoIogisls and avl Iislovians viII Ie suvpvised
lo Ieav Jvon EIIins lIal MavsIacI's anaIlic nelIods-
MavsIacI's |e.g., I984) usuaI levn Jov Iis pvoceduves-
ave anong lIe nosl caveJuI . . . in aII oJ avcIaeoIog
as veII as in avl Iislov and cvilicisn, visuaI lIeov,
connoisseuvsIip, and consevvalion. B caveJuI anaI-
sis, EIIins seens lo nean vIal Ie goes on lo considev
as cIose veading, lIougI cIeavI lIeve can Ie caveJuI
anaIsis lIal is neilIev cIose nov veading. Bul iJ ve ac-
cepl Iis equalion and Iis sopIislicaled eIaIovalion, lIen
possiII Ie is vigIl. To assess il, ve need videv vievs
oJ IolI MavsIacI's and FauI de Man's vovI lIan lIe
ones EIIins Jvanes.
Anong avcIaeoIogisls, Levis B. BinJovd's scvulin oJ
lIe avcIaeoIogicaI Iandscape lvies lo disenlangIe vIal I
Iave eIsevIeve caIIed noninlenlionaI, zevo-degvee inlen-
lionaI, and vaviaIIe inlenlionaI lvaces |Bavis i992I) in
a sile lIal vas pavlI lvavevsed I Iunan ov Ioninid
aclivil as veII as I naluvaI Jovces and aninaIs. Sone-
lines BinJovd caIIs lIis scvulin veading, as in deci-
pIevnenl |e.g., I983II, I4). UsuaII, Iovevev, Ie vanls
lo laIe a veading, as iJ Jvon a lIevnonelev |e.g.,
I9849). In ils nosl Ivavuva pevJovnance, lIis veading
|e.g., Fveenan, BinJovd, and WIile I 983) is suveI a nove
caveJuI ov cIose Jovensic anaIsis lIan MavsIacI's.
In avl Iislov, Siv JoIn BeazIe's |e.g., I942) discvinina-
lion oJ anaIlic individuaIs |I use lIe slandavd avcIae-
oIogicaI levn [HiII and Ounn I9771) in OveeI vase painl-
ing-acluaI painlevs, lIeiv vovIsIops, elc.-is an equaII
caveJuI and cIose Jovensics. BeazIe's veading is an
individualing lecInique, IiIe discoveving ov idenliJing
lIe voice one vanls lo Ieav in a cvovded, nois voon-
vIelIev ov nol il can, in ilseIJ, Ie undevslood. TIe ac-
luaI IislovicaI vesuIls oJ IolI anaIsls cavv gvealev
veigIl and Iave allvacled gvealev agveenenl lIan Mav-
sIacI's.
WIalevev Ie na sa, MavsIacI adopls neilIev a vig-
I 2o5
ovous evoIulionisn nov a vigovous veJIexoIog. Indeed,
Ie avoids lIen and in sone cases diveclI vioIales lIen,
sucI as vIen Ie inlvoduces a leIeoIogicaI Jovce-a Iu-
nan snIoI-naIing capacil-inlo evoIulion I nal-
uvaI seIeclion. Fov jusl lIis veason, Ie seens lo
vead-lIal is, allenpls lo diagnose |as BinJovd vouId
sa) ov allviIule |as BeazIe vouId sa)-lIe venaining
conponenls oJ lIe gvapIisn, lo Ie pavsed, ve couId pul
il, as eilIev nonadaplive veJIex ov adaplive nonveJIex ov
vIal ve can caII gvapIic JovnaIil. Bepending on IacI-
gvound lIeov, el lo Ie expIicilI idenliJied, eilIev one
oJ lIese eIenenls oJ lIe gvapIisn can Ie laIen as an
index oJ vIal Ias ovdinaviI, and valIev vaviousI, Ieen
caIIed inlenlionaI, neaningJuI, convenlionaI, ov
seniolic navIing iJ lIe gvapIisn is nol veJIexive, il
nusl, so lIe veasoning goes, Ie voIunlav, caIcuIaled,
conscious, ov vIal-Iave-ou: iJ lIe gvapIisn is nol
adaplive, il nusl Ie veJIeclive, snIoIic, aeslIelic, ov
vIal-Iave-ou.
Mosl inpovlanl, Iecause an Jovensic delevninalion
vequives cvilevia Jov pavsing lIe vIoIe novpIoIogicaI
JieId lIvougI line |lIe IoIonovpI) inlo BinJovdian
|adaplive-valionaI), BeazIean |veJIexive-individualed),
MavsIacIian, and possiII olIev donains, lIe gvapIisn
is aIvas an index oJ lIe negalive ov convevse oJ eacI
oJ lIese possiIiIilies. TIevein, as EIIins suggesls in diJ-
Jevenl levns, Iies ils conpIexil and ils cIaIIenge-
cIaIIenge, lIal is, Jov an pavlicuIav discipIine lIal laIes
convenlions ov signs, sa, as supposedI ivveduciIIe
oIjecls oJ slud |as in one conlenpovav vevsion oJ a
seniolicisl avl Iislov). TIe vev idenliJicalion oJ lIe
gvapIisn ilseIJ, Iel aIone ils MavsIacIian veading |ov
BinJovdian diagnosis ov BeazIean allviIulion), is al
slaIe, lIougI ve nusl nol dvanalize lIe inlevesl oJ
lIis Jacl as sucI BinJovd is quile pvepaved lo discovev
lIal lIe gvapIisn is, in Jacl, a naluvaI scav, IIolcI, ov
slain, and Ie opevales a Jovensic anaIsis adequale lo lIe
possiIiIil, and BeazIe iniliaII assunes lIal evev-
lIing is gvapIisn even iJ il is nol |lIeve ave lines, Jov
exanpIe, vIen painlings ave allviIuled on lIe Iasis oJ
lIe pol IveaIs). Al a cevlain poinl, in olIev vovds, ve
Ieave lIe gvapIisn and veluvn lo lIe conlexl lIal sup-
povls and enJoIds il, lIe avliJacl ov lIe sile, vIicI in
ilseIJ cannol Ie vead in MavsIacI's sense. |B lIe
sane loIen, al a cevlain poinl BinJovd Ieaves lIe sile
and veads lIe gvapIisn, vIicI cannol veaII Ie diag-
nosed in Iis sense: BeazIe Ieaves lIe gvapIisn and
veads lIe avliJacl, vIicI cannol veaII Ie allviIuled
in Iis sense.) TIus il nigIl appeav lIal MavsIacI's vovI
is an inlensive inlevvogalion oJ lIe vev possiIiIil oJ
veading, no nallev Iov |ov especiaII vIen) cIose. Bul
so loo, and equaII, is lIe vovI oJ BinJovd ov BeazIe-
Jvon diJJevenl diveclions in lIe expIicalion oJ lIe IoIo-
novpI, lIe naleviaI and lenpovaI conlinuun oJ lIe
sile-assenIIage-avliJacl-navI. IJ cIose veading is in-
possiIIe, I lIe sane loIen so loo ave diagnosis and
allviIulion-al vIalevev scaIe. I do nol lIinI lIe de
Manian doclvine oJ lIe necessav IIindness oJ cIose
veading veaII laIes us vev Jav vilI lIis poinl. Anong
olIev lIings, de Man |e.g., i986) expIicilI Iiniled Iin-
seIJ lo lIe Ipogvannalic |polenliaII veadaIIe) conlexl
oJ lIe inscviplion valIev lIan lIe IoIonovpIic |con-
pIeleI nonveadaIIe) conlexl oJ lIe Ipogvan.
I IeIieve MavsIacI's veadings ave inpovlanl nol Ie-
cause lIe ave |ov ave nol) cIose. In lIeiv evaIualion
oJ aIlevnalive scenavios oJ pvoduclion, docunenlalion oJ
lIe naleviaI venains oJ lIe IpolIelicaI IoIonovpI and
ils Ipogvans |iJ an), Jine-luned allenlion lo lvaces oJ
inscviplionaI aclivil ilseIJ, elc., lIe do nol seen lo
Ie as povevJuI as BinJovd's diagnosis oJ adaplalion ov
BeazIe's allviIulion oJ individualion. Bul none oJ lIis
veaII nallevs-Jov in lIe end il is nol so nucI lIe
slvucluve ov slIe as lIe supposedI suIslanlive oIjecl
oJ MavsIacI's veading lIal counls. OJ couvse, as EIIins
denonslvales, an genevaI pvoIIens oJ veading viII
appI lo MavsIacI's. Bul does lIis leII us nucI aIoul
lIe speciJic conlenl and inleIIigiIiIil oJ MavsIacI's-
as opposed lo an and aII olIev cIose veadevs'-unique
veadevI inlevesl?
Heve ve sIouId vecaII lIal even in lIe JieId oJ pveIis-
lovic avl sludies-ov lIe evoIulionav avcIaeoIog oJ
gvapIic JovnaIil-MavsIacI's cIose veading, even on
ils ovn levns, is nol necessaviI an cIosev lIan lIal,
Jov exanpIe, pioneeved in lIe unjuslI Jovgollen vovI
oJ O-B-M. FIanand, Les pievves ecviles |i92i). FIanand
IilevaII paid nicvoscopic allenlion lo lIe va in vIicI
NovlI AJvican pveIislovic engvavings veve nade, slud-
ing lIe deplI, diveclion, cvoss-seclion, elc., oJ incisions,
exlvacling inJovnalion aIoul lIe slep-I-slep pvoce-
duves and looIs oJ lIe engvavevs. FIanand did nol ne-
cessaviI lIinI Ie vas veading. In Iis inlevesl in
palinalion and supevinposilion, Ie vas cIosev lo Bin-
Jovdian concevns Jov sile Jovnalion and BeazIean
concevns Jov cIvonosociaI allviIulion. Bul nonelIeIess
al sone poinls Ie cIeavI ained lo veconslvucl lIe cogni-
live scIenala and convenlions oJ lIe engvavevs. In FIa-
nand ve can Jind al Ieasl a pvololpe oJ nosl oJ lIe
lecInicaI pvoceduves ov anaIlic nelIods enpIoed
I MavsIacI. TIe queslion, lIen, is nol veaII Iov Mav-
sIacI veads-ov Iov cIoseI-Iul vIal Ie veads so
cIoseI.
WI MavsIacI Ias Iecone a gIoIaII inJIuenliaI
scIoIav in nan discipIines and FIanand venains an oI-
scuve pvaclilionev appIauded onI I Iislovians oJ AJvi-
can vocI avl sludies |see Bavis I990272-74) is nol an
uninlevesling queslion. FIanand's navIings veve in a
sense aIvead veadaIIe Iecause lIe veve undevslood, al
lIe line, lo Ie picluves: aIlIougI one nigIl vondev
vIal lIe picluves snIoIized, lIeiv IegiIiIil as sucI
vas nol in queslion. Hence FIanand couId Ie cvediled
nol vilI a suIslanlive cuIluvaI-IislovicaI discovev Iul
onI vilI a seeningI avcIaeoIogicaI ov lecInicaI
nelIod. MavsIacI's navIings, I conlvasl, veve nol de-
cipIeved ov even undevslood lo Ie veadaIIe. AIlIougI
MavsIacI Ias consislenlI pvoJJeved Iis decipIev-
nenls-Iis veII-Inovn inlevpvelalion oJ Iunav caIen-
davs-as a possiIIe Iul puveI IpolIelicaI expIanalion
Jov lIe veadaIiIil oJ sonelIing eIse lIal Ie Ias suc-
ceeded in veading, lIe excilenenl lIal accvues lo an
decipIevnenl pevIaps ovevsIadoved lIis veading. Mav-
2o6 CUBBENT ANTHBOFOLOOY VoIune 37, NunIev 2, ApviI I996
sIacI is veading veadaIiIil-in lIe sense, Jov exanpIe,
lIal one nigIl successJuII vead lIal a sequence oJ
navIs is in EngIisI ov in a Iinav aIgovilIn and sliII
venain ullevI unaIIe lo vead lIal EngIisI ov lIal aIgo-
vilIn as sucI, excepl I naIing a Iesl guess Jvon
inlevnaI slvucluve |unIiIe CIanpoIIion, vIo decipIeved
Egplian IievogIpIs I lvansIaling IacI lo lIen
Jvon OveeI). To sinpIiJ a Ivain-lvislingI conpIex aJ-
Jaiv, MavsIacI is veading lIe pvesence oJ FaIeoIilIic-ese
vilIoul necessaviI veading vIal il is vviling aIoul.
TIis is veading vviling as an index-gauge oJ veadaIiIil:
MavsIacI is laIing a veading oJ vviling. TIe calcI is
lIal aIlIougI lIeve is aIvas a lenpevaluve lIeve is nol
aIvas a vviling lo Ie laIen in lIis sense. MavsIacI's
nelIod, lIen, is nove IiIe a vealIev IaIIoon lIan a
lIevnonelev: lIe pIenonenon lo Ie neasuved na ov
na nol Ie lIeve depending nol onI on Iov IigI, ov
cIose, lIe IaIIoon gels Iul aIso on lIe vicissiludes oJ lIe
alnospIeve ilseIJ.
AIlIougI EIIins is covvecl lIal MavsIacI naIes
nan assunplions aIoul nolalion, Iis useJuI Iisl oJ
sone oJ lIen-nan ave JaniIiav oulside MavsIacI's
oeuvve-veaII goes lo sIov, iJ ve Iad Jovgollen, lIal
MavsIacI veads jusl, onI, ov essenliaII vIal Ie usu-
aII caIIs lIe line-Jacloved naluve oJ gvapIic JovnaI-
il. I an lenpled lo sa lIal gvapIic JovnaIil is dislin-
guisIed Jvon IolI gvapIic adaplalion and gvapIic
veJIex-cIeavI IolI ave lenpovaI ov in line-I Ieing
line-Jacloved, lIal is, and slviclI speaIing, divided I
line. InpovlanlI, Jacloved division nusl venain Ipo-
gvannalic-a Junclion oJ lIe neaning oJ lIe supevven-
ing ov inlevIeaving inscviplions ov, nove IiIeI, oJ a su-
pevposing nelvic ov scIene-valIev lIan IoIonovpIic,
a Junclion oJ noninlenlionaI deveIopnenls. Undev lIis
slvicl, iJ in pvincipIe JovensicaII delevninaIIe, condi-
lion, JovnaIil is polenliaII veadaIIe as a segnenl oJ a
scIenalisn iJ nol as a passage oJ vviling. Bul Iecause
MavsIacI is veading lIe line-Jacloving oJ inscviplion
|InovaIIe iJ unvead), nol lIe inscviIed neanings as sucI
|veadaIIe Iul unInovn), Ie oJlen conJuses unvav seeI-
evs aJlev acluaI decipIevnenl, vIicI pvopevI venains
IpolIelicaI-a Iesl-Jil pvoposaI-in Iis vovI un-
Iess Ie can depIo independenl |e.g., elInoIislovicaI) ev-
idence. We need JuvlIev discussion oJ aII lIis, oJ couvse.
Il is possiIIe, Jov exanpIe, lIal line-Jacloving is lIe gen-
evaI condilion oJ, and lIus a snonn Jov, vviling and
lo lIal exlenl does nol expIain ils evoIulionav enev-
gence-a cvuciaI pvoIIen Jov BinJovdians.
Nov, il is a conlingenl Jacl oJ nan oJ MavsIacI's
anaIses lIal Ie sludies line-Jacloving I a painslaI-
ing, oJlen nicvoscopic |cIose?) scvulin oJ veguIav in-
levvaIs-nove veguIav, lIal is, lIan cIance vepelilion-
inlvoduced inlo lIe naIing oJ individuaI ov discvele and
oJlen vev lin ov IaveI visiIIe navIs. |InlevvaI is IolI
inscviplive-lIe veguIavil oJ lvacing-and Ipogvan-
nalic-lIe veguIavil oJ spacing. HoIonovpIic inlevvaI
is, Jvon lIe vanlage poinl oJ veading, accidenl.) TIis Jo-
cus, I suspecl, is IavgeI a Junclion oJ lIe ovigin and
deveIopnenl oJ MavsIacI's ovn ideas and inlevesls. Il is
nol a lIeovelicaI vequivenenl, ov Iinil, oJ MavsIacIian
Jovensics. As EIIins suggesls, line-Jacloved JovnaIil
occuvs equaII in, ov as, vIoIe signs ov navI assen-
IIages, in, ov as, vIoIe avliJacls in lIeiv nanuaI Ian-
dIing, as I Iave lvied lo sIov |Bavis i 992a), and in, ov
as, vIoIe siles in lIe sile Jovnalion pvocess, as IeIav-
iovaI avcIaeoIog suggesls |e.g., ScIiJJev I987). Sone oJ
lIese anaIses viII nol Ie especiaII cIose I ovdinav
Iilevav- ov avl-cvilicaI slandavds. Indeed, lIe viII lend
lo Ie vIal is oJlen caIIed |in supposed opposilion lo
cIose) slvucluvaI. In Jacl, cIose veading nigIl Ie
cavvied oul nol lo decipIev neaning al aII Iul onI lo
discovev vIeve nolalion ov navvalive signiJicance, lIe
line-Jacloving oJ gvapIic JovnaIil, Ias Ieen dis-
vupled-disJiguved, as de Man pul il |e.g., i984a)-I
counlev-culling lenpovaIilies, sucI as lIe lenpovaIil
oJ naluvaI seIeclion consideved I BinJovd ov lIe lenpo-
vaIil oJ sociaI idenlil consideved I BeazIe |Jov sucI
an appIicalion oJ cIose veading, see Bavis i992a
2o5-i6).
In aII oJ lIis MavsIacI's appvoacI veconnecls vilI
BinJovd's and BeazIe's. LiIe lIeivs, Iis Jovensics, and
vIalevev Iislov ov veading Ie can exlvacl Jvon il, is
gvounded in a sel oJ vievs-IavgeI inpIicil and as el
unsuIjecled lo anlIvopoIogicaI, Iel aIone ideoIogicaI,
cvilicisn-aIoul vepelilion, veguIavil, vIlIn, peviod-
icil, individualion, conlinualion, sIaving, and connu-
nil in lIe Iunan IiJevovId. TIese vievs genevale, oJ
couvse, suIslanlive sociaI-avcIaeoIogicaI expeclalions
|e.g., lvansindividuaI vepelilion oJ vIlIns and veguIavi-
lies = lvadilion). Bul lIe aIso pvopound a conpIex
poIilics, even an elIics. MavsIacI's gveal vovI, aJlev aII,
addvesses lIe vools oJ civiIizalion: IiIe OonIvicI
|I960), Ie oJJevs a IiIevaI, enIigIlened slov aIoul lIe
acIievenenl oJ neaning in Iunan Iislov-IigII al-
lvaclive, lo Ie suve, Iul IigII cIavged. MavsIacI's
vealIev IaIIoon is senl oul in ovdev lo discovev vIeve
lIe sIies Iave cIeaved, vIeve, Jov exanpIe, lIe cIanging
Jace oJ lIe noon can Ie and Ias Ieen veIiaII and vegu-
IavI oIsevved and vecovded-in olIev vovds, vIeve
veadaIiIil, lIe possiIiIil oJ Iunan connunil and
cuIluve lIvougI line and acvoss space, Ias appeaved.
TIvougIoul, lIe pvoIIen is nol so nucI lIe inpossi-
IiIil oJ cIose veading as lIe inpossiIiIil oJ lvadi-
lion-al Ieasl in MavsIacI's sense: il is nol so nucI
lIal lIe IaIIoon cannol gel cIose enougI as lIal lIe
sI is, vas, and nevev viII Ie cIeav enougI Jov aII oJ us
al lIe sane line.
EIIins invoIes lIe nidcaveev vovI oJ de Man |i.e.,
I979) lo sIov vI MavsIacI's cIose veadings ave, iJ
nol inpossiIIe, al Ieasl deJined and Iiniled I lIe
supposed Jacl lIal veading, vIen il acluaII veads, can-
nol sinuIlaneousI vead-idenliJ and cvilicaII ve-
,JIecl on, Iel aIone dispule ov disavov-ils ovn dis-
lance Jvon lIe oIjecl. TIis condilion viII Ie especiaII
acule in cIose veading Iecause, as EIIins noles, il
cIains lo veduce sucI dislance lo lIe aIsoIule Iinil con-
ceivaIIe al lIal poinl in lIe Iislov oJ veading. Be Man's
genevaI and I nov JaniIiav nolion supposedI appIies
lo veading in genevaI: IiIe conpeling and pevIaps nove
conpeIIing nolions oJ veading |sucI as Isev's [I978] anaI-
sis oJ lIe lexluaI IIanI as il is encounleved and suv-
nounled I lIe acl oJ veading) il appIies, viII-niII,
lo MavsIacI's veadings. Again, Iovevev, does lIis ve-
aII IeIp us gvasp lIe case oJ AIexandev MavsIacI?
Move inlevesling, Jov ne, is lIe possiIiIil lIal Mav-
sIacI's veadings ave exenpIav-Jascinaling and Jvus-
lvaling-Iecause lIe engage an issue lIal de Man looI
up in Iis Ialev vovI. Allenpling lo pvoduce a Iislov oJ
consciousness as a lIeov oJ lIe supposed Jacls oJ vead-
ing Ie Iad eavIiev eIaIovaled, lIis vovI, as Bevvida
|i986) Ias vecognized, vas a cvilicaI veJIeclion on de
Man's ovn eavIiev cvilicaI lIeov oJ veading. EIsevIeve
|Bavis I994: I996 cIap. 8), I laIe de Man's cenlvaI issue
lo Ie lIe vecipvocaI, lvo-va passage Ielveen nalevi-
aIil and neaning, sinuIlaneous iJ diJJevenl dinen-
sions oJ an avliJacl in lIe slvicl sense. |Mallev is in lIvee
dinensions, and neaning occupies lIe one dinension
oJ noninalion and pvedicalion.) In diJJicuIl essas on
HegeI and Kanl, de Man |I983, i984I) consideved lIis
passage lo Ie a pvocess oJ JovnaIizalion in vIicI lIe
second dinension, vIal Ie caIIed JiguvaIil, and lIe
JouvlI, lenpovaIil, eJJecl lIe lvansIalions oJ nodaI-
il. Il seens lo ne lIal MavsIacI-using Iis ovn Ian-
guage, lo Ie suve-inaginaliveI expIoves jusl lIis levvi-
lov, as vilness Iis conlinued enpIasis on navvalive,
JiguvaIil-in-line, ov vIal Ie sonelines caIIs slo-
ving: Jov lIis veason, Ie veaII veads neilIev vviling
nov nonvviling Iul, as I pul il eavIiev, gvapIic JovnaIil
ov, nove exaclI, slov JovnaIizalion. As EIIins noles,
lIeve is a pIace |nove exaclI, a line al a pIace) vIeve
Iexene gives va lo novpIene, cIavaclev lo navI, se-
niolic lo nonseniolic |and vice vevsa): MavsIacI vovIs
ovev and aIong a cusp-de Man sav il as an aIss
Iul Ioped lo Ividge il-Jov vIicI avcIaeoIog and avl
Iislov, calcIing up vilI Iin, need a cvilicaI lIeov
|EIIins IinseIJ [e.g., iggSaI
Ias nade nolaIIe conlviIu-
lions lo il). Since nosl oJ MavsIacI's veadevs vead Iin,
Iovevev, Jvon one ov lIe olIev side oJ lIe aIss, Ie
is vev diJJicuIl Jov lIen lo vead-a pIenonenon EIIins
oIsevves eJJecliveI.
