Recht/Animal Iconography, 1. Introduction: The Third Dimension and Animal Iconography in Archaeology

Some of the earliest recognisable images created by humans depict depict animals. Life and death, personal encounters, an engagement with the environment, religious beliefs, supernatural powers, ideology, status, technology and skill – these are just some of the aspects of human existence reflected in this iconography. The papers in this volume explore this specific type of material culture, addressing the ways in which humans have chosen to represent animals, and what these representations reveal about human-animal interaction.