Kokopelli: Fluteplayer Images in Rock Art

Rating:
Summary: a perfect source of inspiration
Review: I gambled when I ordered this book, since I hadn't a clue what I'd find inside. And this gamble paid off! What a fantastic compilation of kokopelli imagery....a marvelous source of inspiration for my own carving work. You will find photographic documentation of the original petroglyphs as well as line-drawings....masses of them! And the discussion of the mythology behind kokopelli gives life to these spritely images. One of the best buys I've made this year! I've recommended it to others I know who work with ancient imagery.

Rating:
Summary: Well-researched study about Kokopelli
Review: There are numerous petroglyphs and pictographs throughout the American Southwest. Some of that artwork created between 200 B.C. until the 17th century, show Kokopelli, the fluteplayer -- a sacred figure to Native Americans as well as modern popular culture icon of the region.

The geologists Dennis Slifer and James Duffield introduce the reader to the world of Kokopelli, describing his many guises by analyzing dozens of rock art sites. Moreover, they also take a closer look at how Kokopelli is represented in ceramics and kiva murals. The study is rounded off by mentioning the myth surrounding Kokopelli and by telling some Native American stories about the often humpbacked fluteplayer who symbolizes fertility among other things.

The book is richly illustrated with maps, sketches, black and white as well as a few colored photos. Artists will surely be inspired by the multitude of Kokopelli portrayals as well as other petroglyph motives. This excellent study is also recommendable for everyone interested in this part of American Southwestern history.