TIeve is nucI lo laIe ava Jvon EIIins's eIeganl pa-
pev. Il is veII vovlI vIiIe, Jov exanpIe, lo IigIIigIl lIe
Willgensleinian queslion and lo vondev vIal counls as
a cvilevion Jov JoIIoving a gvapIic vuIe. |We sIouId
IooI, I lIinI, nol lo lIe vuIedness, vIicI can aIvas
Ie Ienl ov IvoIen, Iul lo lIe acluaI JoIIoving-lIe
lenpovaII deJined ov lenpovav naleviaI ovganiza-
lion oJ vepIicaling navIs vilI lIe appavenl puvpose oJ
vepvoducing cevlain pvopevlies [Bavis I987, i992C]. TIe
Jovensics oJ puvposiveness, as BinJovd vouId insisl, is
diJJevenl Jvon lIe decipIevnenl oJ signs: I vead lIe
cigavelle Iull on lIe gvound lo discovev lIal soneone
vanled lo vail IeJove connilling lIe nuvdev, nol lo
veceive Iis advevlisenenl lIal lIe nuvdevev snoIes.)
And, iJ cIose veading is one's lIing, il is veII vovlI
veading EIIins cIoseI lo delevnine vIal Ie lIinIs lIe
opposile oJ cIose veading nigIl Ie-sonelines il
seens lo Ie Iaz ov naive veading, sonelines vead-
ing oulside a discipIine, sonelines veading Jov slvuc-
luves, sonelines seIJ-veJIexive veading, sonelines
lIe sceplicaI disavovaI oJ veading ilseIJ-and vIelIev
il loo nusl Ie inpossiIIe. IJ, as lIe opposile oJ aII
oJ lIese, cIose veading is IavdvovIing, disiIIusioned,
discipIine-Iound, allenlive lo pIenonena, nonseIJ-
scvulinizing, pvagnalic, I'd valIev see nove lIan Iess oJ
il-inpossiIIil ov nol. Indeed, suveI lIis inpossi-
IiIil is an avliJacl oJ a vunava seIJ-veJIexiveness lo
vIicI EIIins IinseIJ is sonevIal IIind. Bul, as EIIins
Inovs, lIal's ivon.
FBANCESCO B 'EBBICO
UMB 9933 du CNBS, Inslilul du Qualevnaive, Avenue
des FacuIles, 33406 TaIence, Fvance. I7 7 95
EIIins's concepl oJ cIose veading is loo neIuIous lo
pvoduce an insigIlJuI anaIsis oJ lIe vavious pvoceduves
lIal avcIaeoIog uses lo slud oIjecls Iaden vilI nean-
ing in a sociaI conlexl. As anlIvopoIogisls ve adIeve
lo pavadigns, conceive lIeovies, and lesl lIose lIeovies
using lIe anaIlicaI cvilevia and nelIods lIal ve ave
aIIe lo deveIop. CIose veading appeavs lo Ie a pava-
dign lIal EIIins does nol sIave vilI lIe scienliJic con-
nunil. EpislenoIogicaII, vIal nallevs lo us is nol lIe
IeveI oJ oIsevvalion ov Iov caveJuII oIjecls ave sludied
Iul vIal queslions ve asI and vIal inlevpvelive pvinci-
pIes and anaIlicaI neans ve possess lo ansvev lIen.
EIIins's pevspeclive JaIIs oulside lIis conlexl Ie vanls
lo deslvo lIe cuvvenl pavadign oJ avcIaeoIogicaI sci-
ence vilIoul pvoviding a nev one. Since I opevale in
lIe conlexl oJ novnaI science, EIIins's slaled ain, lo
denonslvale lIal lIeve is no sucI lIing as a lvuI cIose
veading, naluvaII seens lo ne an unpvoduclive one.
In lving lo acIieve lIis goaI Ie cIooses an eas lav-
gel. TIe veaInesses oJ MavsIacI's appvoacI ave veII
Inovn, nan oJ lIen pvoIaII lo MavsIacI IinseIJ. I
Iave oJlen poinled oul |I989c, I99I, i992a, I, I994:
d'Evvico and CacIo I994) lIal MavsIacI Ias nevev pvo-
posed a deJinilion oJ sslen oJ nolalion ov lIe olIev
concepls Ie uses. He cIains lIal Ie Ias idenliJied Uppev
FaIeoIilIic sslens oJ nolalion, Iul since Ie Ias nevev
expIained vIal a sslen oJ nolalion is ve do nol Inov
vIal Ie Ias discoveved. TIis does nol nean, Iovevev,
lIal a cIose veading oJ lIe avcIaeoIogicaI vecovd is in-
possiIIe.
TIe queslions vaised I MavsIacI sIouId Ie seen
Jvon a diJJevenl pevspeclive. Hunans ave lIe onI Ieings
capaIIe oJ cvealing avliJiciaI nenov sslens neans oJ
vecovding, sloving, and lvansnilling inJovnalion oulside
oJ lIe pIsicaI Iod. UndevlaIing veseavcI on lIe ovigin
oJ avliJiciaI nenov sslens in lIe FaIeoIilIic vequives,
Jivsl, lIal ve deJine and cIassiJ lIe vavious lpes oJ
sucI sslens, lIal ve undevsland lIe vavious vuIes
vIicI govevn lIeiv codes and lIe vas in vIicI inJov-
nalion is pvocessed. TIis is vIal I an lving lo do vilI
a Iavge nunIev oJ elInogvapIicaII docunenled avliJi-
ciaI nenov sslens |i995). SecondI, ve sIouId veviJ
lIe appIicaIiIil oJ ouv nodeI I deveIoping nelIods
Jov inlevvogaling lIe oIjecls. TIe dislinclion Ielveen
nolalion and decovalion is a cvuciaI issue anaIsis
2o8 CUBBENT ANTHBOFOLOOY VoIune 37, NunIev 2, ApviI I996
oJ nodevn avliJiciaI nenov sslens indicales lIal lIe
lpe oJ code viII delevnine lIe pvoIaIiIil oJ secuve
idenliJicalion oJ avcIaeoIogicaI ones.
Cvilevia Jov idenliJing lpes oJ avliJiciaI nenov ss-
lens sucI as lIose Iased on accunuIalion oJ inJovna-
lion ovev line devive Jvon lIe lecInoIogicaI anaIsis oJ
navIs. WIen navIs ave cvealed I IilIic looIs, a cIange
oJ looI viII pvoIaII laIe pIace IeJove eacI nev slage oJ
navIing iJ lIe peviods sepavaling slages ave veIaliveI
Iong. IJ cIanging lIe looI pvoduces novpIoIogicaI
cIanges visiIIe lo lIe naIed ee, lIese diJJevenl nov-
pIoIogies can Ie inlevpveled as lIe vesuIl oJ lIe cvaJls-
nan's viII. In conlvasl, iJ cIanging lIe looI does nol
pvoduce cIanges in lIe novpIoIog oJ navIs visiIIe lo
lIe naIed ee, lIen il is veasonaIIe lo considev sucI
cIanges as an epipIenonenon and lIe vesuIl oJ lIe accu-
nuIalion oJ navIs ovev line. IsoIaling veIiaIIe cvilevia
Jov idenliJing novpIoIogicaI vavialions pvoduced I
cIanging looIs lIeveJove vequives equipnenl Jov going
Ieond lIe naIed ee's viev and conslilules an inpov-
lanl slep in idenliJing cevlain lpes oJ avliJiciaI nen-
ov sslens. In conlvasl vilI EIIins's avgunenl, lIis
exanpIe naIes evidenl lIe inlevesl oJ a lecInoIogicaI
anaIsis oJ FaIeoIilIic navIs in invesligaling lIeiv pos-
siIIe use as avliJiciaI nenov sslens.
TIe Jivsl slep in lIe anaIsis oJ navIs is lIe idenliJi-
calion oJ lIe lecInicaI pvoceduves used |unidiveclionaI
novenenl oJ a poinl, lo-and-Jvo novenenl oJ a culling
edge, volalion, pvessuve ov indivecl pevcussion oJ a poinl).
Since diJJevenl lecInicaI pvoceduves vesuIl in diJJevenl
lpes oJ navIs |see d'Evvico i995), lIe diagnoslic cvilevia
viII Ie diJJevenl Jov eacI. TIe second slep is Jinding
addilionaI cvilevia Jov delevnining, vilIin eacI lecI-
nique, lIe speciJic causes oJ novpIoIogicaI diJJevences
Ielveen navIs, anong lIen nodiJicalion in lIe ovien-
lalion oJ lIe looI ov oJ lIe oIjecl as veII as cIange,
IveaIage, ov vesIavpening oJ lIe looI.
EIIins is vigIl aIoul lIe veaIness oJ MavsIacI's anaI-
ses |WIile i982: d'Evvico i989I, i992a, I993I, I994).
MavsIacI is aIvas conJidenl oJ Iis aIiIil lo idenliJ
Iunan-nade navIs, lIe va in vIicI lIe veve pvo-
duced, lIe diveclion oJ novenenl, possiIIe cIanges oJ
looI and cIanges oJ ovienlalion oJ lIe oIjecl, lvaces oJ
Iong nanipuIalion oJ lIe oIjecls, and lIe IiIe, Iul Ie
veIies excIusiveI on lIe nicvoscopic oIsevvalion oJ av-
cIaeoIogicaI naleviaI. TIe oIsevvalion oJ a pavlicuIav
novpIoIog does nol, Iovevev, pvovide, in lIe aIsence
oJ expevinenlaI dala, pvooJ lIal lIis novpIoIog is lIe
pvoducl oJ a pavlicuIav looI ov oJ a pavlicuIav lecInicaI
pvoceduve. MavsIacI Ias nevev cIeavI descviIed ov vaIi-
daled I vepIicalive expevinenls lIe diagnoslic cvilevia
Ie uses in Iis nicvoscopic anaIsis, and lIeveJove vIen
Ie idenliJies lIe lecInique used in pvoducing pveIislovic
navIs ve do nol Inov lIe Iasis Jov Iis cIain.
Fassing ne oJJ as a pavlisan oJ lIe use oJ lIe scanning
eIeclvon nicvoscope againsl lIe use oJ oplicaI nicvo-
scope, EIIins, a cvilic oJ MavsIacI, uses lIe sane avgu-
nenls used againsl ne sevevaI lines I MavsIacI |I989,
i992I).
In n veseavcI I use oplicaI nicvoscopes, scan-
ning eIeclvon nicvoscopes, envivonnenlaI scanning
eIeclvon nicvoscopes, inage-anaIsis soJlvave, neasuv-
ing slalions Jov pvoJiIe vecovding and evaIualion, and
nonconlacl lIvee-dinensionaI neasuving sslens. TIe
pvoIIen is nol lIe equipnenl used Jov oIsevvalion Iul
vIelIev an inslvunenl ov a conIinalion oJ diJJevenl in-
slvunenls can IeIp us in veconslvucling pasl Iunan Ie-
Iaviov.
In concIusion, MavsIacI Ias pvovided no lIeov ov
anaIlicaI cvilevia, onI a Iavge anounl oJ vav dala and
slinuIaling, iJ unveviJied, IpolIeses. EIIins, Jov Iis
pavl, denies lIe possiIiIil oJ cavving oul veseavcI in
lIe JieId: Ie Ias a vev veduclive viev oJ lIe voIe oJ lIe
conIined use oJ lIeov, oIsevvalion, and expevinenl in
science. M JeeIing is lIal Iis va viII nol laIe us vev
Jav. An accidenl in lIe Iislov oJ lIe discipIine sIouId
encouvage us lo vovI Iellev, nol lo slop vovIing.
BICHABB OOBBEN
Bepavlnenl oJ Anevican Sludies, Univevsil oJ KeeIe,
KeeIe, SlaJJovdsIive
ST55BO,
EngIand io 7 95
AsIed lo leII lIe slov oJ eavI nan, one seven-eav-oId
vvole, Il vas aI duvI. AnlIing cud 'appen lo an-
lIinI. TIougI sIovl on pvecision, lIe connenl Ias a
IuniIil IacIing in MavsIacI's veading oJ scvalcI pal-
levns on FaIeoIilIic Jvagnenls. I can onI specuIale on
Iov nucI Ias dvopped oJJ lIe edge oJ lIe FaIeoIilIic
vovId-naleviaIs vIicI nigIl, pvesunaII, Iave slood
vilIin anaIogic veacI oJ lIe Iuvin navIs in queslion
nove appvopvialeI lIan lIe pIases oJ lIe noon. EIIins,
Iovevev, is nol pvinaviI concevned lo queslion Mav-
sIacI's IonoIog: Iis is a JovnaIisl's vesponse lo a Jov-
naIisl's anaIsis oJ lexls vIicI, Iecause lIe pvedale
vviling, avilInelic, and agvicuIluve, can Iave no lvace-
aIIe and senanlicizing conlexl oJ use. WIal vesuIls is
lIe Jinesl oJ avgunenls Ielveen pvolo-gvannavians,
luvning on lIe sslen |ov IacI oJ il) anong nolalions
and concIuding vilI an appeaI Jov gvealev vigouv con-
cevning lIe JundanenlaI levns lIvougI vIicI ve de-
scviIe inages. NolIing upsels a JovnaIisl |MavsIacI) as
nucI as a nove scvupuIous JovnaIisl |EIIins).
I pavod EIIins's case lo nivvov Iis nelIod. Mav-
sIacI's nicvoscopicaII cIose veading pvovoIes EIIins
lo go cIosev so lIal Ie na expIove lIe IpolIesis lIal
lecIniques oJ cIose veading |in vIalevev JieId) genevale
neilIev accuvac nov lvulI Iul inslead pvonole nove oJ
lIe sane and consequenlI expose a IoIIovness in lIe
concepl oJ inlevpvelalion ilseIJ. TIe cIain is a IoId one,
Jounded on lIe sIiJl senanlics oJ FauI de Man |ov,
nove pavlicuIavI, on a nodeI oJ neaning devived Jvon
Iis AIIegovies oJ Beading). And il is Ieve, on lIe genevaI-
il oJ EIIins's assevlion concevning inlevpvelalion and
on ils pIiIosopIicaI gvounds, lIal I sIaII Jocus n vesev-
valions.
No snaII pavl oJ lIe Jovce oJ EIIins's genevaI case
slens Jvon lIe nalcI Ie naIes Ielveen Ione Jvagnenl
and pIiIosopIev. Be Man's Iinguislic pavadign Iocales
conlvadiclov inpuIses al lIe slvucluvaI cove oJ lIe sign,
120og
vIicI Ie pevceives as Iaving douIIe and inconpaliIIe
Junclions-sinuIlaneousI Jiguvalive and veJevenliaI.
SpIil, Ianguage pavadignalicaII calcIes ilseIJ oul Ieing
IilevaI al lIe sane line as il is nelapIovic. Fov de Man,
nelapIov is lIe vepvesenlalive Iinguislic lvope, lo Ie de-
Jined as a Jiguve lIal disJiguves, conJevving lIe iIIu-
sion oJ pvopev neaning lo a suspended . . . senanlic
slvucluve |I979I95). WIeve a sign appeavs lo veJev lo
ov lo vepvesenl exlevnaI veaIil |Iogos), il does so onI
Iecause usevs and vecipienls Iave negIecled one side oJ
ils nelapIovicaII IilevaI naluve |Iexis), vilI lIe vesuIl
lIal lIe lvansJovn lIe sign's veJevenliaI indelevnina-
lion inlo a speciJic unil oJ neaning |p. I54). Be
Man's Jondness Jov cIose veading |and Ience Iis al-
lvaclion Jov EIIins) slens Jvon Iis eIevalion oJ lIe Jigu-
valive ovev lIe IilevaI, an eIevalion vIicI exlends lIe
inleviov spaces oJ lIe lexl vIiIe sIvinIing vIal Iies
Ieond. An inpuIse lo luvn oulvavds |and veJev) is,
and sIouId Ie, undevcul I appeaI lo lIe vIelovicaII
conslvucled |and navIed) naluve oJ lIe veJevenl-ov so
lIe slov goes. Fov de Man, lIeve is no oulside, onI
a IinguislicaII dviven and IinguislicaII covvecled in-
puIse lovavds il.
TIe idea lIal lIe oulside is-no nove lIan sone-
lIing vIicI Ianguage is aIoul ov Ias aIoul il nusl gIad-
den lIe Ieavl oJ lIose vIo seeI lo vead scvalcIes on
FaIeoIilIic Iones in lIe naniJesl aIsence oJ lIe FaIeo-
IilIic vovId, Iul il is nol a nolion lo Ie necessaviI and
uncvilicaII genevaIized. Yel EIIins does jusl lIal, al
Ieasl lacilI Iaving incveased lIe avaiIaIIe and possiII
signiJicanl navIs lIal naIe up lIe inleviov oJ Iis
Ione lexls and consequenlI Iaving caIIed inlo queslion
and JuvlIev denaleviaIized MavsIacI's aIvead lenuous
Iunav veJevenl, EIIins cIains lIal MavsIacI, vilI Iis
ee Jov nolalionaI nicel, does vIal ve aII [as cIose
veadevs] sa ve sIouId do in JieIds as divevse as avcIae-
oIog, avl Iislov, and Iilevav cvilicisn. I vouId oIjecl
lIal nan sa and do nolIing oJ lIe sovl. OnI iJ de
Man's accounl oJ lIe pvoIIenalics oJ veading is in sone
sense IolI pevvasive and vigIl can sucI a cIain Ie nade.
CIoseness Jov de Man devives Jvon an epislenoIogicaI
cvisis vIicI veaIens lo IveaIing poinl lIe veIalionsIip
Ielveen lIe sign and lIe veJevenl. Hovevev, veadevs vIo
ave oJ neilIev a seniolic nov a poslslvucluvaIisl pevsua-
sion nigIl posil an indexicaI conneclion vIeve de Man
Jinds unIvidgeaIIe dislance. Fov lIe pscIoanaIlic
cvilic, signs, Iovevev dislovled, venain indexicaII lied
lo a Jounding lvauna vIose Jovce is nade pvesenl
lIvougI lIe signs' senanlic dispIacenenls. Fov lIe Iis-
lovicaI naleviaIisl, lvauna is necessaviI puIIic, Iul il
loo is oulside lIe lexl, exisling Jov lIe veadev in lIe
veIenence vilI vIicI ils conJIicls ave lIvovn Jovvavd
|ov disguised) I lIe Ianguage Jvon vIicI lIe lexl Jovns.
M exanpIes neveI indicale lIal lIeve ave cIasses oJ
veadev unpvepaved lo laIe de Man's ovevl, and EIIins's
inpIied, Iinguislic luvn ava Jvon lIe veJevenl. Fov sucI
veadevs FaIeoIilIic navIs, IacIing an Iul lIe nosl
specuIalive oulside lo vIicI lo veJev, na Ie nallev
Iesl IeJl lo seniolic iIIuninalion. Il is, Iovevev, speciaI
pIeading lo lvansJovn a species oJ cIose veading sans veJ-
evenl, allvaclive lo a Iinguislic pIiIosopIev seni-sans
veJevenl, inlo lIe vev lpe oJ aII cIose veadings.
CLAUBIA BBOBSKY LACOUB
Bepavlnenl oJ Conpavalive Lilevaluve, Fvincelon
Univevsil, Fvincelon, N.J. o8544, U.S.A. 24 x 95
EIIins's caveJuI accounl oJ lIe nolion oJ cIose veading
veIied upon in anlIvopoIog, avl Iislov, and avcIaeoI-
og indicales slvucluvaI conlvadiclions vIicI vendev
cIose veading inpossiIIe IeJove concIuding lIal lIis
inpossiIiIil slens Jvon a queslion oJ conJovl, lIe
evevda desive Jov inlevpvelive dislance. WIiIe cIose
veading, EIIins slales JinaII, Ias lo Ie possiIIe iJ
lIeve is lo Ie sucI a lIing as a lexl, ov an inage, lo
undevsland, il aIso Ias lo Ie inpossiIIe, in ovdev lo
Iel us gel on vilI lIe vague neanings ve aII pveJev.
Fov lIe Jivsl line-JillingI in lIe Iasl Iine oJ Iis essa-
EIIins puls lIe cavl IeJove lIe Iovse, inpIing lIal cIose
veading is unlenaIIe on lIe Iasis oJ jusl lIose Iess pve-
cise veadings il puls inlo queslion. TIis concIusion is as
incongvuous vilI eacI oJ lIe diJJevenl slvands oJ lIe
scvupuIous anaIsis lIal pvecedes il as il is veveIalov oJ
lIe genevaI pvedicanenl engendeved I assiniIaling lIe
nolion oJ veading |vIelIev cIose ov sunnav) di-
veclI lo visuaI avliJacls. Having nade lIal assiniIa-
lion |EIIins speaIs oJ a lexl, ov an inage) vilIoul
|cIoseI) invesligaling ils Iases lo Iegin vilI, one na
aIso decIave il pvaclicaII unvovIaIIe and |sunnaviI)
puII lIe pIug. TIe suvpvising and inpvoIaIIe oulcone
oJ EIIins's anaIsis-FauI de Man nigIl Iave caIIed il
ivonic-na oJJev el anolIev indicalion oJ lIe pvoIIen
oJ veading il vaises and slvives lo addvess.
In cIoosing lo concenlvale on lIe vovI oJ AIexandev
MavsIacI, vilI lIe assislance oJ FauI de Man |and
Henv Slalen on de Man), EIIins indeed goes lo lIe Ieavl
oJ lIis pvoIIen, iJ in vas lIal ave langenliaI lo lIe
anaIsis Ie pvesenls. Fivsl, Ie denonslvales lIal Mav-
sIacI na inaccuvaleI cIavaclevize lIe navIings Ie so
ninuleI vepovls: cIose veading Ieve seens no guavan-
lee againsl nisvepvesenlalion lovavd a speciJic end.
Nexl EIIins vaises lIe nove JovnidaIIe queslion oJ lIe
slalus oJ lIe navIings lIenseIves al vIal size and
in vIal posilion do nicvoscopic navIs cvoss lIe
lIvesIoId sepavaling nolalionaI navIs Jvon signs, and
I vIal cvilevia can ve dislinguisI nolalion Jvon deco-
valion? TIe pvoIIen vilI sucI cIeav-sigIled quevies is
oIvious lo Iin in lun since MavsIacI is anaIzing
navIings Jov vIicI no olIev navIings can sevve as Iis-
lovicaI conlvoI, Iis Iunav lIeov na veII appeav Iuna-
lic, Iul il cannol Ie dispvoved, Jov eacI [oJ a nunIev
oJ cviliques aIoul nelIodoIog and JaIsiJicalion] Ias lo
appeaI lo a pviov sense oJ nolalion.
MavsIacI's cvilics, lIen, vouId Ie deJealed I lIal
vavesl oJ snlIesis lIe conIinalion oJ IislovicaI InovI-
edge |ov ignovance) vilI JovnaI Iogic, an enpivicaI,
valIev lIan neveI deJinilionaI, pelilio pvincipii. None-
lIeIess, as EIIins eIaIovales in a cogenl Iisl oJ sucI in-
slances, Iis cIose veadings can Iead lo a saIulav inves-
2IO
I
ligalion oJ lIe nosl JundanenlaI levns lIal ave used
lo descviIe inages once lIese ave conJvonled vilI lIe
vev speciJic assunplions MavsIacI naIes aIoul lIe
deJining quaIilies oJ nolalion. BeJove discussing Mav-
sIacI's vovI as an exenpIav lesl case Jov lIe conven-
lions oJ descviplive discouvse, EIIins lIen luvns lo lIe
vovI oJ anolIev exenpIav cIose veadev, de Man.
FoIIoving Slalen, EIIins visIes lo naIe lIe poinl
lIal cIose veading nusl aIvas Ie posilioned al sone
one dislance Jvon lIe vovI il veads and lIal an posi-
lion is necessaviI IIind lo ilseIJ, lIal is, lo lIe olIev
veadings ils pavlicuIav cIoseness veiIs. Be Man, EIIins
vecognizes, vas aIvead veII avave oJ lIis and as sIepli-
caI oJ lIe JailI lIal nelIodoIogicaI pvogvess vouId
veIieve lIe pvessuve on veading as oJ a 'naive' veading
oJ Iilevaluve, vIicI undevslands il as a ninelic pvoj-
ecl, lIal is, one vequiving no signiJicanl JovnaI veading
al aII. Nov, lIe essa I de Man vIicI EIIins ciles |Iul
does nol nane) is enlilIed SenioIog and BIelovic,
and lIe nevesl veading oJ lIal lilIe Ivings inlo viev lIe
genevaI pvedicanenl I Iave aIIuded lo aIove. SenioI-
og-vIicI, in lIe couvse oJ lIal essa and lIe covpus
oJ de Man's vvilings, is incveasingI idenliJied vilI
gvannav |see de Man I9796-7)-oJJevs a va oJ un-
devslanding Ianguage accovding lo lIe consislenl IinI
Ielveen sign and neaning lIal opevales vilIin gvan-
nalicaI pallevns |p. 8), vIiIe vIelovic is pveciseI lIe
va in vIicI Ianguage vendevs sucI a IinI inconsislenl.
TIe pvoIIen is lIal gvannalicaI pallevns and vIelovicaI
ones cannol Ie Iepl apavl. Indeed, lIe nigIl Ie idenli-
caI dovn lo lIe Iellev, as de Man pvoceeds lo denon-
slvale lIvougI exanpIes oJ vIelovicaI queslions vaised
equaII I lIe JanousI nundane |AvcIie BunIev vIo,
IiIe us, nigIl IiIe lo gel on vilI vaguev neanings)
and lIe JanousI nslicaI |Yeals's IeaJ and IIos-
son, dancev and dance) vIose inpeccaIIe gvan-
nalicaI Jovn Ieaves lIeiv neaning no Iess in douIl |pp.
9-i2). And lIis pavlicuIav naniJeslalion |nol lIe onI
one Iul, in lIe pvesenl conlexl, an especiaII conspicu-
ous one) oJ lIe pvoIIen oJ lIe JundanenlaII douIIe
slalus oJ Ianguage lo vIicI de Man devoled Iis vovI-
lIe pvoIIen, as de Man JvequenlI pul il, oJ nol Ieing
aIIe lo Inov ov lo vead vIal Ianguage nigIl Ie up lo
|p. i9)-is nol a Junclion oJ lIe dislance Jvon vIicI
one veads, Iov cIose ov Iov Jav |ov Iov Jasl ov Iov
sIov). SpaliaI nelapIovs lIal disguise lIe diJJicuIlies in-
Ievenl in aII veading, lIese levns Junclion nonvIelovi-
caII onI al lIe oplonelvisl's oJJice ov al lIe vIeeI-
vIen vIal one veads is I deJinilion puveI ov
univocaII convenlionaI ov snIoIic, sucI as discon-
necled Iellevs oJ descending size ov lIe nunIev oJ an
appvoacIing exil-ov vIen one veads as MavsIacI
does. In deciding lIal lIe navIs on FaIeoIilIic avliJacls
vovlI consideving ave nolalions and in IinIing lIese no-
lalions lo a speciJic nolive |lIe Iunav lIeov), MavsIacI
Ias cevlainI nade lIese avliJacls IegiIIe. Yel, as EIIins
denonslvales indiveclI, il is nol cIose veading |ov
lIe inpossiIiIil oJ cIose veading) lIal is al issue in
MavsIacI's nelIod decades oJ painslaIing nicvoscopic
veseavcI can and viII pvoduce seIeclive vesuIls. WIal is
al issue is vIal is aIone deened lo Ie neaningJuI and
vIal lIal neaning is, and in lIis MavsIacI is evevlIing
Iul a cIose veadev in lIe sense EIIins associales |aIIeil
inpossiII) vilI de Man. EIIins slales lIal Ie Ias
nol consideved cIose veadings vIose oIjecl is Iinguis-
lic: nov, in discussing cIoseness, is Ie concevned vilI
jusl cIosev IooIs al neaningIess navIs. Yel I assini-
Ialing MavsIacI's IilevaII nicvoscopic vovI lo cIose
veading, I idenliJing cIoseness vilI lIe Jinding oJ
neaning in successiveI snaIIev signiJing
unils-lIal is, I inpIicilI conJIaling inage and
lexl-Ie IolI pvesunes a Iinguislic pavadign and de-
nies il, as vigIlI Ie sIouId. MavsIacI's vigovous nelIod
Jov veading a counlaIIe sequence onils vIal il nusl,
signs, snIoIs, and decovalion-lIe vIelovic,
one couId sa, oJ IislovicaII iIIegiIIe engvavings-as
veII as lIeiv pevnanenlI iIIegiIIe, el vigovousI indis-
linguisIaIIe douIIe, neaningIess navIs. In veading
lIe navIs oJ visuaI avliJacls vIose idenlil, neaning,
and conJiguvalion nusl aII Ie up Jov gvaIs, MavsIacI is
I no neans veading Ianguage, vIose dupIicil ov anIi-
guil oJ neaning avises inslead Jvon lIe Jacl lIal ils
eIenenls and veIalions ave indeed aIvead delevnined
Iul aIvas in one loo nan vas.
MavsIacI is veading inages, and iJ Ie lvanscodes
lIen inlo lIe nosl singIe-ninded oJ neanings
nolalions vecovding lIe pIases oJ lIe noon-and does
so vilIoul veJulalion, il is nol onI Iecause pveIislovic
avliJacls pvecIude aII conpavalive poinls de vepeve Iul
Iecause, vieved vigovousI, sucI Iases Jov conpavison
ave pvecIuded I aII inages and nol onI pveIislovic avli-
Jacls. Jusl as inages, unIiIe Ianguage, vange ninelicaII
Jvon iconic vepvesenlalions lo neaningIess navIs,
MavsIacI's veading oJ inages denonslvales lIe in-
possiIiIil oJ veading inages in Iinguislic levns. Hov-
evev Iong ve na luvn ouv convevsalions invavd so
as lo inlevvogale lIe cenlvaI levns in ouv discouvse
aIoul inages, lIose levns viII nol Ie lIe levns oJ Ian-
guage, and MavsIacI's lvanscoding oJ inage inlo singIe-
ninded nolalions viII nol Ie veJuled. Il is nol lIal Mav-
sIacI veads loo cIoseI Jov conJovl ov nol cIoseI enougI
Iul valIev lIal, Jov lIe sane veasons lIal veading vilI
cevlainl is indeed inpossiIIe on de Man's viev, il is
inpossiIIe lIal MavsIacI vouId indeed Ie veading. To
do so Ie vouId Jivsl Iave lo invenl convenlions concevn-
ing aII lIe navIs-vIelIev vepealed ov nol-lIal Ie
pevceives and, iJ lIal veve nol enougI, invenl lIose con-
venlions douII and al cvoss-puvposes-as gvannalicaI
Jovns, Jov exanpIe, and vIelovicaI deJovnalions, as
seniosis and as lvope. Conpaved vilI lIe inconpavaIIe
ovigin oJ an and evev Ianguage, decades spenl IeJove a
nicvoscope vecovding navIings IacIing dislincl idenlil
and pvecedenl na seen as slvaigIlJovvavd as noling,
sa, lIe pIases oJ lIe noon.
B conJusing vIal MavsIacI does vilI veading, EII-
ins ends up Ieve vilI vIal Ie eIsevIeve allviIules lo
NeIson Ooodnan-a pveciseI avlicuIaled nodeI oJ lIe
conJused densil oJ lIougIl ve Iving lo inages a cIeav
ELKINS TIe InpossiIiIil oJ CIose Beading l 2 I I
veJIeclion oJ sonelIing lIal is oviginaII uncIeav-and
Jov lIal sane veason, as Ie cIeavI vecognizes, a nis-
veading |EIIins I993a 362).
ALE7ANBEB MABSHACK
FeaIod Museun oJ AvcIaeoIog and ElInoIog,
Havvavd Univevsil, CanIvidge, Mass. 02I38, U.S.A.
30 7I 95
Bespile lIe lilIe lo EIIins's essa and Iis caveJuI IogicaI
and pIiIosopIicaI cIose veading oJ n cIose vead-
ings oJ a nunevicaII snaII Iul inpovlanl cIass oJ Up-
pev FaIeoIilIic engvavings,' il is nol lIe pIiIosopIicaI
inpossiIiIil oJ cIose veading lIal is a pvopev suIjecl
Jov discussion Iul lIe IislovicaI naluve oJ cIose veading
and lIe naluve oJ lIe diacIvonic cIanges and deveIop-
nenls lIal occuv in cIose veadings vilIin diJJevenl
veaIns oJ inquiv.
Since lIe invenlion oJ lIe nicvoscope and leIescope
and lIeiv nuIliludinous adjuncl lecInoIogies, il Ias
Ieen an incvease in lIe vange and scaIe oJ cIose veadings
and lIe anaIlicaI dala devived Jvon lIese veadings lIal
Iave, in Iavge neasuve, deJined and descviIed pvogvess
in science. WIal EIIins descviIes, cunuIaliveI, as lIe
inpossiIiIilies oJ cIose veading ave, acluaII, lIe ques-
lions, uncevlainlies, assas, innev discouvses and avgu-
nenls, and lesls lIal acconpan lIe deveIopnenl oJ
an innovalive inquiv. TIese deJine ov descviIe nol
inpossiIiIil Iul, valIev, a seIJ-covvecling pvocess.
TIis is exenpIiJied I EIIins's discussion oJ lIe
Bavna Ovande peIIIe. TIal peIIIe vas puIIisIed in
I972 Iul Iad Ieen exanined in lIe Jivsl das oJ n ve-
seavcI, avound I968. TIe peIIIe vas onilled Jvon lIe
second edilion oJ n IooI |MavsIacI iggiI) Iecause
suIsequenl veseavcI Iad indicaled lIal il did nol con-
Jovn lo an lvadilion ov node oJ Uppev FaIeoIilIic nola-
lion. I expIained lIis lo EIIins and senl Iin lIe i99i
edilion, Iul Ie decided lo Ieep lIe Bavna Ovande peIIIe
as pavl oJ lIe slvucluve oJ Iis avgunenl. TIe cIange in
n assessnenl oJ lIe Bavna Ovande peIIIe vas pavl oJ
lIe novnaI pvocess oJ a deveIoping, seIJ-covvecling in-
quiv. In lIe second edilion oJ Bools oJ CiviIizalion,
inslead oJ lIe Bavna Ovande peIIIe I incIuded, Jov IlaI,
lIe anaIsis oJ an engvaved conposilion conlaining an
inlevlvined accunuIalion oJ sevpenline, nacavoni
noliJs |i99iIio2-5). M ongoing veseavcI Iad Jound
lIal accunuIalions oJ lIis noliJ veve pvesenl in evev
vegion oJ Uppev FaIeoIilIic Euvope, incIuding lIe
Fvanco-CanlaIvian caves. TIougI lIese sevpenline no-
liJs veve nol nolalions, lIe veve uIiquilousI and
appavenlI pevodicaII accunuIaled. TIe na, lIeve-
Jove, Iave Ieen pavl oJ Uppev FaIeoIilIic cuIluvaI, sn-
IoIic lapeslvies lIal incIuded nolalion |MavsIacI I975,
I977, I979a, i99iI, i992, I995c). In pIace oJ lIe discus-
sion oJ lIe Bavna Ovande peIIIe I insevled n anaIsis
i. See n vepovl in lIis issue |MavsIacI igg6I) Jov olIev cIasses
and n cIose veading oJ cave painlings.
oJ lIe Ovolle du Tai nolalion |EIIins's Jigs. 5 and 7), an
anaIsis in no sense Iased on a cIose veading oJ lIe
lpe EIIins descviIes.
TIe Tai conposilion, incised on IolI Jaces oJ a Jvag-
nenl oJ Ione, Iad an inlevnaI conpIexil and, lIeveJove,
anaIlicaI pvoIIens lIal veve gvealev lIan an I Iad el
seen-conpIexilies, in Jacl, lIal couId nol Ie assessed
I nicvoscop. TIis conpIexil vas due nol lo lIe
cvoss-seclionaI dala oJ pavlicuIav navIs ov lo an uncev-
lainl in counling sels and suIsels Iul lo lIe gveal nun-
Iev and vaviel oJ lIe pvoIIen-soIving slvalegies lIal
seened lo Iave Ieen invoIved in slvucluving and accu-
nuIaling lIe conposilion. I puIIisIed a nole slaling
lIal lIe conposilion seened lo Ie nolalionaI Iul lIal
pvopev puIIicalion vouId Iave lo avail JuvlIev slud
|MavsIacI I973). TIal slud looI 2o eavs and invoIved
divecl, JivslIand slud oJ lIe pvoIIen-soIving slvalegies
and lvadilions Jound in lIe nolalionaI sslens and nola-
lionaI avliJacls oJ pveIilevale peopIes in evev pavl oJ lIe
vovId |see MavsIacI I974I, i985a, i988I, iggia).
TIese
veve nol cIose veadings oJ incised cvoss seclions ov oJ
slalic inages Iul cognilive sludies oJ lIe divevse nodes
oJ visuaI pvoIIen soIving devised I diJJevenl cuIluves
Jov encoding, slvucluving, and sequencing a nolalion. In
one inslance a caIendav Ioavd Iad Ieen Iepl I a Maa
sIanan nol I incising Iul vilI cIavcoaI, and so lIe
anaIsis vas conducled I inJvaved pIologvapI. M
anaIsis oJ lIe sequence oJ navIing, vIicI I delevnined
invoIved lIe navIing oJ sIovl suIsels on cevlain das
in ovdev lo IuiId, cunuIaliveI, lIe Iavgev sels oJ a slvuc-
luved nonlI and lo accunuIale, sequenliaII, lIe
nonlIs oJ a cuIluvaI eav, vas conJivned I lIe elI-
nogvapIev vIo Iad coIIecled lIe Ioavd |MavsIacI
I974I). M anaIsis oJ a caIendav slicI Iepl I lIe Ya-
Iul oJ SiIevia veveaIed lIe sane lpe oJ IouslvopIedon
sequencing lIal I Iad Jound on lIe Tai pIaque |MavsIacI
iggia).
TIe sludies aIso invoIved consuIlalion vilI
neuvoscienlisls and cognilive scienlisls, vIo suppovled
IolI lIe node oJ anaIsis and lIe Jindings |MavsIacI
i985I). TIe Tai anaIsis vas nol, lIeveJove, a cIose
veading oJ lIe lpe lIal EIIins inagines.
I Iad Jound in n Iong inquiv lIal nosl oJ lIe nola-
lions in lIe elInogvapIic vecovd conlained, in a singIe
conposilion, diJJevenl Jovns oJ snIoI, sign, and veJev-
ence and invoIved sequences oJ diJJevenl pvoIIen-
soIving slvalegies. ConsequenlI, vIen I veluvned lo lIe
Tai pIaque I sav nol a slalic inage Iul a sequence oJ
pvoIIen-soIving slvalegies al diJJevenl poinls ov posi-
lions in lIe accunuIalion, slvalegies lIal I Iad encoun-
leved and sludied IeJove. I sav lIe vesuIls oJ lIal quav-
lev-cenluv-Iong inquiv. WIen EIIins IooIs al lIe Tai
pIaque, Iovevev, Ie sees a slalic inage, vilI unveIaled
gvoupings al lIe IeJl lIal seen lo occuv as visuaI inlvu-
sions. We Iave, lIen, lvo allenpls al cIose veading
invoIving diJJevenl IeveIs oJ expevience and expevlise.
I descviIe one sel oJ lIe slvalegies Jound on lIe IeJl
side oJ lIe Tai conposilion |EIIins's Jig. 7). Sels oJ
navIs ave engvaved aIove and IeIov lIe conlaining
Iines |C-O) |MavsIacI iggia46, Jig. I7), a pvocess lIal
2I21 CUBBENT ANTHBOFOLOOY VoIune 37, NunIev 2, ApviI I996
occuvs novIeve eIse in lIe Tai conposilion |Jig.
5).
Al
lIe Jav vigIl |Jig. 5), vIen space Jov navIing vas needed
and one oJ lIe incised IovizonlaI conlaining Iines |E) van
inlo lIe IvoIen edge oJ lIe Ione, lIal conlaining Iine
vas exlended dovnvavd, vevlicaII, and conlinued lo Ie
navIed: il lIen ascended lo neel lIe IovizonlaI Iine
|F), vilI lIe ascending vevlicaI aIso Ieing navIed: lIe
navIing lIen conlinued on vov F. Al lIe Jav IeJl, Iov-
evev, lIe pvoIIen oJ inadequale space looI a diJJevenl
Jovn |Jig. 7). TIe snaII navIs incised aIove lIe con-
laining Iines |C-O) Iad Ieen navIed Jivsl, vIiIe lIe
navIs IeIov lIe conlaining Iines Iad appavenlI Ieen
incised Jive lo six nonlIs Ialev in vesponse lo lIe IacI oJ
space cvealed I lIe vevlicaI zigzag |Jig. 5) |see MavsIacI
iggia). In lIis avea lIe uppev and Iovev sels veve Iess
lIan a niIIinelev apavl, el lIe Iad appavenlI Ieen
incised appvoxinaleI IaIJ a eav apavl. Fov lIe engvavev
lIis vas eas lo vead: Jov ne, Iovevev, il Iad posed
a pvoIIen Jov lvo decades. Fov a novice vievev sucI as
EIIins and one unJaniIiav vilI nolalion as a pvoIIen-
soIving node, Jiguves 5
and 7 ave, oJ necessil, pev-
pIexing slalic inages. SigniJicanlI, il vas nol nicvos-
cop lIal Ied lo lIe aIove pvocessuaI delevninalion,
lIougI nicvoscop vas used lo slud lIe cvoss seclions
and lo delevnine vIeve a Iovev navI cvossed a Iovizon-
laI ov cvossed a unil navI on lIe uppev vegislev. TIe
delevninalion vas, essenliaII, cognilive, a vesuIl oJ
Iong eavs oJ inquiv inlo nodes oJ pvoIIen soIving in
nolalion. To vecapiluIale cIose veading I a novice
lends lo see lIe slalic pvinled inage, sludded vilI inex-
pIicaIIe inlvusions: lIe expevl vievev, Iovevev, sees
a sequence and pvocess oJ pvoIIen soIving lIal can onI
IeIong lo nolalion and nol lo decovalion-a pvocess
lIal appavenlI occuvved ovev a signiJicanl peviod oJ
line. Il is, oJ couvse, possiIIe lIal a cIosev veading I
scanning eIeclvon nicvoscop viII aIlev cevlain aspecls
oJ lIe aIove veadings, Iul I douIl lIal il viII cIange a
delevninalion oJ lIe essenliaI pvocess.
Since lIe pvoIIen in cIose veading is nol neveI lIal
oJ cIosev seeing Iul oJ inleIIigenl, expevl seeing, il is
necessav lo addvess a diJJevenl aspecl oJ lIe pvoIIen
lIal EIIins vaises, one lIal concevns nol lIe inpossi-
IiIil oJ cIose veading Iul valIev lIe Iinilalions and
evvovs lIal can occuv in lIe veseavcI oJ lIose vIo cIain
lIal lIe Iave insliluled Jav cIosev and lIeveJove nove
scienliJic Jovns oJ veading Uppev FaIeoIilIic engvav-
ing. Inpvoved lecInoIog and cvilevia, il is cIained,
can I lIenseIves Iving Iellev undevslanding and,
lIeveJove, vaIidale ov invaIidale lIe nolalionaI IpolIe-
sis. TIis na seen lIe convevse oJ lIe pvoIIen vaised
I EIIins, Iul il goes lo lIe essence oJ lIe sane pvoI-
Ien Iov one sees vIal one sees and does nol see
vIal one Ias nol Ieen pvopevI pvepaved lo see.
Fvancesco d'Evvico, seeIing lo lesl and invaIidale lIe
Uppev FaIeoIilIic nolalionaI IpolIesis, used scanning
eIeclvon nicvoscop and expevinenlaI lesls lo delev-
nine lIe naluve oJ incised cvoss seclions and lIe
cIanges lIal occuv lo an engvaving poinl and engvaved
cvoss seclion undev condilions oJ use. He lIen appIied
lIis lecInoIog lo lIe slud oJ a sel oJ i68 incised peI-
IIes Jvon lIe FvencI AziIian |posl-Uppev FaIeoIilIic).
He Jound lIal eacI oJ lIese peIIIes Iad Ieen incised al
one line and vilI a singIe poinl and concIuded Jvon
lIis lIal nolalion did nol exisl in lIe Uppev FaIeoIilIic
|d'Evvico i989I, I994).
He Iad, Iovevev, eIaIovaleI and
exIausliveI sludied a sel oJ peIIIes decovaled vilI
a noliJ. To anone JaniIiav vilI nolalion il vas cIeav
lIal lIese AziIian peIIIes Iad none oJ lIe cIavaclevis-
lics ov cvilevia oJ lIe Uppev FaIeoIilIic nolalions I Iad
puIIisIed. TIeiv pvinav cIavaclevislic Jov anaIsis and
a lesl oJ lIe nolalionaI IpolIesis vas lIal lIe veve
avaiIaIIe, lIe veve engvaved, and lIe conlained sels
oJ navIs. As a vesuIl, lIe cIosesl veading lIal Iad el
Ieen devised Jov sluding engvaving Iad Ied lo a JaIse
concIusion. B'Evvico Iad evved in Iis use oJ a good lecI-
noIog I nol invesligaling lIe vaviaIiIil and conpIex-
il oJ lIe covpus and Iad lIeveJove appIied Iis cIose
veading lo an inappvopviale sanpIe |see MavsIacI
i995 c). SigniJicanlI, lIe one conposilion in Iis sanpIe
lIal vas cIeavI nolalionaI I Iis ovn anaIsis and cvi-
levia |Bo48) |d'Evvico i995), in lIal il Iad an accunuIa-
lion oJ sels lIal Iad Ieen nade I diJJevenl poinls and,
as Ie vvole, vas pvoIaII incised ovev a peviod oJ
line, IeJl Iin puzzIed, and so Ie ignoved il in aII Ialev
puIIicalions, pevsislenlI nainlaining lIal aII Iis
AziIian peIIIes Iad Ieen incised al one line and vilI
one poinl.
I advised d'Evvico in lIis jouvnaI |MavsIacI i989) lo
use Iis lecInoIog lo slud lIe engvaved accunuIalions
Jound in lIe Uppev FaIeoIilIic, usuaII on Jvagnenled
pieces oJ Ione. He did so and Jound lIal nolalion did,
aJlev aII, exisl |d'Evvico and CacIo I994) Iul cIained
lIal il couId nol, despile lIal, Ie Iunav. He Ias, in
Jacl, lvied lo nainlain lIal lIougI lIeve vas nolalion
and il vas incised I diJJevenl poinls, il couId sliII Iave
Ieen incised al one line |d'Evvico I995, Iul see Mav-
sIacI I996a). WIal lpe oJ nolalion, Iovevev, couId
conceivaII Iave Ieen incised al one line duving lIe
Uppev FaIeoIilIic lIal, IiIe lIal Tai nolalion, consisled
oJ a Iineav, sequenliaI, accunuIalion oJ ovev a lIousand
navIs IvoIen dovn inlo sels, suIsels, and supevovdinale
sels? B'Evvico Ias nol allenpled lo addvess lIis pvoI-
Ien. Inslead, Ie nov cIains lIal Ie Ias discoveved lIe
ovigins oJ vviling, Iul lIeve is nolIing in lIe Tai con-
posilion ov in an oJ lIe nolalionaI conposilions lIal
Ie Ias vecenlI sludied lIal in an va neels lIe cvile-
via Jov vviling.
I eavIiev noled lIal lIe nicvoscope and leIescope Iave
IeIped lo deJine and descviIe pvogvess in science. Bul
lecInoIog is nol science, and nicvoscop, no nallev
Iov cIose ov pvecise, does nol aIone and neveI I
ils use pvovide eilIev undevslanding ov InovIedge. An
cIose veading vequives sone IeveI oJ concepluaI pvepa-
valion Jov pvopev inlevpvelalion oJ lIe dala oIlained.
I cIose vilI a discussion oJ sone oJ lIe evvovs nade
I EIIins
i. MavsIacI cIains lIal nolalion is 'inlenlionaI'....
SIopp ov IapIazavd navIings ave nove IiIeI lo Ie dec-
ovalive.... a navIed avliJacl na Ie eilIev decovalive ov
nolalion Iul nol IolI. Nol so. Il is one oJ lIe pvinav
I
2I3
Jindings oJ n veseavcI lIal lIeve ave diJJevenl lpes and
cIasses oJ navIing, incIuding unslvucluved inlenlionaI
Jovns oJ sIopp viluaI navIing lIal seen lo cveale a
vandon neIange oJ navIs and lIe unslvucluved accu-
nuIalion oJ slvucluved noliJs lIal JiII a suvJace.
TIese ave nol decovalive, since lIe veve usuaII nol
inlended Jov dispIa. Il vas lIe acl oJ navIing, nol lIe
design, lIal vas veIevanl. I addvessed conlvasl Ie-
lveen nolalion and decovalion in lIe levns noled
I EIIins Iecause lvadilionaI Uppev FaIeoIilIic avcIae-
oIog Iad Jov nove lIan a cenluv calegovized aInosl
aII navIed avliJacls as decovaled, lIal is, as avl ov
as decovalion |cJ. d'Evvico i992, MavsIacI i992).
In consideving lIe MezIevicI conposilion, Jov in-
slance, il vas nol lIe slalic inage lIal EIIins pvovides
|Jig. 9) lIal vas invoIved in n veading and inlevpvela-
lion oJ lIe conposilion as nolalionaI Iul, valIev, once
again, anaIsis oJ lIe covpus oJ incised naleviaIs and
conposilions Jvon lIe Uppev FaIeoIilIic oJ lIe Bussian
FIain. TIeve vas a lvadilion anong lIese cuIluves oJ
noliJ accunuIalion |see MavsIacI I979a) as veII as ex-
quisile inslances oJ decovaled pevsonaI adovnnenls.
TIe MezIevicI conposilion did nol Jil eilIev oJ lIese
calegovies. Il vas incised on a IvoIen Ialon, and IvoIen
avliJacls vepvesenl one oJ lIe pvinav cIasses oJ nalevi-
aIs upon vIicI nolalion Iul nol decovalion vas oJlen
incised. TIe conposilion vas idiosncvalic. AII decova-
lions oJ lIis peviod veve nade in lIe slIe oJ lIe
peviod and lIe vegion |cJ. lIe Mezin IvaceIels and lIe
decovalions on lIe Mezin Jiguvines). Evev nolalion in
lIe Uppev FaIeoIilIic, Iovevev, diJJevs Jvon evev olIev
and nevev occuvs in lIe slIe oJ exlanl vegionaI deco-
valion. Il vas nol lIe slalic inage lIal EIIins Ias de-
picled lIal I vas veading in lIe MezIevicI anaIsis
Iul aIso lIe conlexl and lIe lvadilion vilIin vIicI il
vas Jound and lIe speciaIized Iod oJ nolalion lo vIicI
il seened lo veJev. Logic, in lIis inslance, is IIind. TIe
slalic inage pvesenled I EIIins is pevpIexing Iecause il
Ias no conlexl.
2. Nolalions ave nade ovev line, vilI neasuved
pauses Ielveen navIs.... navIs nade ovev line ave
IiIeI lo Ie nolalion. Nol so. Il is a najov Jinding oJ
n veseavcI lIal accunuIalions oJ noliJs aIso occuvved
ovev line, IolI on lIe noIiIiav naleviaIs and in lIe
Fvanco-CanlaIvian caves. SucI noliJs couId Ie eilIev
singIe navIs, sels oJ navIs, ov signs sucI as Iand-
pvinls, nacavonis, and lecliJovns. AccunuIalions in
line veve, lIeveJove, nol Iiniled lo
nolalions, vIicI
veve a conpavaliveI vave and exlveneI speciaIized
Jovn oJ accunuIalion.
3. IJ a sel oJ navIs is a
nolalion, evev navI is sig-
niJicanl and nusl Ie counled. Nol so. A pvinav Jind-
ing oJ n veseavcI is lIal, vIiIe evev navI na Ie
signiJicanl, nol evev navI nusl Ie counled. Cueing
navIs pIaced upon a navI na indicale lIe snIoIic,
veJevenliaI inpovlance oJ lIal navI ov lIe inpovlance
oJ lIe posilion oJ lIal navI in an accunuIalion. TIe
navI vouId Ie vead, Iul il vouId nol Ie counled.
4. TIe supposilion is lIal lIe [lIe nolalions] veve
nade IeJove lIeve vas sucI a lIing as counling. Nol
so. TIeve vas cIeavI an aIiIil lo counl snaII sels oJ,
sa, one lo len, Iul lIeve is no evidence oJ a sunning
oJ sels, lIal is, oJ an avilInelicaI sslen. SnaII sels
oJ das couId lIeveJove Ie counled and navIed al one
nonenl, and Iongev peviods oJ oIsevvalion couId Ie
navIed eacI da vilIoul counling. TIis is lIe lpe oJ
oIsevvalion and counling connon in nan nonavilI-
nelicaI caIendavs. TIeve couId Ie a counl oJ lIe nunIev
oJ das Jvon a cvescenl lo a viluaI and a counl oJ lIe
nunIev oJ das Jov a viluaI and el no counl oJ lIe das
in a nonlI ov eav. Becognilion oJ six nonlIs ov
''noons'' vas neveI a counl oJ six, nol a counl oJ lIe
das in six nonlIs.
5. MavsIacI's cenlvaI cIain is lIal nan FaIeoIilIic
navIings . . . ave nolalions vecovding lIe pIases oJ lIe
noon. Nol so. TIe pvinav Jinding oJ n veseavcI vas,
as EIIins vecognizes, lIal lIe Uppev FaIeoIilIic nola-
lions did nol vecovd lIe pIases oJ lIe noon Iul, in-
slead, lIeve vas a lendenc lo Iegin ov end accunuIal-
ing sels ov gvoups oJ sels avound oIsevvalionaI poinls in
lIe Iunav ccIe. Il vas sucI accunuIalions lIal veve
lesled and lIal can Ie lesled in an Iong sequence oJ
sels. As an aslvononev can leII ou, lIis is nol a vecovd-
ing oJ lIe pIases oJ lIe noon, Iul il is lIe va lIal a
nonavilInelicaI Iunav vecovd vouId Ie Iepl. IJ an Uppev
FaIeoIilIic nolalion is vun againsl an aslvononicaII ac-
cuvale Iunav nodeI, noving il Jovvavd one da al a line,
lIeve is usuaII onI one selling oJ lIal JuII sequence
oJ nolalion lIal viII IolI Iegin avound a pIase |a cves-
cenl, invisiIiIil, ov JuII noon) and lIen conlinue Jov
lIe JuII sequence lo nainlain an oIsevvalionaI Iul nol
an avilInelicaI Iunav Jil oJ lIe lpe descviIed. Bave
avliJacls ave oslensiII Iunav on Jivsl oIsevvalion |e.g.,
lIe Oonls ivov, lIe BIancIavd pIaque [MavsIacI
I972a, 199 ]).
6. TIe 'Iunav nodeI' ... sIovs lIe noon's pIases
aIong vilI a possiIIe counl oJ lIe das Ielveen lIen.
Nol so. TIe Iunav nodeI is an accuvale aslvononicaI
slvucluving oJ Iunav peviodicil: il incIudes a zevo da
lIal aIIovs lIe 29'/2-da Iunav nonlI lo Junclion vilIin
a lvo-nonlI 59-da peviod oJ oIsevvalion. TIe nodeI
is adjuslaIIe vilIin lIal Jvane. Il is inlended lo pvovide
nol a possiIIe counl oJ lIe das Ielveen oIsevved
pIases Iul an aslvononicaII covvecl nodeI againsl
vIicI one can posilion a possiIIe sequence oJ naIed-ee
oIsevvalions oJ pIases and peviods. TIe possiIiIilies
lIal veve lesled veve in lIe nolalions, nol in lIe Iunav
nodeI. TIis node oJ lesling vas vepealedI cIecIed
vilI pvaclicing aslvononevs, and lIe vesuIling dala veve
vepealedI pvesenled Jov evaIualion and cvilicisn al
neelings oJ aslvononevs and Jov peev veviev oJ n pa-
pevs in voIunes ediled I aslvononevs. Il vas nevev
JauIled on lIe gvounds vaised I EIIins.
SigniJicanlI, in lIe nolalion Jvon lIe levninaI Uppev
FaIeoIilIic sile oJ Tai lIeve vas a IveaI ov division oJ
Iong Jive-lo-six-nonlI sequences al appavenl soIsliliaI
posilions |MavsIacI iggia). TIe inlevnaI Iunav ap-
pvoxinalions vilIin eacI Jive-lo-six-nonlI peviod
veve, Iovevev, oJ lIe ovdev noled aIove. TIe Ovolle du
Tai is a cave sIeIlev ovevIooIing a junclion oJ vivevs
2I4 CUBBENT ANTHBOFOLOOY VoIune 37, NunIev 2, ApviI I996
and a vide pIain upon vIicI Ievds gvazed and noved
seasonaII, vilI JoolIiIIs IeIind lIe cave lo vIicI ani-
naIs vouId nove in lIe sunnev. TIe end oJ lIe Uppev
FaIeoIilIic vas a peviod oJ incveasing Iong-levn seden-
lisn, and Tai vas a slalionav Iong-levn IaIilalion
Jvon vIicI lo JoIIov lIe vound oJ lIe seasons, lIe
novenenl oJ aninaIs, lIe seasonaI novenenl oJ lIe
sun, and lIe nonlII vaxing and vaning oJ lIe noon.
TIal ovdev oJ sedenlisn vouId occuv Ialev in lIe Jivsl
Javning viIIages oJ lIe MiddIe Easl and evenluaII vesuIl
in lIe inslilulion oJ JovnaI, lenpIe-ancIoved aslvononi-
caI vecovd Ieeping. WIen veading lIe Tai pIaque lIe
oviginaI naIev vas aIso veading lIe veJevenliaI conlexl.
I vas, iniliaII, veading onI lIe pIaque.
7. TIe sIape oJ a navI is genevaII nol signiJi-
canl .... lIe ovienlalion oJ a navI is genevaII nol sig-
niJicanl.... lIe posilion oJ a navI on a suvJace is genev-
aII nol signiJicanl. Nol so. TIe sIape, ovienlalion, and
posilion oJ a navI na, in Jacl, pvovide lIe cvuciaI dis-
cvininalion Jov a pvopev veading. TIis vas indicaled in
n eavI veading oJ lIe Oonls and BIancIavd nolalions
and n nove vecenl veading oJ lIe Tai nolalion.
EIIins Ias vaised and avgued nan oJ lIe cenlvaI pvoI-
Iens and queslions associaled vilI lIe nolalionaI de-
Iale. He Ias done so in a nannev nevev IeJove al-
lenpled, and Ie Ias done so inleIIigenlI and
pevcepliveI in levns oJ Iis ovn pvepavalion and in
levns oJ lIe lexl and inages Ie Iad in Iand. Bul Ie
Ias done so I a use oJ Iogic and pIiIosopIicaI veJevence
and I veJevence lo lIe slalic inage on lIe pvinled page.
He Ias indicaled no InovIedge oJ lIe Uppev FaIeoIilIic
naleviaIs ov lIeiv vaviaIiIil. He Ias nol undevslood lIe
naluve oJ cIose veading as an aspecl oJ ongoing Iislovi-
caI deveIopnenl valIev lIan as pIiIosopIicaI and IogicaI
conslvainl. Nov Ias Ie addvessed lIe genevaI pvoIIen oJ
lIe naluve oJ nolalion as a vaviaIIe Jovn oJ inJovnalion
encoding ov oJ nolalionaI anaIsis as a speciaIized Jovn
oJ inquiv occuvving al diJJevenl IeveIs oJ cIose vead-
ing. NevevlIeIess, il viII IenceJovlI Ie inpossiIIe lo
discuss lIe pvoIIen oJ nolalion ov nolalionaI anaIsis
vilIoul veJevence lo lIe pevpIexil oJ and lIe avgunenls
and pvoIIens vaised I EIIins.2
MABC BEBFIELB
Hunanilies Cenlev, TIe CIavenonl Ovaduale ScIooI,
CIavenonl, CaIiJ. 9I7II, U.S.A. |vedJieInOcgs-edu). I5
7 95
Il is nol oJlen lIal a Iilevav cvilic is asIed lo vespond
lo an avlicIe in CUBBENT ANTHBOFOLOOY vvillen I an
avl Iislovian. Cvedil |ov IIane) Jov lIis anonaIous silua-
lion nusl oJ couvse go lo EIIins's venavIaIIe IveadlI
oJ scIoIavsIip and lIis jouvnaI's capacious undevsland-
ing oJ inleIIecluaI inquiv, Iul il is aIso cIeav lIal cevlain
lIeovelicaI queslions ave conlinuing lo exevl pvessuve on
discipIines in vas lIal cul acvoss discipIinav Iound-
avies. TIe pvoIIen oJ cIose veading can Ie undevslood
2. ? I996 AIexandev MavsIacI.
as JundanenlaI lo an inlevpvelive discouvse, as EIIins
pevsuasiveI sIovs. TIougI nucI couId Ie said aIoul
lIe vas in vIicI lIe vavious discipIines oJ anlIvopoI-
og, avl Iislov, and Iilevav cvilicisn ave nade lo speaI
and inlevacl in EIIins's avlicIe, I sIaII vepeal lIis avli-
cIe's inlevdiscipIinav ganIil and divecl n connenls
as nucI as possiIIe lovavd lIe pavadox oJ cIose veading
pev se.
Tvo lIeses inlevlvine in EIIins's lexl. TIe Jivsl is
lIal cIose veadings Iave lIe povev lo lvansJovn conJi-
denl cvilicisn inlo vooled douIl Iecause lIe casl
ouv sIeplicisn IacI al us, Jovcing us lo conJvonl lIe
uninsuvaIiIil oJ ouv ovn pvesupposilions. TIe second
is lIal an cIose veading can Ie undone I a cIosev
veading: a cIose, ov cIosesl, veading cannol succeed in
evasing signs oJ cIosev neaningJuI veadings |lIal is, nol
jusl cIosev IooIs al neaningIess navIs), and il cannol
JuII undevsland ov exposil ils ovn posilion. TIese lvo
lIeses IolI lvace lIe enevgence oJ veading as a lvan-
scendenlaI pvoIIen oul oJ lIe speciJic vioIence and sluI-
Iovnness oJ a cIose veading, Iul lIe do so Jvon oppo-
sile vanlages Jvon lIe one pevspeclive, lIe cIose veading
deslaIiIizes ouv ovn acl oJ veading: Jvon lIe olIev, ouv
ovn acl oJ veading deslaIiIizes lIe cIose veading. EIIins
undevslandaII IIuvs lIe diJJevence Ielveen lIese lvo
vanlage poinls, since lIe add up lo lIe inpossiIiIil
oJ cIose veading: Iovevev, in doing so Ie visIs un-
devslaling lIe vev diJJicuIl Ie is selling oul lo anaIze.
To sIavpen lIis poinl, Iel ne appeaI lo a consleIIalion
oJ lexls vIicI EIIins invoIes Iul, no douIl Jov pvag-
nalic veasons, veads aIoul as dislanlI as lIe conven-
lions oJ cvilicaI vviling aIIov. WIen Henv Slalen veads
FauI de Man veading NielzscIe's BivlI oJ Tvaged,
Slalen does nol Iegin in conJidenl cvilicisn onI lo
end in vooled douIl. We couId pvoIaII Jind nonenls
oJ Iesilalion ov sIippage in Iis essa iJ ve IooIed Iavd
al il, Iul ils lone, genevaII speaIing, is conJidenl aII
lIe va. IJ in Iis luvn Slalen is dislovling NielzscIe's
lexl, Ie is IIind lo lIis Jacl, and, as EIIins poinls oul,
lIis IIindness enaIIes Iis veading. To vead one nusl
Jovgel lIe vev uncevlainl vIicI veading exacevIales.
An aIss Iies Ielveen EIIins's lvo lIeses lIe sIeplicaI
InovIedge oJ veading's uncevlainl is pveciseI vIal
veading oIIilevales even as il pvoduces lIis InovIedge.
We vilness lIis pavadox in aclion as EIIins sels oul
lo naIe a veading oJ one oJ MavsIacI's veadings lIal
is cIosev lIan Iis ovn veading. TIis pvojecl is nove
conpIicaled lIan il IooIs. One's Jivsl veaclion, indeed,
nigIl Ie lo oIjecl lIal EIIins does nol veaII vead al
aII Ie denonslvales lIal MavsIacI's JovnaIized nola-
lion diJJevs Jvon lIe pIologvapIic inage il vepvesenls,
Iul Ie does nol IinseIJ pvopose an inlevpvelalion oJ
lIese navIs ov signs excepl in ovdev lo dvav allenlion
lo inconsislencies in MavsIacI's appvoacI. EIIins is oJ
couvse seeIing lo vead MavsIacI veading valIev lIan
vead a FaIeoIilIic lexl-Iis oIjecl, one couId sa, is lIe
sIeplicaI InovIedge oJ veading's inpossiIiIil valIev
lIan lIe posilivil oJ a cIosev veading. Yel lIe one can
onI Ie oIlained lIvougI lIe olIev, even lIougI lIe lvo
puII in opposile diveclions: and iJ ve IooI nove cIoseI
|so lo speaI) al EIIins's avgunenl ve oIsevve lIal a cev-
ELKINS TIe InpossiIiIil oJ CIose Beading 2I5
lain veading oJ lIe FaIeoIilIic navIs ov signs is in Jacl
Ieing pevJovned. TIe navIs ov signs ave Ieing vead as
seIJ-idenlicaI enlilies, avaiIaIIe as sucI lo lIe ee,
lIanIs lo lIe ninelic aclivil oJ EIIins's Iand and pen.
IJ MavsIacI assunes lIal navIs nean vIal Ie sas
lIe nean, EIIins dvavs allenlion lo lIe vioIence oJ
MavsIacI's veading I inpIing lIe lvanspavenc oJ Iis
ovn acl oJ vepvesenlalion. Beading nove cIoseI lIan
MavsIacI, Ie eJJaces veading ilseIJ I lvansJovning
veading inlo seeing. Yel onI lIvougI lIis IIindI conJi-
denl cIain lo see is Ie aIIe lo avvive al lIe insigIl lIal
veading vequives IIindness.
TIe diJJevence Ielveen navIs and signs is in one
sense nool, since Jov MavsIacI nolalionaI navIs con-
pose a sign oJ lIe Iunan as lenpovaI seIJ-avaveness
line is Ieve snIoIized, aIslvaclI and cunuIaliveI
|MavsIacI I9729o). TIis snIoI oJ Iunanil is aIso
lIe sign oJ veading's possiIiIil, since lIvougIoul Bools
oJ CiviIizalion MavsIacI Ias cIain lo a cevlain inlu-
ilion, a JeeIing aIoul nan vIicI spuvs and valiJies Iis
inlevpvelive eJJovls |MavsIacI I972I I). His cIose vead-
ings, in olIev vovds, occuv as a cIain lo see. Bepealing
MavsIacI's necessav evvov, EIIins denonslvales lIe iv-
veduciIiIil oJ veading lo seeing onI I conlvadicling
Iis ovn denonslvalion. Il sIouId go vilIoul saing lIal
Ie can IavdI Ie IIaned Jov enacling lIe vev pvedica-
nenl Ie Ias diagnosed.
OOBAN SONESSON
Seninav on CuIluvaI Seniolics, Lund Univevsil,
KvIog. I9, S-222 22 Lund, Sveden
|govan.sonessonOavlnev.Iu.se). I6 x 95
I an convinced lIal lIeve is no sucI lIing as a cIose
veading, iJ lIal neans |as EIIins vouId seen lo inpI)
lIe exIauslive scvulin oJ evev ninule delaiI oJ a pIe-
nonenon. I an aIso convinced, lIanIs lo EIIins, lIal
lIeve is sonelIing ullevI vvong vilI MavsIacI's inlev-
pvelalion oJ pveIislovic avliJacls. Bul il seens lo ne lIal
lIe second Jacl, vIicI concevns one pavlicuIav case, can
Iave no Ieaving on lIe Jivsl, vIicI sIouId Ie lIe vesuIl
oJ epislenoIogicaI considevalions. AIlIougI Ie cIains
olIevvise, EIIins Ias vvillen an essa vIicI couId Ie
vead sinpI as a cvilique oJ MavsIacI's vovI.
I couId naIe a Iong Iisl |Iul lIeve is no space Jov lIal)
oJ lIe poinls on vIicI I agvee vilI EIIins |aIlIougI
I cannol cIain lo possess lIe lIovougI InovIedge oJ
MavsIacI's vovI vIicI Ie appavenlI Ias), Iul I vouId
pul n enpIases eIsevIeve.
LiIe EIIins, I Iave n quavveI vilI OinzIuvg. M
cvilique oJ lIe Iallev vouId Ie nucI nove seveve, Iov-
evev, Iecause I lIinI lIal is lIe Ie lo lIe vIoIe issue.
WIen OinzIuvg pvesenled lIose Jav-JIung pvaclices oJ
inlevpvelalion vIicI EIIins does nol vanl lo caII a
nelIod |cIavaclevislic oJ MoveIIi, Fveud, and, il sIouId
Ie venenIeved, SIevIocI HoInes), Ie looI pains lo dis-
linguisI lIen Jvon Iinguislics, vIicI Ias nanaged lo
avoid lIe quaIilalive, lIal pvine Iazavd oJ lIe Iunani-
lies |i98393). As I Iave sIovn eIsevIeve, lIis cIain
is aIsuvd, Jov, iJ anlIing, vIal slvucluvaIisn |vIicI is
cIeavI lIe Iind oJ Iinguislics Ie is lIinIing aIoul)
IvougIl lo Iinguislics, and Ialev lo seniolics, is pveciseI
a quaIilalive appvoacI. Indeed, pIonoIog, lIe Jivsl oJ
lIe seniolic sciences lo Ie invenled, is dislincl Jvon
pIonelics pveciseI in lIal il is quaIilalive vIeve lIe
Iallev is quanlilalive. FIonelics is aIIe lo neasuve lIe
ninulesl delaiIs oJ lIe conposilion oJ a sound and lIus
capluve ils individuaIil veII Ieond lIe capacilies oJ
lIe Iunan eav. FIonoIog inlvoduces disconlinuilies,
lIal is, quaIilies ov calegovies, in lIe pIaces vIeve lIe
ave pevceived I Iunans, vIicI ave oJlen diJJevenl in
diJJevenl cuIluves |Sonesson i98927, 347).
OinzIuvg's cIain lIal Iinguislics nusl Ie quaIilalive
Iecause il velains onI lIe vepvoduciIIe Jealuves oJ a
lexl sIovs a slvange conceplion oJ quaIil il slands
lo veason lIal eacI oJ lIe vepealed inslances nusl Ie
quanlilaliveI diJJevenl Iul quaIilaliveI idenlicaI. Con-
lvav lo vIal OinzIuvg supposes, lIen, quanlil goes
vilI individuaIil and quaIil vilI lIe genevaI case.
SonelIing vIicI cannol Ie vepealed cannol nean an-
lIing, Jov lIeve is no va in vIicI il couId Ie conveed
Jvon lIe cvealov's nind lo lIal oJ lIe inlevpvelev. Even
SIevIocI HoInes, vIon OinzIuvg enIisls in Iis cause,
acluaII veasoned Jvon one singuIav Jacl lo anolIev I
neans oJ genevaI vuIes laIen Jov gvanled, lIal is, Ie
nade vIal Feivce caIIs aIduclions. His InovIedge,
vIicI Walson Jound so unsslenalic, vas oJ a genevaI
Iind and lIus capaIIe oJ sevving as lIe niddIe levn oJ
lIe aIduclions Ie vas inlevesled in-aII oJ vIicI goes
lo sIov lIal even HoInes |and Iis voIe nodeI, lIe pI-
sician) veIied on genevaI calegovies lo naIe sense oJ nin-
ule delaiIs.
Having devoled a vIoIe IooI |Sonesson i989) lo den-
onslvaling lIe dangevs oJ lIe Iinguislic nodeI in seniol-
ics, I an nol lo Ie suspecled oJ lving lo veduce lIe Iallev
lo lIe Jovnev. Yel I lIinI lIeve is one vespecl in vIicI
lIe Iinguislic anaIog venains vaIid vIicI Ias nol Ieen
given ils due in suggesling vIal Iind oJ science seniol-
ics is and lIus denonslvaling ils oviginaIil as an ap-
pvoacI lo lIe Iunanilies. In one oJ lIe Jev passages
vIicI lIe FvencI slvucluvaIisls veve nol in lIe IaIil oJ
quoling, Saussuve poinled oul lIe diJJicuIl oJ Iinguis-
lics and, as Ie said, lIe olIev senioIogicaI sciences
lIe ave concevned nol vilI naleviaI oIjecls Iul vilI
lIe poinl oJ viev laIen on lIose oIjecls |see Sonesson
i98926). Sound vaves as sucI ave oJ no avaiI in pIonoI-
og, Iul lIeiv neaningJuI divisions ave. AnaIogousI,
picluves, as I Iave sIovn |i989, I994I), cannol Ie puveI
dense sslens, in Ooodnan's sense-lIal is, lIe
cannol Ie conlinuous, in vIicI case lIe vouId nol Ie
picluves oJ anlIing.
An anaIsis oJ MavsIacI's inlevpvelalions cannol con-
Jivn lIis conceplion, Iul il na Ie used lo iIIuslvale il.
WIen MavsIacI naIes Iis cIose veadings Ie gels Iosl
in delaiIs, even laIing lo neasuvenenls oJ vIicI Ie
cannol IinseIJ naIe sense Ialev. TIis Jacl, denon-
slvaled I EIIins lIvougIoul Iis avlicIe, seens lo ne lo
conlvadicl Iis second cIain lIal in cIose veadings |aI-
Ieged ones Iecause ve Iave agveed lIal lIeve ave no veaI
ones) avliJacl and inlevpvelalion ave lIe nosl diJJicuIl lo
sepavale. On lIe conlvav, lIe conlinuilies oJ lIe oI-
216 CUBBENT ANTHBOFOLOOY VoIune 37, NunIev 2, ApviI I996
sevved delaiIs sland oul againsl lIe disconlinuilies oJ
lIe sslen oJ inlevpvelalion. TIeve ave acluaII lvo
pvoIIens Ieve one is lIal MavsIacI cIains lo oIsevve
sonelIing vilIoul lIe aid oJ an scIene oJ inlevpvela-
lion, and lIe olIev is lIal lIe scIene Ie evenluaII
inlvoduces does nol accounl Jov Iis pulalive oIsevva-
lions |ov, oJ couvse, Jov lIe addilionaI ones nade I
EIIins).
In lIe naluvaI sciences, nunIevs Iecone neaningJuI
Iecause lIe ave covveIaled vilI a lIeovelicaI gvid. Fov-
lunaleI, lIis gvid na laIe an Jovn as Iong as il is
coIevenl. In lIe Iunanilies, Iovevev, lIe gvid cannol
Ie avIilvav, Iecause il nusl ninic lIe poinl oJ viev
laIen I lIe usevs lIenseIves. Il is possiIIe lIal Mav-
sIacI's Iunav caIendav is idenlicaI lo lIe pvincipIe oJ
pevlinence used I pveIislovic Iunans, Iovevev in-
pIausiIIe lIal na seen Jvon Iis oIsevvalions. Fvon
lIe poinl oJ viev oJ picloviaI seniolics, von BaniIen's
cIain lIal cevlain pvelecInoIogicaI inages sIov vvisl-
valcIes is nucI Iellev suIslanlialed lIan Anali's inlev-
pvelalion oJ a slicI nan vilI vaised avns as a pvaev
|Sonesson I994a). Bul, oJ couvse, once ve go Ieond lIe
picloviaI inlevpvelalion sslen lo lIe cuIluve as a vIoIe,
von BaniIen's assunplions ave sIovn lo Ie aIsuvd and
lIose oJ Anali a IillIe Iess so. SiniIavI, il is nol Jvon
lIe navIings lIenseIves Iul Jvon a videv conlexl lIal
MavsIacI's caIendav nusl Ie jusliJied.
Il is nol Iecause Ie oIsevves lIen nove cIoseI Iul
Iecause Ie conpaves lIe avliJacls vilI lIe Iunav scIene
lIal EIIins discovevs lIe devialions oJ lIe Jovnev Jvon
lIe Iallev, and il is in lIis ilseIJ devianl sense lIal Ie
na juslI cIain lo naIe an even cIosev veading lIan
MavsIacI. TIis sIovs lIal scIenes oJ inlevpvelalion do
nol necessaviI IIind us lo lIe delaiIs Iul na acluaII
Ie lIe vev inslvunenls vIicI pevnil us lo see lIen
|see Sonesson i995). I Iave used lIis nelIod nseIJ in
cvilicising lIe cIassicaI anaIses oJ picloviaI seniolics
Jvon BavlIes lo FIocI |Sonesson i989). WIal I vegvel is
lIal EIIins does nol lv lo Jind a Iellev Jil Jov lIe devia-
lions vIicI Ie discovevs. Al Ieasl in one oJ lIe possiIIe
inlevpvelalions oJ Iis pIvase, I vouId lIus aIso conlesl
lIe second pavl oJ EIIins's Jivsl cIain il is possiIIe lo
cIoose a dislance cIosev lo lIe avliJacl al viII, and EIIins
IinseIJ does so in noling lIe devialions Jvon Mav-
sIacI's scIene. And il is pveciseI in lIis va lIal ve
naIe pvogvess in inlevpvelalion I cvilicising lIe anaI-
ses nade I olIevs |and I ouvseIves).
I aIso Iave n nisgivings aIoul EIIins's lIivd cIain
il is lo Ie suspecled lIal pulalive cIose veadings viII use
Iasic levns in a cIaolic and conlvadiclov va, vIicI
is exaclI vIal EIIins sIovs MavsIacI lo do. In laIing
a lIeovelicaI slance, il is possiIIe, as I Iave sIovn eIse-
vIeve, lo naIe pevJeclI good sense oJ lIe diJJevence
Ielveen signs and nonseniolic eIenenls, aIlIougI lIe
dislinclion is cevlainI diJJevenl, Jov inslance, in lIe
cases oJ Iinguislic and picloviaI signs. And iJ ve vanl lo
Jind oul lIe diJJevence Ielveen decovalion and nolalion,
il is nucI Iellev lo slavl Jvon a lIeov aIoul lIe naluve
oJ suvJaces, Jov inslance, lIal oJ OiIson, vIicI is exaclI
vIal I Iave lvied lo do in n vovI |see Sonesson I989).
I lIus Jind nseIJ in conpIele disagveenenl vilI EII-
ins's lIeses and in conpIele agveenenl vilI Iis denon-
slvalions.
HENBY STATEN
Bepavlnenl oJ EngIisI, Univevsil oJ UlaI, SaIl LaIe
Cil, UlaI 84II2, U.S.A. i6 7 95
I Jind EIIins's essa lvenendousI slinuIaling Jov lIe
vange oJ inlevpvelive aclivilies Jvon diJJevenl JieIds lIal
Ie Ivings inlo one spavIIing discussion, Jov lIe va Ie
avlicuIales lIe pvoIIenalic cIavaclev oJ lIe allenpl lo
Jix an nolion oJ a cIosesl veading, giving a vaIe-up
caII lo lIe veadev vIo nigIl Iave loo quicII and unve-
JIeclingI sellIed on one sucI nolion, and Jov lIe cIose-
ness oJ Iis inlevvogalion oJ MavsIacI's navIs, nelIod,
and cvilics and Iis aIiIil lo conceive nev vas oJ
lIinIing aIoul lIings lIal seen aIvead sellIed |WI
can'l nolalion Ie lIe novn and decovalion Ie lIe un-
connon counlevexanpIe?). AIove aII, I adnive lIe
va Ie evoIes, lIvougI lIe Jocus on MavsIacI's vovI,
a vivid JeeIing oJ lIe neaningJuI navI al lIe Iinil oJ
vision |nol onI pevsonaI Iul vovId-IislovicaI), lIe navI
Ioveving undecidaII Ielveen neaningIessness and
sense lIal Ias aIvead |Iul jusl) Ieen Iovn. Since I an
nol an anlIvopoIogisl, I can veIisI pveciseI lIe Jacl lIal
MavsIacI's navIs nigIl Ie conslvued as Ieing signiJi-
canl signs and lIen again as nol. WIal I veIisI is nol lIe
undecidaIiIil |an unJovlunaleI JelisIized quaIil in
sone Iilevav lIeov oJ lIe vecenl pasl, lIanIs lo de
Man) Iul lIe speciJic quaIil oJ lIis undecidaIiIil lIal
slinuIales lIe JeeIing oJ lIe neaningJuI navI in ils
cIvsaIis slale, slvuggIing IiIe MicIeIangeIo's sIaves
lo enevge Jvon lIe slone.
Al lIe sane line, I JeeI sone vesevvalions aIoul lIe
va EIIins Ias pul aII lIis logelIev. TIe queslion aIoul
MavsIacI's vovI concevns nosl JundanenlaII nol lIe
pavlicuIav inlevpvelalion oJ Iis puvpovled nolalions Iul
vIelIev lIe ave nolalions al aII. CIose veading as il
is deJined in Iilevav cvilicisn concevns lIe veading oJ
vIal ave unconlvovevsiaII deJined as neaningJuI, inlev-
pvelaIIe lexls. I Jeav lIal lIe use oJ lIe sane levn lo
speaI oJ lIe inauguvaI vecognilion oJ navIs as neaning-
JuI nolalions nigIl Ie sonelIing oJ a nelapIovicaI ex-
lension, one lIal Ieaves ovev nove disanaIog lIan iIIu-
ninalion. TIal EIIins is nol laIing suJJicienl accounl
oJ lIis diJJevence seens lo ne inpIied I Iis use oJ
Willgenslein lo deJend lIe aIsence oJ evidence Jov a no-
lalionaI sslen in lIe FaIeoIilIic avliJacls. Will-
genslein's slovies aIoul lIe cave-nen, EIIins sas,
sIov lIal veguIav aclions need nol JoIIov an veguIav
vuIes, Iul vIal Willgenslein acluaII addvesses in lIe
passage ciled is nol lIe queslion oJ a vuIe Iul oJ vIal
Ie caIIs lIe expvession oJ a vuIe-vIicI appeavs lo
Ieave open lIe possiIiIil lIal lIe cave-nan is JoIIoving
an inpIicil vuIe. Willgenslein lIen aIso sas lIal ve
can see lIe veguIavil vilIoul ouvseIves Ieing aIIe lo
JovnuIale lIe expvession oJ lIe vuIe-an oIscuve oI-
sevvalion since, in lIe exanpIes given, insoJav as lIe
ELKINS TIe InpossiIiIil oJ CIose Beading 2 I7
possess vecognizaIIe veguIavil, il is eas lo JovnuIale
lIe vuIe |lIus a sinpIe add one dol vuIe genevales lIe
second sequence). Willgenslein nigIl nean lIal il is
nol necessav lo Ie aIIe lo JovnuIale lIe vuIe in ovdev
lo vecognize lIe veguIavil, Iul lIal doesn'l nean lIal
il is slvucluvaII inpossiIIe lo JovnuIale lIe vuIe. Il is
lvue, as EIIins vviles, lIal pvivale 'anusenenls' do nol
Iave vuIes in lIe ovdinav sense: Iul iJ lIe veaII ave
pvivale, iJ lIe ave nol slvucluved I a JovnuIalaIIe
code, lIen lIe ave, as Willgenslein consislenlI
IoIds in lIe FIiIosopIicaI Invesligalions, incapaIIe oJ
Ieing inlevpveled ov sIaved.
And el I an lIvovn IacI inlo indecision I lIe sug-
geslion Jov vIicI EIIins naIes voon I lIe |I lIinI,
inaccuvale) veading oJ Willgenslein WI assune lIal
lIe nolalions veve veJevved lo Ialev, ov lIal lIe couId Ie
vead? FevIaps lIese nolalions veve IinaeslIelic lIeiv
neaning ... vas in lIeiv naIing. AII sovls oJ lIougIls
vusI in Ieve I lIinI oJ aclion painling, oJ IvaiIIe:
nosl oJ aII, I JeeI lIe excilenenl oJ lIe possiIiIil oJ
an incvediII inlinale encounlev lIvougI lIese pvivale,
IinaeslIelic navIs-pveciseI Iecause lIe veve pvi-
vale-vilI a Iunan Ieing Jvon FaIeoIilIic lines, Iis
ov Iev pIsicaI vegislvalion |seIeno-seisnogvapIic) oJ lIe
oIsevvalion oJ lIe nigIl sI. Bul is il veaII possiIIe lo
gel inlo lIe Iead oJ an individuaI cave dveIIev in lIis
va? On lIe one Iand ve Iave lIe conpIeleI aIealov
naluve oJ lIe inscviplion, on lIe olIev Iand lIe vasl
sIaved veaIil oJ lIe pIases oJ lIe noon. TIe oIjeclivil
oJ lIe Iallev seens lo vendev inleIIigiIIe lIe possiIiIil
oJ JeeIing ouv va inlo lIe Jovnev. In lIe end, I don'l Jind
lIis possiIiIil inleIIigiIIe aJlev aII: el EIIins opens a
space Jov douIl.
Bul il is jusl Iis aIiIil lo vead in sucI a vesouvceJuI
va-a va lIal opens oul inslead oJ cIosing oJJ possi-
IiIilies-lIal I Jind al odds vilI lIe va Ie sIapes Iis
discussion vilI veJevence lo de Man. TIe dislinclive
cIavaclev oJ de Man's veadings is nol lIeiv cIoseness Iul
lIeiv pvogvannalic cIavaclev. WIal de Man caIIs
vigov is veaII lIe inJIexiIiIil oJ Iis pvogvan, vIicI,
as nunevous cvilics Iave noled, aIvas Jinds vIal il is
IooIing Jov in evev lexl il veads. TIe conpavaIIe lIing
in anlIvopoIog vouId Ie, Jov exanpIe, lIe vesouvceJuI
Fveudian vIo aIvas nanages |I cIosev veading) lo
vediscovev lIe Jovn oJ lIe OedipaI lviangIe IenealI
lIe suvJace diJJevences in sociaI ovganizalion in diJJev-
enl cuIluves. In lIis vespecl, lIeve is indeed an anaIog
Ielveen MavsIacI's and de Man's veadings, Iul il sIovs
nolIing aIoul lIe cIoseness oJ cIose veading: il is onI
lIal ve Iave Ieve lvo vigidI pvogvannalic veadevs.
TIus I Iave lo vejecl lIe concIusion al vIicI EIIins
avvives, lIal an unsuvpassed cIose veading is an aIso-
Iule veJusaI lo negoliale lIe levns oJ veading, vIicI
seens lo ne lo avise Jvon lIe conJIalion oJ lIe nolion
oJ cIose veading vilI lIose oJ pvogvan ov nelIod.
I see no veason lo accepl de Man's cIain, ciled I EIIins,
lIal allenlion lo lIe code oJ Iilevaluve Ias lo acquive
lIe vigov oJ a nelIod-al Ieasl nol in lIe sense in-
lended I de Man. TIe deveIopnenl oJ navvaloIog, po-
elics, and seniolics as anaIlicaI nelIods in Iilevav
slud Iave indeed Ieen essenliaI deveIopnenls, Iul in-
soJav as lIe Iave conJevved gvealev vigov on lIe slud
oJ Iilevaluve lIe Iave done so in a neulvaI JasIion:
lIese nelIods do nol diclale ov pvedicl lIe conlenl oJ
an speciJic veading oJ a speciJic lexl as de Man's Jov-
naIisn does. As evevone loda Inovs, no veading
oJ a lexl-vIelIev oJ a poen, oJ a cuIluve, ov oJ lIe
IooI oJ naluve-is possiIIe vilIoul a pavadign,
lIeov, ov pveundevslanding oJ vIal is lo Ie vead.
Bul lIis necessil is oJ a vev genevaI sovl and does nol
Iicense avIilvav veJusaIs lo negoliale lIe levns oJ vead-
ing.
BAVIB SUMMEBS
McInlive Bepavlnenl oJ Avl, Univevsil oJ Vivginia,
CIavIollesviIIe, Va. 22903, U.S.A. 9 x 95
EIIins Ias used lvo deJinilions oJ cIose veading. TIe
JuIIesl is lIe vigiIanl appIicalion oJ a cenlvaI nelIodoI-
og oJ an discipIine lIal vovIs vilI vIal il laIes lo
Ie a slvucluved 'sslenalic' avliJacl oJ an Iind. TIe
second, slaled in lIe sunnav and inpIicil lIvougIoul,
is sonelIing IiIe vesponsiIIe descviplion pveceding in-
levpvelalion. TIe second is nove genevaI lIan lIe Jivsl,
and IolI, Ie concIudes, ave incoIevenl and al Ieasl slvuc-
luvaII palIoIogicaI. I cannol exanine lIe sevevaI de-
IalaIIe slalenenls aIoul lIe seniolics oJ visuaI inages
lIal ave nade Ieve. In genevaI, Iovevev, I JeeI lIal lIe
adoplion oJ lIe nodeI-uIlinaleI Bevvidean-oJ Iilev-
av Ianguage as vepvesenlalive oJ aII signiJicalion is un-
jusliJied and lIal lIis nodeI cannol Ie appIied vilI lIe
aIsoIuleness EIIins assunes. Il nusl Ie expIained vI
MavsIacI's JundanenlaII indexicaI inJevences ave lo Ie
veduced lo sucI speciaIized Iinguislic levns.
As I undevslood lIe issue, cIose veading vas lIe
ideaI oJ lIe Nev Cvilicisn, vIicI pvevaiIed in lIe aca-
denic slud oJ Iilevaluve IeJove deconslvuclion. Hov-
evev cIose veading nigIl Iave Ieen done I one cvilic
ov anolIev, il vas Iased on lIe assunplion lIal lIe
vovI oJ avl vas aulononous, an inaginalive unil oJ
aeslIelic inlevesl. CIose veading vas veIaled lo nod-
evnisl JovnaIisn in avl and lo JovnaI anaIsis in avl
Iislov and cvilicisn and vas vegavded as lIe appvo-
pviale cvilicaI vesponse lo a vovI oJ avl as a vovI oJ avl.
As lIe nodevnisl conviclion lIal avl is in Jacl aulono-
nous looI IoId, speciaIisls-cvilics-appeaved lo expIi-
cale vovIs oJ avl in lIenseIves |and I veIaled neans
lo lvace an inlevnaI Iislov oJ avl). FauI de Man |lIe
aulIovil in lIis avgunenl) oJJeved anolIev deJinilion oJ
Iilevaluve, vIicI is nol JovnaI expvessive Iul valIev
seniolic. B sepavaling gvannav and vIelovic, de
Man depavled Jvon eavIiev seniolic cvilics and nade lIe
nove Jvon slvucluvaIisn lo poslslvucluvaIisn and
deconslvuclion. Ovannav descviIes conpveIensiIIe
|Iul I no neans unanIiguous) slalenenl: vIelovic
is inIevenlI open, and ils Jiguves and lvopes ave essen-
liaI, de Man suggesls, lo lIe code oJ Iilevaluve. TIe seni-
olic anaIsis oJ Iilevaluve in lIese levns pevnils a Iind
oJ cIose veading, vIicI, Iovevev, inevilaII Ieads lo
2i8
I
apovia, nevev lo lIe unil oJ Jovn and conlenl. In lIe
Jace oJ an inlevpvelalion oJ Iilevaluve lIal cIained lo Ie
exIauslive |slvucluvaIisn), de Man nigIl seen lo Ie
veaJJivning lIe oId consunev-ovienled aeslIelic viev
oJ avl, Kanl's pveconcepluaI IeigIlening oJ ouv inagina-
live JacuIlies. In de Man's levns, Iovevev, lIe vovI is
nevev a snIoI in a Kanlian sense and lIe veading oJ
Iilevaluve as Iilevaluve Ieads nol lo veJevence Iul lo an
anxiel |ov IIiss) oJ ignovance. TIis ignovance is
posilive, and il naIes us avave lIal an nunIev oJ vead-
ings ave possiIIe and lIal an veading lIal pvelends lo
Ie deJinilive is veduclive and vvong-Ieaded. Lilevaluve
is Ianguage aIoul Ianguage lIal naIes us conscious oJ
lIe nonveJevenliaIil oJ Ianguage.
Il is nol eas in n viev lo lvansJev lIe seniolic pvin-
cipIes oJ lIis episode in lIe Iislov oJ Iilevav cvilicisn
lo aII descviplion, expIanalion, and inlevpvelalion in aII
JieIds, unIess one is viIIing |as sone ave) lo sa lIal
descviplion, expIanalion, and inlevpvelalion ave indislin-
guisIaIIe and equivaIenl lo lIe inlevpvelalion oJ Iinguis-
lic signs. TIis vequives denonslvalion. In lIe neanline,
il is cenlvaII inpovlanl lIal de Man is laIIing nol onI
aIoul lexls Ie can vead Iul aIoul canonicaI Iilevaluve
vIen Ie avgues Jov lIe inpossiIiIil oJ cIose veading.
MavsIacI is doing sonelIing vev diJJevenl. TIe in-
pIicil deJinilion oJ avl is nucI Ivoadev and sinpIev. Il is
Iased on indexicaI inJevence. Heve, anong avliJacls
agveed lo Ie FaIaeoIilIic, nade ovev a peviod oJ 25,ooo
eavs, lIeve ave nove ov Iess siniIav conJiguvalions oJ
seviaI navIings. TIe suvJaces and navIings vilI vIicI
Ie is concevned ave ivveguIav, and il nusl Ie supposed
lIal laIuIalion and signiJicalion and lIeiv pvecondilion,
pIanavil, veve Ieing vovIed oul al lIe sane line. Mav-
sIacI seens lo ne lo Iave lIe deepesl vespecl Jov lIe
pveseniolic pvinovdiaIil oJ lIe oIjecls Ie is lving lo
unviddIe. We cannol, Ie sas, assune lIal ve ave deaIing
vilI nunIev sslens, Iul iJ navIs ave Ieing nade sepa-
valeI and in sevies-nol aII al once-lIen il nigIl Ie
supposed lIal line is Ieing Iepl in sone va and lIal
lIis line Ieeping is veIaled lo olIev line-Jacloved ac-
livilies |Iunling, slovleIIing, viluaI, nigvalions).
In gen-
evaI, lIe nunIevs oJ gvouped navIs JaII avound lIe nun-
Ievs oJ Iunav ccIes, iJ nol exaclI. Using lIis JvanevovI
olIev evidence na Ie pvovisionaII ovganized. In lIis
va MavsIacI is aIIe lo oJJev vIal ve Ialev Hono sapi-
ens aIso Jind congeniaI, an aid lo pallevn and pvocess I
slov.
IJ lIe calegovies used in descviplion ave poinled up in
lIe pvaclice oJ descviplion, lIis neans lo ne lIal ve
can Ieavn Jvon lIe pasl and pvovides lIe oppovlunil lo
do Iislov on lvo IeveIs, one invoIving ouv ovn posi-
lion, a cIassic luvn oJ lIe Ievneneulic civcIe. I agvee lIal
calegovies sucI as sign and decovalion sIouId Ie
caveJuII veexanined, aIlIougI il seens cIeav lo ne vI
lIe assune lIe secondav voIe lIe do in MavsIacI's
allenpl lo pvovide an accounl oJ line nolalion. He in
Jacl pvovides nucI naleviaI Jov sucI veexaninalion. In
sIovl, vIiIe cIose veading na Iave passed Jvon cuv-
venc in Iilevav cvilicisn, I cannol see lIal caveJuI de-
scviplion is lIeveJove vendeved IopeIess, inpossiIIe, ov
palIoIogicaI in olIev JIeIds.
BANBALL WHITE
Bepavlnenl oJ AnlIvopoIog, Nev YovI Univevsil,
Nev YovI, N. Y. I0003, U. S.A. i 6 x 9 5
EIIins pvovides us vilI a pvovocalive and inlevesling
case slud oJ vIal Ie descviIes as cIose veading. As in
MavsIacI's vovI ilseIJ, lIe gvealesl inlevesl oJ EIIins's
avlicIe and ils nosl sevious JIav is lIal ils pevspeclive
is dvavn Jvon oulside lIe Iounds oJ anlIvopoIogicaI av-
cIaeoIog. Tvo dinensions oJ an anlIvopoIogicaI pev-
speclive ave aIsenl Jvon MavsIacI's vovI and Jvon
EIIins's cvilique |i) a pvoJound appvecialion Jov cvoss-
cuIluvaI diJJevences in vepvesenlalion |vas oJ seeing and
vas oJ vepvesenling) and |2) lIe nolion oJ diJJevenl Iul
inlevdependenl IeveIs oJ ovganizalion in cuIluvaI pvoduc-
lion, inexlvicaII IinIing so-caIIed inlevnaI anaIsis
|cIose veading) lo oIsevvalions al olIev IeveIs.
TIe vev idea lIal a dislinclion Ielveen nolalion and
decovalion |ov Ielveen decovalion and vepvesenlalion, ov
Ielveen veaIisn and aIslvaclion) Ias an vaIidil oul-
side ouv ovn Weslevn lvadilion Ias Ieen vecognized as
pvoIIenalicaI al Ieasl since Boas's |i955 [I927]1)
Fvini-
live Avl. Man Ialev vovIs in snIoIic anlIvopoIog
Iave pvoIIenalized lIe nolion oJ decovalion, vIiIe
lvadilionaI avl Iislov gIello-ized lIe decovalive
avls, vieving lIen as Iess neaning-Iaden and nove
puveI eslIelic. OJ couvse, lIe nolion oJ lIe puveI
eslIelic, IiIe MavsIacI's Jvequenl and disnissive use oJ
neve decovalion |in conlvadislinclion lo nolalion
ov counling), is genevaII aIsenl Jvon lIe conceplions
oJ anlIvopoIogisls sluding non-Weslevn sslens oJ vep-
vesenlalion. An exceIIenl exanpIe is Munn's |I973)
anaIsis oJ WaIIivi iconogvapI, lIe veaI-vovId veJevenls
oJ vIicI ave invisiIIe lo Weslevn ees. Fav Jvon Ieing
neveI decovalive, WaIIivi signs conslilule a con-
pIex, dnanic, and JIexiIIe Ianguage oJ Jovns |Levoi-
OouvIan I993). TIe poinl is lIal lIe conslvuclion oJ
neaning is vev nucI a cuIluvaI nallev. TIe neIding oJ
convenlionaI looIs and IaIiluaII nenovized gesluves
|WIile I994) inlo lecIniques |Levoi-OouvIan I993) Jov
lIe cvealion oJ neaningJuI Jovns ieIds enovnous ve-
dundanc vilIin an conlexl oJ cuIluvaI pvoduclion. In
snaII-scaIe socielies sucI as lIose oJ lIe Uppev FaIeo-
IilIic, Ieavning conlexls ave pvinaviI ones oJ oIsevva-
lion and enuIalion and cavv lIe Ieav veigIl oJ lvadi-
lion. TIe vesuIl |Jov exanpIe, in MagdaIenian engvaved
aninaIs) is a slvicl gvannav Jov lIe conslvuclion oJ vi-
suaI veaIisn.
IJ lIe conslvuclion oJ neaningJuI Jovns is IavgeI a
cuIluvaI nallev, ve ave conJvonled vilI lIe second di-
nension oJ an anlIvopoIogicaI anaIsis nissing Jvon
MavsIacI's and EIIins's vovI lIe conlexluaIizalion oJ
a given sel oJ Jovns vilI vespecl lo exisling ecoIog,
lecInoIog, sociaI dnanics, Ivoadev vepvesenlalionaI
vepevloives, and IeIieJ sslens. An anlIvopoIogicaI cIose
veading, lIen, is nol neveI a diJJevenl Iul equaI IeveI oJ
anaIsis Iul a sel oJ oIsevvalions al one IeveI oJ Iunan
aclion and ovganizalion lIal nusl Ie inlegvaled inlo and
undevslood in levns oJ olIev IeveIs. WIen MavsIacI dis-
linguisIes naluvaI navIs Jvon Iunan-pvoduced navIs
ov idenliJies navIs nade I diJJevenl looI poinls, nove
2I
19
lIan puve oIsevvalions nusl Ie invoIved. An exlevnaI
undevslanding oJ convenlionaI looIs, lecIniques, and
gesluves, vav naleviaIs, looI IveaIage pallevns, slaIiIil
oJ vovIing suvJaces, and spaliaI slvalegies Jov engvaving
is vequived. TIeve can Ie no sucI lIing as inlevnaI anaI-
sis vilIoul a lIovougI undevslanding oJ sucI IigIev-
IeveI vaviaIIes, and, so Jav as I Inov, InovIedge oJ sucI
donains cannol Ie gained vilIoul expevinenlaI ve-
seavcI |O'FavveII and WIile i995) designed lo cveale
Ividging lIeov Ielveen oIsevvalions and inlevpvela-
lions |Jig. i).
An expevinenlaI IaseIine is vepIaced in MavsIacI's
vovI I a JailI in lIe puvil oJ oIsevvalion. Fov Iin lIe
pvocesses I vIicI navIs veve cvealed ave seIJ-evidenl.
As an aIlevnalive veseavcI design lo enuIale, I encouv-
age CA veadevs lo exanine lIe covpus oJ cIose vead-
ings pvoduced ovev a 2o-eav peviod I lIe Iale Leon
FaIes |1 969, I 976, I 98 I, I 989). FaIes's vovI is cIavaclev-
ized I |i) openness lo aIlevnalive veadings, |2) expevi-
nenlaI ingenuil, |3) conlexluaIizalion oJ oIsevvalions
vilI vespecl lo vaviaIIes sucI as slone lecInoIog, av-
cIaeoIogicaI cIvonoIog, aninaI analon, and elIoIog,
|4) nelIodoIogicaI innovalion |e.g., posilive cIa inpves-
sions oJ engvaved suvJaces), and
|5) vepvesenlalionaI vigov
|conposile vendevings conIining diJJevenliaII Iil vievs
oJ engvaved suvJaces). TIe Jacl lIal FaIes's exlvaovdinav
veseavcI is pvesenled vilI exlvene nodesl and puI-
IisIed in FvencI sIouId nol pvevenl AngIopIone scIoI-
avs Jvon vecognizing ils nevils.
TIe pvesunplion oJ oIsevvalionaI puvil is Iullvessed
in MavsIacI's vovI I Iis conveing oJ lIe inpvession
lIal a pIolonicvogvapI is vepvesenlalionaII puve. We
ave Ied lo IeIieve lIal MavsIacI's pIolos ave indispul-
aIIe depiclions oJ veaIil vIen in Jacl lIe ave visuaI
avgunenls vIicI can Ie counleved I olIev visuaI
avgunenls. OIjecls ave Iil, nagniJied, pIologvapIed,
cvopped, pIologvapIicaII enIavged, caplioned, and ac-
conpanied I lexl in suppovl oJ lIe posilion Ieing advo
41
FIO. i. HigII uniJovn navIs lIal inilale aInosl
pveciseI lIe sIape oJ lIe looI poinl |x i6) cvealed
expevinenlaII I indivecl pevcussion. TIis lpe oJ
punclalion vepIicales lIose on sone pieces Jvon lIe
MagdaIenian, sucI as lIe IeaviI engvaved Ione Jvon
La MavcIe |pIolo B. WIile).
caled. TIis is nol in an va lo suggesl puvposeJuI
sIeigIl-oJ-Iand on MavsIacI's pavl Iul valIev lo poinl
oul lIal Iis inlevpvelive agenda Ieads Iin lo see one
oJ nunevous possiIIe pallevns in a Iind oJ oplicaI and
cognilive seIeclivil. FveJevenliaI IigIling is a veveaIing
exanpIe. TIeve ave sevevaI inslances in MavsIacI's
vovI |O'FavveII and WIile i
995)
in vIicI unidiveclionaI
sIin-IigIling Ias Ieen enpIoed, lIe sIadoved delaiI
lIen sevving as a Iasis Jov descviplion and conpavison.
SevevaI engvaved navIs on lIe Janous BIancIavd pIaque
and olIev siniIav pieces Jvon lIe sane sile appeav lo
Ie cvescenl-sIaped in MavsIacI's pIologvapIs and ave
pvesenled as sucI in acconpaning descviplions and
dvavings. Hovevev, on cIose nicvoscopic inspeclion and
undev aIlevnalive IigIling |Jig. 2) lIese oJlen luvn oul lo
Ie civcuIav navIs one vaII oJ vIicI casls a cvescenl-
sIaped sIadov.
In vIal I laIe lo Ie MavsIacI's nislaIen quesl Jov
inlevnaI anaIsis, avcIaeoIogicaI conlexl oJlen Iecones
ivveIevanl. Fov exanpIe, lIe BIancIavd pIaque, vIicI
O'FavveII and I |i995) Iave sludied Jvon lIe pevspeclive
oJ expevinenlaI lecInoIog, is Iul one oJ aIoul i
5 punc-
laled Ione, anlIev, and ivov oIjecls Jvon lIe Auvigna-
cian i oJ soulIveslevn Fvance. Six oJ lIese ave JacsiniIes
oJ seasIeIIs in ivov on vIicI Iineav avvangenenls oJ
punclalions, execuled in pveciseI lIe sane va as on
lIe BIancIavd pIaque, appeav lo vepvesenl lIe naluvaI
pallevned suvJace oJ lIe sIeII. Moveovev, nosl Auvigna-
cian engvavings on Iineslone, Jev oJ vIicI ave idenli-
JiaIIe as lo suIjecl, ave in Jacl Iineav sequences oJ punc-
lalions, nol sIavpI engvaved Iines. WIal, lIen, naIes
one Iineav sequence oJ navIs pevcepliIIe as a Iine ov
pallevn Iaving vepvesenlalionaI polenliaI and anolIev
sucI sequence pevcepliIIe as caIendvic nolalion? SucI
queslions ave posed I a cvilicaI exaninalion oJ Mav-
sIacI's vovI Iul ave aInosl nevev expIicilI vaised I
MavsIacI IinseIJ.
s
FIO. 2. BiJJevences in punclalion novpIoIog can Ie
cvealed I cIanging lIe diveclion, angIe, and
inlensil oJ lIe IigIl souvce. CivcuIav punclalions ave
nade lo appeav cvescenl-sIaped in lIis
pIolonicvogvapI oJ a segnenl oJ lIe BIancIavd
pIaque |cJ. MavsIacI's [I99I46-48] pIolonicvogvapI
and acconpaning dvavings) |pIolo B. WIile).
2201
In lIe end, vIo can avgue vilI lIe Jacl lIal MavsIacI
Ias Jovced us lo exanine lIe vecovd oJ FaIeoIilIic avl al
a vev diJJevenl scaIe? Moveovev, vIo can avgue vilI
MavsIacI's jouvnaIislic and pIologvapIic sIiII in lexlu-
aII and visuaII vepvesenling Iis posilion? I nusl adnil
lIal, as a sopIonove sone 24 eavs ago, I vas genuineI
exciled I and allvacled lo FaIeoIilIic snIoIisn I
MavsIacI's sIiII as a science vvilev. Bul in n opinion
Iis anlIvopoIogicaI conlviIulions Iave Ieen nucI ovev-
slaled, especiaII I lIose quoled in lIe pveanIIe lo lIe
pvesenl papev, and I lIinI lIal EIIins is ovevI genevous
Ieve in conJusing lIe advances lIal Iave vesuIled Jvon
vavious pvoIing cviliques oJ MavsIacI's vovI |d'Evvico
I994, CIoIIol-Vavagnac I980, O'FavveII and WIile I995)
vilI lIe veIaliveI nodesl lIeovelicaI and nelIodoIogi-
caI conlviIulions oJ lIe vovI ilseIJ.
BepI
JAMES ELKINS
CIicago, III., U.S.A. 30 7I 95
In lIe nonlIs since I vvole lIe essa, I Iave Iad lIe
IeneJil oJ sevevaI convevsalions aIoul CavIo OinzIuvg's
essa on cIues and IislovicaI nelIod |OinzIuvg I980),
vIicI conlinues lo Ie lIe Iocus cIassicus Jov discus-
sions oJ cIose veading. Il nov seens lo ne even nove
JvagiIe lIan il did lIen, and I douIl lIal il can sevve as
a slaIIe slavling-poinl Jov discussions aIoul evidence,
nelIod, cIues, ov cIose veading. In one lpicaI Iul leIIing
exanpIe, OinzIuvg enIisls Mesopolanian divinalion us-
ing sIeep Iivevs as an exanpIe oJ Iovev ov enpivicaI
nelIods, Iul sucI divinalion vas a IigII sslenalic,
napIiIe pvaclice conpIele vilI diagvans, cIa nodeIs,
and slvongI aIslvacled geonelvic scIenala. In sIovl,
il Iad aII lIe cIavaclevislics oJ lIe opposing IigIev,
scienliJic nelIod. WIalevev lIe Iovev nelIod is, il
does nol seen lo Ie a nelIod, and I Iave Iegun lo douIl
lIal il is a singIe pvaclice in an useJuI sense.
I sa lIis al lIe oulsel I va oJ an ansvev lo Baxan-
daII's IeauliJuII pIvased vepI, in vIicI Ie poinls oul
lIal cIose veading in lIe sense I enpIo il is lvuI palIo-
IogicaI and JaiIs lo covvespond lo an acluaI IooIing. I
couId nol agvee nove IooIing-and even IooIing lIal is
delevninedI delaiIed, vigiIanl, ov olIevvise cIose -is
nucI Iess pvediclaIIe and uniJovn lIan vIal I Iave de-
scviIed. Il vouId Ie inlevesling lo lv lo give a pIenone-
noIogicaI accounl oJ an exlended and successJuI acl oJ
cIose veading, in ovdev lo sa vIal veaII Iappens IeJove
avl Iislovians ov avcIaeoIogisls issue lIeiv appavenlI
sslenalic and seIJ-consislenl vesuIls. CevlainI il
vouId IooI nolIing IiIe MavsIacI's nicvoscopic Jovas.
I aIso sIave BaxandaII's inlevesl in WiIIian Enpson,
vIose vovI I lIinI is a nodeI oJ cIose veading in lIis
nove veaIislic sense |even iJ Ie is oJlen pvelevnaluvaII
enevgelic in Iis allenpls lo gel al evev Iasl sIved oJ
anIiguil). Bul il is vovlI saing lIal lIe pIvase cIose
veading in n essa is pvinaviI inlended nol as a pIau-
siIIe nodeI oJ ovdinav, ov even exenpIav, IooIing Iul
as a
case
vIose
exlvenil
iIIuninales a connon un-
exanined ideaI in nan encounlevs vilI visuaI avli-
Jacls. Il's nol so nucI a Iind oJ veading |lIougI il sone-
lines sevves as a Ieuvislic Ieginning Jov veading, ov a
cIecI on veading) as an exlvene slale al lIe Iovdevs oJ
veading. TIal is aIso vI I did nol enpIasize lIal de
Man's veadings ave vigidI pvogvannalic |as Slalen
sas) and lIeveJove inappIicaIIe lo nove novnaI veading.
Il's lIe ideaI lIal is al issue. We aII visI, I lIinI, lo Ie
aIIe lo see and descviIe as JuII as MavsIacI and vilI
lIe sane pievcing allenlion and unliving concenlva-
lion-vilIoul Inoving quile vIal lIal enlaiIs, and
vilIoul vanling il singIe-nindedI enougI acluaII lo
acIieve il.
OinzIuvg's nodeI is JvaiI, Iecause lIe line Ie Ias lo
invesl in Iis avgunenl in ovdev lo naIe il appeav lIal
lIeve is a Iovev nelIod naIes ne vondev iJ lIe
nelIod exisls, jusl as BaxandaII's oIsevvalions venind
ne lIal lIe lvulI is nove eIusive |and, uIlinaleI, nove
seduclive) lIan an sslenalicaII cIose veading. I laIe
up lIis queslion al IenglI in a JovlIconing IooI |EIIins
n.d.) TIese ave essenliaI issues, Iul lIe do nol aJJecl
n sense lIal lIe vovds cIose and veading ave nol
IiaIiIilies lo lIe avgunenl I vas pvoposing.
In BaxandaII's and Slalen's connenls, cIose is a
snonn Jov vigid ov pvogvannalic. To olIev con-
nenlalovs il seens IiIe a snonn Jov navvov ov ve-
slvicled. Cavviev poinls oul lIeve ave cIosenesses lIal
ave enliveI diJJevenl Jvon lIe ones I enlevlain, sucI as
Ieing cIose lo a pevson. |Il's inlevesling lIal a cIose
veading oJ a pevson is a seniolic acl in Jacl il is lIe
oviginaI seniolic acl, in Hippocvales' sense.) In a siniIav
vein oJ sIeplicisn, Oodden sas lIal vIal I nean is a
lexl-Iased Ievneneulics lIal lends lo nininize veJev-
ences lo lIe vovId. Mosl veading, Ie nigIl sa, posils a
IeaIlI dose oJ senanlics lo conpIenenl ils snlaclics.
MavsIacI, Sonesson, and WIile naIe a veIaled oIsevva-
lion vIen lIe sa lIal lIe Iunav caIendav is delevnined
Jvon a videv conlexl lIan lIe navIs lIenseIves. Fov
WIile, conlexluaIizalion and inlegvalion oJ diJJevenl
Iinds oJ naleviaI ave essenliaI in an JuIIev inlevpvela-
lion. TIe poinl, Ie sas, is lIal lIe conslvuclion oJ
neaning is vev nucI a cuIluvaI nallev. MavsIacI is
especiaII insislenl on lIis poinl, aInosl as iJ Ie vouId
den an vaIue in veading an avliJacl in isoIalion-in
pevJovning vIal Ie IinseIJ caIIs an inlevnaI assess-
nenl. TIe lIvusl oJ Iis vepI is lIal no inage can Ie
undevslood in isoIalion and lIal IislovicaI and dia-
cIvonic cIanges and conlexls nusl Ie IvougIl inlo
pIa.
I don'l vanl lo avgue loo slvongI againsl lIese Iinds
oJ oIjeclions lIougI il na nol seen so Jvon n essa,
as an avl Iislovian I an conlinuousI vovIing vilI con-
lexls. Meaning is seIdon veII nade vIen il is nade in
isoIalion-ov, lo pul il nove exaclI, lIeve is no sucI
lIing as isoIalion Iecause IolI lIe avliJacl and lIe vead-
ing ave aIvas lied lo sone conlexl. Bul al lIe visI oJ
Ieing nisidenliJied as a JovnaIisl, I viII vegislev n
122I
douIl lIal lIe IveadlI oJ a veading can soneIov
slvenglIen lIe IaseIessness oJ ils nosl vudinenlav as-
sunplions aIoul Iov navIs naIe neaning. WIen lIe
vicIness oJ cuIluves and conlexls ovevvIeIns an inlev-
pvelalion, dv JoundalionaI assunplions aIoul navIs ov
signs can slavl lo seen ivveIevanl. Bul vIal veading can
Ie innune Jvon pvoIIens lIal inJecl ils vev levninoI-
og? Beadings oJ sociel ov cuIluve can sIove up undev-
deveIoped nolions oJ nolalion, decovalion, and so
JovlI-Iul lIe onI deJev lIe nonenl vIen ve need
lo asI Iov ouv ovn sense oJ lIose levns dvives ouv
inquivies. In MavsIacI's levns, lIe expevls Iave lo
convince lIe novices lIal IislovicaI pavaIIeIs IuiId
slaIIe deJining conlexls Jov assunplions aIoul signs, no-
lalions, and so JovlI-assunplions lIal ave inpIicil
lIvougIoul lIe anaIses. Fov exanpIe, I vouId vanl lo
Inov exaclI vIicI avliJacls pvovide veIevanl exanpIes
oJ lIe pavaIIeI conlaining Iines MavsIacI noles in lIe
Tai pIaque and Iov Ie decides vIicI ave cIose enougI
lo vIal Iappens on lIe pIaque lo counl as suppovling
naleviaI Jov Iis anaIsis |aJlev aII, in a sense evev nola-
lion in lIe Uppev FaIeoIilIic . .. is idiosncvalic). And
once I Inev, I vouId pvoIaII vanl lo sa lIal lIe con-
pavalive exanpIes onI pul oJJ lIe nonenl vIen il is
necessav lo decide vIal, in a given conlexl, quaIiJies
as sels oJ [nolalionaI] navIs . . . engvaved aIove and
IeIov . . . conlaining Iines-nol lo nenlion lIe even
nove diJJicuIl nonenl vIen il Iecones necessav lo
asI vI sucI dislinclions seen naluvaI.
In genevaI, lIen, I vesisl oIjeclions lIal vouId sIvinI
lIe avgunenl on accounl oJ lIe vovd cIose unliI il
appIies onI lo a cevlain JovnaIisn ov lo a snaII segnenl
oJ pveIislovic avcIaeoIog. Il's nove lIe olIev va
avound pveIislovic avliJacls ave inlevesling in Iavge pavl
Iecause lIe conlexl is visp and unveIiaIIe enougI lo
Jovce allenlion IacI on lIe vudinenlav issues lIal in-
Jovn an inlevpvelalion. I enliveI agvee vilI MavsIacI
vIen Ie sas lIal lIe 'inpossiIiIilies' oJ cIose veading
ave, acluaII, lIe queslions, uncevlainlies, assas, innev
discouvses and avgunenls, and lesls lIal acconpan lIe
deveIopnenl oJ an innovalive inquiv, Iul ve dis-
agvee on lIe naluve oJ lIose queslions and uncevlainlies
lo ne, lIe civcIe IacI on levns sucI as navIs, nola-
lions, and decovalion. |In lIis sense I vouId concede
eacI oJ Iis nunIeved oIjeclions, and I veJev veadevs lo
lIen Jov cIaviJicalions oJ n inJovnaI Iisl oJ nolalionaI
pvopevlies.) Tvue, lIe IislovicaI conlexls deJine lIen
and give lIen vIalevev signiJicance lIe Iave in an
pavlicuIav inslance, Iul lIal does nol nean lIal Iislovi-
caI conlexls viliale lIe oIIigalion, ov lIe possiIiIil, oJ
IooIing inlo lIe suIslvucluve oJ avgunenl.
OlIev vespondenls Iocale cvuciaI pvoIIens in lIe vovd
veading. SevevaI vondev vIelIev cIose veading is
lIe vigIl pIvase Jov sonelIing lIal is, aJlev aII, visuaI.
Is lIeve sucI a lIing as cIose IooIing as opposed lo
cIose veading? Il is a nonslvousI conpIex queslion,
and il assunes a lvenendous anounl lIal lIeve is a
naneaIIe diJJevence Ielveen veading and seeing, lIal
seeing is Inovn in sone nannev lIal is conpavaIIe lo
lIe va veading is Inovn, and lIal lIeve ave onI lvo
pvincipaI nodes. BigIl Jvon lIe Ieginning an division
Ielveen cIose veading and cIose seeing vuns inlo
diJJicuIlies vilI lIe Jacl lIal MavsIacI's oIjecls ave en-
liveI disjuncl Jvon lIe lvadilions oJ vviling, pvolovvil-
ing, and pvevviling. TIeve is, oJ couvse, no veading
in MavsIacI, Iul lIal does nol nean il is an easiev lo
sa iJ lIeve is seeing. IJ lIeve is a vevnacuIav sense lo
cIose IooIing, il vouId Iave lo do vilI naluvaIislic
inages-sonelIing lIal is nol al issue Ieve. So vilIoul
vviling lo vead ov inages lo see, I an nol suve vIal
gain lIeve is in svilcIing Jvon veading lo seeing. IJ
nolalion Iad a gevund, pevIaps il vouId Ie cIosev lo
vIal I nean, Iul il vouId sliII Ie IavgeI enpl oJ pvac-
licaI neaning. In addilion, nan oJ lIe oIjecls Mav-
sIacI sludies na nol Iave Ieen neanl lo Ie vead,
lvaced, counled, ov even vecounled aJlev lIe veve nade.
Fov veasons IiIe lIese il's necessav nol lo Ie loo caveJuI
aIoul lIe vovd veading. LiIe lexl, inage, and
avliJacl, veading Junclions in n essa as a pIace
IoIdev il slaIiIizes lIe veJevence vilIoul ling il lo a
speciJic seniolic pvaclice. I nean veading as an open-
ended vovd, nove IiIe encounlev lIan IiIe decipIev-
nenl.
Il's a sIigIlI diJJevenl lIing lo asI iJ MavsIacI ov I
nanage nol lo veI on Iinguislic nodeIs. In a genevaI
sense I lIinI ve IolI do, even iJ I do nol lIinI anlIing
speciJic in lIe avgunenl veIies on lIe levns oJ Ian-
guage |Lacouv), on lIe IislovicaI speciJics oJ de Man's
poslslvucluvaIisn |as Sunnevs and Oodden suggesl),
ov on anlIing signiJicanlI ov deIiIilalingI Iilevav ov
Iinguislic. TIe appavenl disconneclion Ielveen veading
and seeing, vIicI Lacouv slvesses, is sonelines useJuI,
lIougI il is nol sIavp enougI so lIal MavsIacI vouId
Iave lo invenl ... gvannalicaI Jovns ... and vIelovicaI
deJovnalions, as seniosis and as lvope, in ovdev lo JuII
vead Iis avliJacls |Lacouv). WIal's puzzIing aIoul vi-
suaI avliJacls is lIal lIe ave pavlI given undev lIe sign
oJ vviling, Iul lIe nevev appeav vIoII as vviling. I
Iave Ieen deveIoping sone ideas aIoul lIe diJJevences
and siniIavilies oJ vvillen and gvapIic signs and suI-
seniolic and nonseniolic navIs |EIIins I995a): in
genevaI, lIe JieId is al an inlevesling slage, Iul il is veII
Ieond lIe sinpIe disjunclion oJ veading and seeing
lIal nigIl appeav lo conpvonise an essa lIal seens lo
nisappI cIose veading lo cIose seeing. As Sunnevs
poinls oul, sone oJ lIe lIings MavsIacI does ave Iesl
veJevved lo lIe nodeI . . . oJ Iilevav Ianguage as vepve-
senlalive oJ aII signiJicalion, and, as CIavI sas, lIe
Ie queslion na venain lIal oJ vevIaI Ianguage. Yel
I vouId vesisl suIsuning sign sslens undev veading
ov Ianguage, Iecause lIal sIigIls vev speciJic nonIin-
guislic pvaclices sucI as veading cIavls, nunIevs, equa-
lions, naps, and gvapIs. OinzIuvg na Ie loo IoIislic
aIoul veading, especiaII-as Sonesson vigIlI
noles-vIen Ie enIisls pIiIoIog as lIe pvincipaI Iu-
nanislic exanpIe oJ lIe IigIev nelIod. Beading is
nan speciJic, dislincl pvaclices, and none oJ lIen
ave cIeavI opposed lo seeing. In lIe end lIe Iesl vea-
son lIal OinzIuvg's essa sIouId Ie lvealed nove as a
docunenl oJ ils aulIov's pvediIeclions lIan as a viaIIe
222 CUBBENT ANTHBOFOLOOY VoIune 37, NunIev 2, ApviI I996
accounl oJ nelIods is lIal il gIosses loo nan diJJevenl
appvoacIes.
Al lIe sane line, veading in lIe genevaI sense I use
il is nol enliveI enpl, and I vouId nol vanl lo give
up ils ecIoes oJ lIe ovdinav neaning. As CIavI poinls
oul, inlevpvelalions do laIe pIace vilIin sone Iind oJ
Iinguislic JieId, Iul il is nol al aII a sinpIe donain oJ
Iilevac in sone nolalionaI pvoceduve il sIiJls, as CIavI
sas, Ielveen vegislevs oJ vepvesenlalion . . . Jvon
nenov lo pvediclion lo inJevence lo puncluaI insis-
lence on lIe pvesenl slale oJ lIings. Il is sonelIing ve
cannol quile nane, Iul il vouId Ie pvenaluve lo caII il
seeing vIen seeing is even Iess veII undevslood. To
laIe lIe discussion oJ cIose veading JuvlIev-Ieond
OinzIuvg's nodeIs and Ieond lIe inJovnaI sense I gave
il in lIe essa-il is necessav lo lIinI nove exaclI
aIoul vIal veading in MavsIacI's case nigIl Ie.
IJ MavsIacI isn'l veading, vIal is Ie doing? Bavis
puls il nosl sensiliveI vIen Ie sas lIal MavsIacI is
veading veadaIiIil ov laIing lIe lenpevaluve oJ a
veading. In nove Kanlian levns, MavsIacI sludies lIe
condilions undev vIicI veading nigIl Ie possiIIe: ov,
lo sa il as Willgenslein nigIl, Ie lIinIs aIoul Iov
nan diJJevenl Iinds oJ vesponses couId counl as vead-
ing. Il's an acule oIsevvalion lo sa lIal MavsIacI is
veading vviling as an index-gauge oJ veadaIiIil and
lIal an avliJacl nigIl possess an index oJ veadaIiIil ov
Ielva lIe pvesence oJ FaIeoIilIic-ese vilIoul aclu-
aII Ieing vead, Ieing veadaIIe, ov Ieing vviling in an
sense.
Il is nol al aII eas lo go on and lv lo sa vIal lIis
veading veadaIiIil is. On lIe one Iand il couId Ie
avgued lIal MavsIacI does nolIing oJ lIe Iind, since Ie
does nol inlevvogale vIal lIe signs oJ vviling nigIl Ie
Ie is nol concevned lo sa vIal nigIl dislinguisI lIe
vavious species oJ cuvious signs and navIs lIal I nen-
lion in lIe essa, and Ie is nol inlevesled in asIing aIoul
Iis ovn assunplions aIoul vIal veading ov nolalion
nigIl Ie. In lIal sense Ie does anlIing Iul vead vead-
aIiIil. On lIe olIev Iand, Ie vanls lo sla al a cevlain
dislance Jvon lIe JinaI acl oJ veading, vIen lIe veadev
acluaII decipIevs, lvansIales, ov olIevvise undevslands
lIe sequence oJ signs lIenseIves. OJlen il appeavs lIal
Ie Ieeps Iis dislance Jov soIev avcIaeoIogicaI veasons,
since lIe inlenlions oJ lIe naIevs, and nucI oJ lIe
conlexl oJ lIe naIing, ave Iosl. Bul Ie Ias olIev, Iess
easiI descviIed veasons Jov vanling lo Ieave lIe acl oJ
veading open. One veason lIe Iunav caIendavs ave so
diJJicuIl Jov connenlalovs lo descviIe is lIal lIe aspive
lo occup lIe lviIigIl Ielveen appvoacIing an oIjecl
vilI lIe inlenl lo vead and acluaII veading. Il is nol
diJJicuIl lo inquive inlo lIe assunplions a veadev nigIl
IoId al an given line vegavding vIal is lo counl as
navI, sign, IegiIiIil, and so JovlI: I did as nucI in lIe
essa and eIsevIeve in nove genevaI levns |EIIins i996).
Bul MavsIacI's veadings ave sonelIing olIev lIan lIal.
And vIen, exaclI, is veading nol aIso veading
veadaIiIil? As BedJieId poinls oul, n veading aIso
seens nol lo Ie a veading |since I don'l pvopose nev
inlevpvelalions oJ lIe avliJacls), Iul il is veading since I
laIe signs as seIJ-idenlicaI enlilies, avaiIaIIe as sucI
lo lIe ee. |WIile aIso naIes lIe exceIIenl oIsevvalion
lIal MavsIacI's pIologvapIs ave nol evidence oJ an
Iind-I vas douIling lIeiv vevacil, nol lIeiv slalus as
evidence-Iul valIev visuaI avgunenls.) TIis is nol
lIe sane as poinling oul lIal I vas seavcIing Jov Mav-
sIacI's assunplions Iul venaining unavave oJ n ovn
il is lIe cIain lIal veading veadaIiIil is aIvas aIso
veading. BedJieId sees lIis as a nove Jvon veading lo
seeing Ie sas I an IIindI conJidenl aIoul n
cIain lo see and lIal IIindness is vIal enaIIes n
veading. I vouId pvoIaII valIev lIinI oJ lIis as a IIind
conJidence in anolIev Iind oJ veading-a veading lIal is
pvopeIIed I lIougIls aIoul veading.
TIese na seen lo Ie ovevI suIlIe poinls, Iul lo a
Iavge degvee I lIinI lIal lIe ave lIe diveclion lIal needs
lo Ie pusIed in ovdev lo cavv lIis discussion JuvlIev.
Even lIougI lIis vesponse is lIe end oJ lIis pavlicuIav
Jovun, six nolions nigIl Jovn lIe slavling poinl oJ a
nove caveJuI discussion oJ veading pveIislovic avli-
Jacls-ov visuaI avliJacls in genevaI
i. ConlenpIaling veading. TIinIing oJ lIe possiIiIil
oJ veading, I nigIl scan a suvJace Jov navIs lIal appeav
lo Ie neaningJuI. Sone nigIl pvesenl lIenseIves as
nolalions ov even eIenenls oJ caIendavs and olIevs as
iconic signs. Il vouIdn'l occuv lo ne lo vondev aIoul
Iov I Inov sucI lIings, Iecause I vouId Ie concenlval-
ing on lIe suvJace ilseIJ. Fvon lIis poinl oJ viev, lIe
acl oJ veading and lIe lIeov oJ veading ave equaII dis-
lanl. TIis is one oJ lIe senses in vIicI MavsIacI veads
veadaIiIil, Jov exanpIe, vIen Ie suvves an avliJacl
vilI nolalions in nind Iul vilI none in innediale evi-
dence.
2. Tesling lIe valevs. TIen il nigIl occuv lo ne lo
lesl lIe possiIiIil oJ veading I lving oul a veading on
sone pavl oJ lIe avliJacl. TIe expevinenl vouId nol en-
laiI an avaveness oJ pvincipIes il vouId neveI Ie a
sanpIe veading, a viIIJuI acl oJ veading inlended lo dis-
covev vIelIev veading |in sone as el undeJined sense)
is a good nalcI Jov lIe navIs. In Bavis's nelapIov, Ieve
veading is IiIe sending up a vealIev IaIIoon and seeing
vIal Iappens: IiIe lIe pvevious node and lIe nexl one,
il is aIso a va oJ veading veadaIiIil. MavsIacI's lesls
oJ lIe Iunav caIendav ave lIis Iind oJ aclivil, since lIe
don'l issue in lIe concIusion lIal lIe navIs ave Iunav
caIendavs.
3. TaIing lIe lenpevaluve oJ a veading. AnolIev
node, vIicI ningIes vilI lIe Jivsl lvo, is lIinIing
aIoul lIe pIausiIIe nonenls oJ veading. IJ an avliJacl
seens pavlI veII-IeIaved as a nolalion and pavlI va-
vavd ov inconpveIensiIIe, I nigIl Ie dvavn lo lIinI
aIoul pvoIaIIe and inpvoIaIIe acls oJ veading. Can lIe
slvaigIl vovs oJ vevlicaI Iines in lIe FIacavd Ialon Ie
undevslood in lIe sane va as lIe cuvious sign? WIal
can possiII counl as veading? WIen Sonesson speaIs
aIoul lesling veadings againsl lIe inslvunenls lIal
pvoduce lIen, I vouId enIisl sels oJ assunplions aIoul
pavlicuIav acls oJ veading as inslvunenls. WIen I use a
Iavonelev, I don'l oJlen vondev aIoul Iov il vovIs-
Iul lIe nalcI ov nisnalcI Ielveen lIe Iavonelev and
lIe vealIev cIanges n sense oJ lIe Iavonelev and vice
vevsa.
4. Inlevvogaling n sense oJ veading. A nexl slep
nigIl Ie lo luvn n allenlion invavd and Iegin lo ques-
lion n ovn cvilevia Jov IegiIiIil. TIal is vIal I did in
lIe essa and vIal MavsIacI does vIen Ie avgues vilI
d'Evvico and olIevs. Il is cIeav lIal lIis Iind oJ lIinIing
is nol lIe sane as acluaII veading, Iul il is oJlen nol
as cIeav lIal il is aIso diJJevenl Jvon lIe nusings and
conJusions oJ lIe Jivsl lIvee nodes. TIe appavenl vise in
seIJ-avaveness lIal goes vilI lIis Iind oJ inlvospeclion
vas one oJ lIe poinls oJ n essa IIindnesses gel
sIiJled avound, and suddenI nan lIings ave visiIIe
lIal veven'l vIen I vas veading veadaIiIil ov olIevvise
lIinIing oJ veading.
5. Inlevvogaling lIe inlevvogalion. AnlIing lIal pve-
senls ilseIJ as sslenalic can Ie sslenalicaII inlevvo-
galed, and il nigIl lIen occuv lo ne lo lIinI aIoul
Iov I've Ieen lIinIing aIoul lIe cvilevia oJ veading. TIe
inJinile vegvession lIal opens Ieve is nolIing nove lIan
lIe connonpIace queslioning oJ nolives and possiIiIi-
lies lIal goes aIong vilI an seIJ-veJIeclive nelIod. Il
is lIe node oJ eacI oJ lIe connenls and oJ lIis vepI.
As Sunnevs oIsevves, a veading lIal pvoceeds I aIlev-
naleI Jinding neaning and queslioning ils ovn nean-
ing is lIe pvecondilion IolI oJ MavsIacI's line-
Jacloved nolalions and oJ IislovicaI vviling in genevaI.
6. SinpI veading. FinaII, I nigIl jusl sellIe dovn
and vead an avliJacl. TIougI il oJlen seens as iJ lIal is
vIal MavsIacI does and lIougI sevevaI connenls in-
pI as nucI aIoul n essa, I don'l lIinI eilIev oJ us
acluaII does in lIe cases undev considevalion. In olIev
conlexls, IolI oJ us vead-vilI unsuppovlaIIe conJi-
dence and vilI conpIele oIIivion aIoul lIe olIev vas
oJ lIinIing avound and aIoul veading. Bul lIe Iind oJ
veading I do in lIe essa |vIicI BedJieId idenliJies) is
nol veading in lIis ovdinav sense il is an inevilaIIe
unseen acconpaninenl lo lIe olIev nodes, and espe-
ciaII lIose sucI as lIe JouvlI and JiJlI, in vIicI I
vouId novnaII slvenuousI den lIal I an veading.
I nane lIese six nodes lo suggesl lIal il is possiIIe
lo lIinI in a veasonaII ovdevI va aIoul lIe IinIo
Ielveen veading and veading veadaIiIil. Beading il-
seIJ-lIe sixlI vesponse-is JuII oJ olIev Iinds oJ pvoI-
Iens vIelIev lo vead cIoseI ov cuvsoviI, Jasl ov sIov,
neav ov Jav, consislenlI ov vandonI. As Bavidson
poinls oul, lIeve ave occasions Jov nol veading cIoseI,
Iul in lIe unvenilling Iogic oJ veading lIe Iave lo Ie
adjudicaled I slepping oulside veading and IacI lovavd
lIe Jive olIev nodes. ConvevseI, even lIe nosl aI-
slvuse nedilalions on veading Iead IacI inlo acls oJ vead-
ing. Slalen is vigIl aIoul n nisinlevpvelalion oJ lIe
Willgenslein passage il's lvue lIal ve can see veguIavil
in navIing vilIoul Ieing aIIe lo slale lIe genevalive
vuIe ov descviIe ils expvession. Bul vilI lIe Iinds oJ
oIjecls MavsIacI sludies, lIe veguIavil oJ lIe navIing
is undev suspicion jusl as nucI as lIe pulalive vuIe, ov
lIe IacI oJ a vuIe, lIal genevaled il. TIinIing aIoul vead-
ing depends on laIing line oJJ acluaII lo vead.
I can lIinI oJ al Ieasl lvo novaIs Jov lIe exevcise il
sIovs lIal veading is aIvas aIso lIinIing aIoul veading
in vavious nove ov Iess nuddIed vas, and il suggesls
lIal disagveenenls aIoul vIal MavsIacI does nigIl oJ-
len luvn on exaclI vIal a given veadev lIinIs Ie's
doing.
TIe deepesl queslion Ieve, lIe one vilI lIe videsl
appIicalion lo lIe slud oJ visuaI avliJacls in avcIaeoI-
og, anlIvopoIog, and avl Iislov, is lIe pvoIIen oJ seIJ-
veJIexivil. WIalevev MavsIacI does, il is done vIiIe
venaining IIind lo cevlain aspecls oJ veading. An vead-
ing-even lIe inJovnaI sIiJls oJ allenlion and Jocus lIal
BaxandaII nenlions-depends on nol seeing ilseIJ ov nol
seeing ilseIJ equaII al aII nonenls. B'Evvico's vovI, Jov
exanpIe, is in evev pavlicuIav as dependenl on assunp-
lions aIoul nolalion, navI, and sign as MavsIacI's no
anounl oJ nelIodoIogicaI cave ov lecInicaI innovalion
can avoid lIal. |I Iave no quavveI vilI d'Evvico's nev
cvilevia Jov delevnining nolions and sequences oJ
poinls, Iul vIen il cones lo dvaving concIusions aIoul
nolalion and neaning Iis vovI vaises queslions exaclI
anaIogous lo lIose I vaised aIoul MavsIacI's.) Fov Iis
pavl MavsIacI is IavgeI oIIivious aIoul Iis assunp-
lions aIoul navIs, and I laIe lIal as a sign oJ lIe
slvenglI oJ Iis veading.
In lIe end lIeve is IillIe lo Ie said Jov lIe singIe-
ninded puvsuil oJ seIJ-veJIexivil. Sone oJ n vespon-
denls ave exenpIav veadevs oJ visuaI avliJacls, and lIe
ave veII avave oJ lIe pecuIiav Iinilalions inposed
I pevpeluaI seIJ-inlevvogalion. SeIJ-veJIexivil, vIicI
veacIes a peaI in sone oJ lIe vesponses lo n essa
|Jov exanpIe, BedJieId's ov Slalen's), Ias no necessav
covveIalion vilI lIe pevJovnance oJ a convincing inlev-
pvelalion. I vanl lo cIose I enpIasizing lIis poinl, es-
peciaII Iecause il is so voulineI Iosl in anlIvopoIog,
avcIaeoIog, and avl Iislov, vIeve vviling is oJlen
laIen lo Ie scienliJic ov dviven I enpivica. An accounl
oJ a visuaI avliJacl does nol enduve onI Iecause il is
Jound lo Ie lvue ov Iecause il pvesenls ilseIJ as unsuv-
passaII veJIexive, vigiIanl, ov valionaI. CIoseness, cave,
lIovougIness, and even covveclness ave necessav Iul
nol suJJicienl Jov vviling lIal aspives lo Iasl, and seIJ-
veJIexivil is oJlen a vecipe Jov veaI veading.
I veaIize lIal in laIIing lIis va I viII Iose sone oJ
lIe veadevs vIo pavlicipaled in lIis excIange, since il
is analIena in nan JieIds lo pul lIe expvessive vaIue
oJ vviling aIove ils lvulI vaIue. Bul I vanl lo insisl on
lIis poinl iJ cIose veading opevales as I Iave suggesled,
lIeve is no epislenoIogicaI veason lo pveJev one IeveI ov
degvee oJ cIoseness ovev anolIev. WIal iniliaII dvev
ne lo MavsIacI's anaIses vas Iis vviling, and vIal
pvovoIed n ovevI genevous assessnenl oJ Iis vovI
vas lIe povev oJ Iis vviling. MavsIacI can vvile vilI
aslonisIing Jovce, and Iis pIolonicvogvapIs can Ie coev-
cive visuaI avgunenls. As Jav as I an concevned, lIeve
is sliII no IooI in lIe Iislov oJ avl lIal avvas ils visuaI
naleviaI vilI sucI conpeIIing success as TIe Bools oJ
CiviIizalion. UIlinaleI il is lIal povev, vIicI scIoIavs
|excepling de Manians, anong olIevs) sliII denigvale
vilI lIe vovd vIelovic, lIal naIes Iis vovI so inlvi-
guing. Favl oJ ils inlevesl cevlainI cones Jvon lIe
224
1
neavI inconpveIensiIIe posilion il occupies Ielveen
veading and veading veadaIiIil and Jvon ils vavious
nelIodoIogicaI Iacunae and unansveved queslions. Favl
aIso cones Jvon ils sonelines duIious cIains aIoul
cognilion, line-Jacloving, and lIe Iunav caIendav. Mav-
sIacI's vovI is deepI JIaved in lIese and nan olIev
vespecls, Iul il conlinues lo Ie Jascinaling even Jov lIose
vIo vejecl nan oJ Iis concIusions as sevevaI vespon-
denls poinl oul, lIeve ave olIev vvilevs on pveIislov
vIose vovIs conIine MavsIacI's nopic pvecision
vilI a IigIev degvee oJ nelIodoIogicaI consislenc, a
gvealev openness lo vivaI IpolIeses, and a nove sslen-
alic inlevpvelive agenda |FIanand, FaIes), Iul Jev vvilevs
can Iving so nucI oJ lIeiv encounlev vilI lIe oIjecl
inlo lIeiv pvose. An oJ us-in avcIaeoIog, anlIvopoI-
og, Iilevav cvilicisn, pIiIosopI, ov avl Iislov-
vouId Ie IucI iJ ve couId Jace oIjecls vilI sucI sus-
lained Jovce. In lIal vespecl, n essa vas veaII an
allenpl lo Iegin lo undevsland Iov a lvuI successJuI
accounl oJ visuaI oIjecls nigIl vovI.
BeJevences Ciled
BEAZLEY, JOHN BAVIBSON. I942. Allic Bed-Figuve vase-
painlevs. OxJovd OxJovd Univevsil Fvess.
BINFO BB, LEWIS B. I983. In puvsuil oJ lIe pasl Becoding lIe
avcIaeoIogicaI vecovd. Nev YovI Acadenic Fvess.
. I984. FaunaI venains Jvon KIasies Bivev MoulI. Nev
YovI Acadenic Fvess.
BOAS, F. I955 |I927). Fvinilive avl. Nev YovI Bovev [BW]
CABBIEB, BAVIB. I993. Foussin's painlings A slud in avl-
IislovicaI nelIodoIog. Univevsil FavI FennsIvania Slale
Univevsil Fvess. [BC]
. I994. TIe aeslIele in lIe cil TIe pIiIosopI and pvac-
lice oJ Anevican aIslvacl painling in lIe I98os. Univevsil
FavI FennsIvania Slale Univevsil Fvess. [BC]
CHASE, F. I990. SiJJIels du FaI6oIilIique noen|?) Les inpIica-
lions d'un copvoIilIe de coole aclueI. BuIIelin de Ia Sociel
Fv6Iislovique
Fvang9aise
87I65-67. [IB]
CHOLLOT-VABAONAC, M. I980. Les ovigines du gvapIisne
snIoIique Essai d'anaIse des ecviluves pvinilives en pv6Iis-
loive. Favis Fondalion Singev-FoIignac. [BW]
BAVIS, WHITNEY. I987. BepIicalion and depiclion in FaIeo-
IilIic avl. Bepvesenlalions I 9 II I-47.
. I989. TIe ovigins oJ inage naIing. CUBBENT ANTHBOFOL-
OOY 27 I93-2I5.
1I990. TIe slud oJ vocI avl in AJvica, in A Iislov oJ
AJvican avcIaeoIog. Ediled I Felev BoIevlsIav, pp. 27I-95.
London Janes Cuvve. [WB]
. i992a. MasIing lIe IIov TIe scene oJ vepvesenlalion in
Iale pveIislovic Egplian avl. BevIeIe Univevsil oJ CaIiJovnia
Fvess.
. i992I.
TIe deconslvuclion oJ inlenlionaIil in avcIaeoI-
og. Anliquil 66334-47. [WB]
. I992c. Finding snIoIs in Iislov, in Bepvesenlalions
in avcIaeoIog. Ediled I Jean-CIaude Oavdin and CIvislopIev
FeeIIes, pp. I 2-3 I. BIooninglon Indiana Univevsil Fvess.
[WB]
. I994. Bas OpliscIe und das BIeloviscIe in FauI de Mans
IisloviscIen MaleviaIisnus. Texle zuv Kunsl 4|I4)89-99.
[WB]
. I996. BepIicalions AvcIaeoIog, avl Iislov, pscIoanaI-
sis. Univevsil FavI FennsIvania Slale Univevsil Fvess.
[WB]
BAVIBSON, I. I990. BiIzingsIeIen and eavI navIing. BocI Avl
BeseavcI 752-56. [IB]
. I99I. TIe avcIaeoIog oJ Ianguage ovigins A veviev. An-
liquil 6539-48. [IB]
BE MAN, FAUL. I979. AIIegovies oJ veading FiguvaI Ianguage in
Bousseau, NielzscIe, BiIIe, and Fvousl. Nev Haven and Lon-
don YaIe Univevsil Fvess.
. I983. HegeI on lIe suIIine, in BispIacenenl Bevvida
and aJlev. Ediled I MavI KvupnicI, pp. I39-53. BIooninglon
Indiana Univevsil Fvess. [WB]
. I984a. SIeIIe disJiguved, in TIe vIelovic oJ vonanli-
cisn, pp. 39-73. Nev YovI CoIunIia Univevsil Fvess. [WB]
. I984I. FIenonenaIil and naleviaIil in Kanl, in Hev-
neneulics Queslions and pvospecls. Ediled I Oav ScIapivo
and AIan Sica, pp. II-44. AnIevsl Univevsil oJ MassacIu-
sells Fvess. [WB]
. I986. Hpogvan and inscviplion, in TIe vesislance lo
lIeov, pp. 27-53. MinneapoIis Univevsil oJ Minnesola Fvess.
[WB]
. I993. Bonanlicisn and conlenpovav cvilicisn TIe
Oauss Seninav and olIev papevs. BaIlinove and London JoIns
HopIins Univevsil Fvess. [TJC]
B'EBBICO, FBANCESCO. I989a. M6noive el vlInes au FaI6o-
IilIique Le nlIe des caIendvievs Iunaives. Honinidae Fvo-
ceedings oJ lIe Second InlevnalionaI Congvess oJ Hunan FaIe-
onloIog. Ediled I Oiacono OiacoIini, pp. 507-IO. MiIan.
. I989I. FaIaeoIilIic Iunav caIendavs A case oJ visIJuI
lIinIing? CUBBENT ANTHBOFOLOOY 30 II7-I8. [FB, AM]
. I989c. A vepI lo AIexandev MavsIacI. CUBBENT ANTHBO-
FOLOOY 30495-500. [FB]
. I99I. Micvoscopic and slalislicaI cvilevia Jov lIe idenliJi-
calion oJ pveIislovic sslens oJ nolalion. BocI Avl BeseavcI 8
83-93. [FB]
. i992a. A vepI lo AIexandev MavsIacI. BocI Avl Be-
seavcI 959-64. [FB]
. i992I.
TecInoIog, nolion, and lIe neaning oJ EpipaIeo-
IilIic avl. CUBBENT ANTHBOFOLOOY 3394-IO9. [FB, AM]
. I993a. AnaIse lecInoIogique de I'avl noIiIiev Ie cas de
I'aIvi des CaI6nes a BancIol |Juva). OaIIia Fv6Iisloive
35I39-76.
. I993I. La vie sociaIe de I'avl noIiIiev paI6oIilIique Ma-
nipuIalion, lvanspovl, suspension des oIjels en os, Iois de cev-
vid6s, ivoive. OxJovd JouvnaI oJ AvcIaeoIog I2I45-74.
. I995. A nev nodeI and ils inpIicalions Jov lIe ovigin oJ
vviling TIe La MavcIe anlIev vevisiled. CanIvidge AvcIaeo-
IogicaI JouvnaI 53-46.
B'EBBICO, F. ANB C. CACHO. I994. Nolalion vevsus decova-
lion in lIe Uppev FaIaeoIilIic A case-slud Jvon TossaI de Ia
Boca, AIicanle, Spain. JouvnaI oJ AvcIaeoIogicaI Science
2iI85-200.
BEBBIBA, JACQUES. I986. M6noives Fov FauI de Man. Tvans-
Ialed I CeciIe Lindsa, JonalIan CuIIev, and Eduavdo Cadava.
Nev YovI CoIunIia Univevsil Fvess. [WB]
ELKINS, JAMES. I993a. WIal veaII Iappens in picluves? Mis-
veading vilI NeIson Ooodnan. Wovd and Inage 9349-62.
[CBL]
.I993I. BeJove lIeov [veviev oJ MasIing lIe IIov, I
WIilne Bavis |BevIeIe Univevsil oJ CaIiJovnia Fvess, i992).
Avl Hislov i6647-72.
. I995a. MavIs, lvaces, lvails, conlouvs, ovIi, and spIen-
doves Nonseniolic eIenenls in picluves. CvilicaI Inquiv
2i822-60.
. I995I. TIe signs oJ vviling On sone pavaIIeIs Ielveen
lIe undecipIeved pveIislovic Vinca scvipl and Andvea Man-
legna's TIe BallIe oJ lIe Sea Oods. Seniolica. In pvess.
. I995c. VisuaI scIenala, in EnccIopedia oJ aeslIelics.
Ediled I MicIaeI KeII. MS.
. I996. Ficluves, and lIe vovds lIal JaiI lIen On lIe in-
coIevence oJ inages. CanIvidge CanIvidge Univevsil Fvess.
In pvess.
. n.d. Ouv IeauliJuI, dv, and dislanl lexls. MS.
FLAMANB, O-B-M. I92I. Les pievves ecviles |Hadjval-
MeIlouIal) Ovavuves el inscviplions vupeslves du novd-
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FBEEMAN, LESLIE O., LEWIS B. BINFOBB, ANB B. WHITE.
I983. Move on lIe Mouslevian FIaIed Ione Jvon Cueva
Movin. CUBBENT ANTHBOFOLOOY 24366-77. [WB]
FBY, O. F. I972. Connenl on Cognilive aspecls oJ Uppev FaIeo-
IilIic engvaving, I A. MavsIacI. CUBBENT ANTHBOFOLOOY
I 3464.
OINZBUBO, CABLO. 1980. MoveIIi, Fveud, and SIevIocI
HoInes CIues and scienliJic nelIod. Hislov WovIsIop
95-36.
. I983. CIues MoveIIi, Fveud, and SIevIocI HoInes. in
TIe sign oJ lIvee Bupin-HoInes-Feivce. Ediled I U. Eco
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Fvess. [OS]
OOMBBICH, E. H. I960. Avl and iIIusion. Fvincelon BoIIingen
Sevies/Fvincelon Univevsil Fvess. [WB]
OUNN, JOEL. I979. Connenl on Uppev FaIeoIilIic snIoI ss-
lens oJ lIe Bussian FIain, I A. MavsIacI. CUBBENT ANTHBO-
FOLOOY 20299.
HILL, JAMES N., ANB JOEL OUNN. Edilovs. I977. TIe individ-
uaI in pveIislov. Nev YovI CanIvidge Univevsil Fvess.
[WB]
ISEB, WOLFOANO. I978. TIe acl oJ veading A lIeov oJ aes-
lIelic vesponse. BaIlinove JoIns HopIins Univevsil Fvess.
JOHNSON, BABBABA. I984. Bigovous unveIiaIiIil. CvilicaI In-
quiv II278-85.
KOBYLINSKI, ZBIONIEW, ANB UBSZULA KOBYLINSKA. I979.
Connenl on Uppev FaIeoIilIic snIoI sslens oJ lIe Bus-
sian FIain, I A. MavsIacI. CUBBENT ANTHBOFOLOOY 20
30I.
LEBOI-OOUBHAN, A. I993. Oesluve and speecI. CanIvidge
MIT Fvess. [BWI
LEWIS-WILLIAMS, J., ANB T. BOWSON. I989. TIeov and
dala A IvieJ cvilique oJ A. MavsIacI's veseavcI nelIods and
posilion on Uppev FaIeoIilIic sIananisn. BocI Avl BeseavcI
642-50.
LITTAUEB, MABY AIKEN. I974. On Uppev FaIeoIilIic engvav-
ing. AnlIvopoIog Toda I5328.
LYNCH, THOMAS F. I972. Connenl on Cognilive aspecls oJ
Uppev FaIeoIilIic engvaving, I A. MavsIacI. CUBBENT AN-
THBOFOLOOY I 3467.
MABSHACK, ALE7ANBEB. I972a. TIe vools oJ civiIizalion TIe
cognilive Ieginnings oJ nan's Jivsl avl, snIoI, and nolalion.
Nev YovI McOvav-HiII.
. I972I. Cognilive aspecls oJ Uppev FaIeoIilIic engvaving.
CUBBENT ANTHBOFOLOOY I3445-77.
. I973. AnaIse pv6Iininaive d'une gvavuve a sslene de no-
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conpavalive anaIsis, in Mesanevican avcIaeoIog Nev ap-
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Univevsil oJ Texas Fvess.
. I975. ExpIoving lIe nind oJ Ice Age nan. NalionaI Oeo-
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. I976. Sone inpIicalions oJ lIe FaIeoIilIic snIoIic evi-
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I7 274-8.2.
. I977. TIe neandev as a sslen TIe anaIsis and vecog-
nilion oJ iconogvapIic unils in Uppev FaIeoIilIic conposi-
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. I979a. Uppev FaIeoIilIic snIoI sslens oJ lIe Bussian
FIain Cognilive and conpavalive anaIsis. CUBBENT ANTHBO-
FOLOOY 2027 I-95.
. I979I. BepI [lo connenlalovs]. CUBBENT ANTHBOFOL-
OOY 20303.
. I984. Concepls lIeoviques conduisanl a de nouveIIes
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. I985a. A Iunav-soIav eav caIendav slicI Jvon NovlI
Anevica. Anevican Anliquil 50 27-5 I .
. I985I. HievavcIicaI evoIulion oJ lIe Iunan capacil
TIe FaIeoIilIic evidence. |FiJl-JouvlI Janes AvlIuv Lecluve
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. I987. L'6voIulion el Ia lvansJovnalion du d6cov du de-
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Jean CIolles, pp. I40-62. Favis Mus6es de Fvance.
. I988a. FaIeoIilIic inage, in EnccIopedia oJ Iunan
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42i-29. Nev YovI OavIand.
. I988I. NovlI Anevican Indian caIendav slicIs TIe evi-
dence Jov a videI dislviIuled lvadilion, in WovId avcIaeo-
aslvonon. Ediled I AnlIon Aveni, pp. 308-24. Nev YovI
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. I989. On visIJuI lIinIing and Iunav caIendavs. CUB-
BENT ANTHBOFOLOOY 3049I.
. iggia. TIe Tai pIaque and caIendvicaI nolalion in lIe Up-
pev FaIeoIilIic. CanIvidge AvcIaeoIogicaI JouvnaI I25-6I.
. iggiI. 2d edilion, vevised and expanded. TIe vools oJ civi-
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and nolalion. Mounl Kisco, N.Y. Moev BeII.
. I99IC. TIe JenaIe inage, a line-Jacloved snIoI A
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IilIic. Fvoceedings oJ lIe FveIislovic Sociel 57|I)I7-3I.
. i992a. TIe anaIlicaI pvoIIen oJ suIjeclivil in lIe
naIev and usev, in TIe Iinilalions oJ avcIaeoIogicaI InovI-
edge. Ediled I TaIia SIa and Jean CIolles, pp. i8i-2io.
Favis Univevsil6 de Liege.
. i992I. A vepI lo F. d'Evvico. BocI Avl BeseavcI 9
37-59. [FB]
. I994. Connenl on SnIoIing and lIe MiddIe-Uppev
FaIeoIilIic lvansilion, I A. M. Bevs. CUBBENT ANTHBOFOL-
OOY 35386-87.
. I995a. OIuzini CalegovicaI vavialion in lIe snIoIic in-
agev, in FouiIIes a OIiizini Une sile du FaIeoIilIique JinaI
au sud de Ia Tuvquie. In pvess.
i I995I. Inages oJ lIe Ice Age. AvcIaeoIog 40|4)28-39.
i995 c. MelIodoIog and lIe seavcI Jov nolalion anong
engvaved peIIIes on lIe Euvopean Lale FaIaeoIilIic. Anliquil
69.
.I996a. TIe La MavcIe anlIev B'Evvico's ve-anaIsis ve-
vieved. CanIvidge AvcIaeoIogicaI JouvnaI 6|i).
. I996I. A MiddIe FaIeoIilIic snIoIic conposilion Jvon
lIe OoIan HeigIls TIe eavIiesl Inovn depiclive inage. CUB-
BENT ANTHBOFOLOOY 37357-65.
MINNAEBT, M. I954. TIe naluve oJ IigIl and coIouv in lIe open
aiv. TvansIaled I H. M. Kvenev-Fviesl, vevised I K. E. Bvian
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MUNN, N. I973. WaIIivi iconogvapI OvapIic vepvesenlalion,
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0 'FABBELL, M., ANB B. WHITE. I995. ExpevinenlaI and ni-
cvoscopic appvoacIes lo EavI Auvignacian vepelilive navIing
TIe conpavison oJ lvo oIjecls Jvon AIvi BIancIavd, in Les in-
duslvies suv nalieves duves aninaIes. Ediled I H. Canps-
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. I989. Les gvavuves de Ia MavcIe. VoI. 4. Cevvides, nan-
noulIs el divevs. Favis OpIvs. [BWI
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BENT ANTHBOFOLOOY I 3469.
FBEZIO SI, BONALB. I989. BelIinIing avl Iislov Medilalions
on a co science. Nev Haven YaIe Univevsil Fvess.
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1
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nodeI in lIe deveIopnenl oJ visuaI seniolics, in Advances in
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THBOFOLOOY I 3470.
WHITE, BANBALL. I98.2. TIe nanipuIalion oJ Iuvins in inci-
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Canadienne d'AnlIvopoIogie 21 29-35.
WHITE, B. I994. Les avcIives paIeoIilIiques. La BecIevcIe.25
746-50. [BW]
WITTOENSTEIN, LUBWIO. I983. BenavIs on lIe Joundalion
oJ nalIenalics. Ediled I O. H. von WvigIl, B. BIees, and
O. E. M. AnsconIe. CanIvidge MIT Fvess.
TIe AvcIilecluve oJ Menov
CuIluvaI Bivevsil Anong
A JevisI-MusIin HouseIoId in CoIoniaI AIgevia, TvenlielI Cenluv Fovagevs
1937-1962 An AJvican Fevspeclive
JoeIIe BaIiouI Susan Kenl, Edilov
BecaIIing IiJe in a Iouse occupied I JevisI and MusIin Leading scIoIavs conlvasl gvoups vilIin Jovagev socielies.
JaniIies, lIe aulIov's inJovnanls IuiId up a nicvoIislov CIaplevs vange in scope Jvon snIoIic lo ecoIogicaI and
oJ a peviod lIal ended in lIe eavI 1960s. Heve, in ninia- IeIaviovaI, pvoviding invaIuaIIe dala on Iunlev-galIevev
luve, is a doneslic Iislov oJ NovlI AJvican MusIins, IiJe Jov anone concevned vilI pasl ov pvesenl Jovagevs.
Jevs and CIvislians Iiving undev FvencI coIoniaI vuIe. ConlviIulovs Oeovge SiIIevIauev, MalIias OuenlIev, AIan Bavnavd,
CanIvidge Sludies in SociaI and CuIluvaIAnlIvopoIog 99 TIonas WidIoI, HeIga VievicI, BoIevl HilcIcocI, NicIoIas BIuvlon
41891-7 HavdIacI aIoul $54 95 Jones, Kvislen HavIes, Janes O'ConneII, Bodevic BIacIIuvn, Bavv
56892-7 FapevIacI aIoul $16 95 HevIell, Baou VI Jovis, Mlsuo IcIiIava, HideaIi TevasIina, Nuvil
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Biscouvses oJ Idenlil in MuIli-ElInic London Educalion and Idenlil in
Oevd Baunann
TIis vivid, elInogvapIic accounl oJ innigvanl gvoups BuvaI Fvance
Iiving in Wesl London considevs Iov peopIe Jvon diJ- TIe FoIilics oJ ScIooIing
Jevenl IacIgvounds cone lo levns vilI one anolIev and BeIovaI Beed-BanaIa
vilI lIe doninanl, Iosl cuIluve, vIiIe al lIe sane line Bvaving on an elInogvapIic slud oJ a venole connun-
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In SeavcI oJ Bespecl and vaIued lIvougI a conpIex inlevpIa oJ scIooIing and
SeIIing CvacI in EI Bavvio JaniI IiJe.
FIiIippe Bouvgois CanIvidge Sludies in SociaI and CuIluvaIAnlIvopoIog 98
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lvuI
A BealI In lIe Tivi IsIands
cuIluvaII pviviIeged inJovnalion. ConJIicl, BiluaI and SociaI LiJe in an AuslvaIian AIoviginaI
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Leavning and IdenliJicalion in Angang exlensive novluav viluaIs and lIe IegaI pvoceedings.
CIavIes SlaJJovd TIvougI lIe slvong navvalive ve ave given a picluve
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Iov cIiIdven Ieavn lo Ie, ov nol lo Ie, IolI JaniIiaI and BooI oJ lIe FouvlI WovId
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