Rock Art Glossary: A Multilingual Dictionary, Expanded Second Edition (First Edition 2001). Edited by Robert G. Bednarik, Ahmed Achrati, Tang Huisheng, Alfred Muzzolini, George Dimitriadis, Dario Seglie, Fernando Coimbra, Yakov A. Sher and Mario Consens. Australian Rock Art Research Association, Inc., Melbourne, 2010; 274 Pages, in English, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish, with Translation Tables. Price $A 38.00, ISBN 978-0-646-53471-8

The following paragraphs are reproduced from the website of the publisher [1].

This is the first dictionary compiled specifically for rock art research. It follows the publication of an English rock art glossary in the journal Rock Art Research in November 2000. To be adopted by the International Federation of Rock Art Organisations (IFRAO), it has been translated by some of the world’s foremost scholars in the field into Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Russian. In a discipline that has hitherto been without an agreed terminology, even communication within a single language has been difficult. The proliferation of idiosyncratic terminologies of often academically isolated researchers, many of which have been used by only one scholar, has not only retarded progress and the transference of knowledge, it has led to countless misunderstandings and even personal feuds. The purpose of this dictionary is to create a single terminological standard as well as a cross-lingual uniformity of usage. It focuses particularly on scientific aspects, technical applications and epistemological rigour. It does not set out to create a terminological straitjacket for the discipline, but a common standard of reference, particularly in areas that have in the past been susceptible to greatly differing interpretations. This dictionary comprises sections in ten languages, each listing the same terms alphabetically. It also contains a table interlinking all of these languages, listing all terms explained. This translation table is organised alphabetically according to the English terms. The volume is indispensable for scientific translators, rock art scholars, archaeologists and others concerned with aspects of pre-Historic rock art, and is also intended for the guidance of students and authors working in this field.

The editors of the ten main chapters of the Rock Art Glossary are:

• English: Robert G. Bednarik (Convener, IFRAO, and Editor, AURA, IFRAO and CARA)
• Arabic: Dr. Ahmed Achrati (University of Illinois at Chicago)
• Chinese: Prof. Tang Huisheng (Nanjing Normal University)
• French: Dr. Alfred Muzzolini †
• German: Robert G. Bednarik
• Greek: Prof. George Dimitriadis (IFRAO Representative, HERAC)
• Italian: Prof. Dario Seglie (IFRAO Representative, CeSMAP)
• Portuguese: Dr. Fernando Coimbra (Politécnico de Tomar)
• Russian: Prof. Yakov A. Sher (IFRAO Representative, SAPAR)
• Spanish: Prof. Mario Consens (IFRAO Representative, CIARU)

The volume also includes direct translation tables of all terms listed from English to French, German, Italian, Arabic, Russian and Spanish.

* Editor’s Note: The brief summary and the contents of the books are reported as provided by the authors or the publishers. Authors and publishers are encouraged to send review copies of their recent books of potential interest to readers of Arts to the Publisher (Dr. Shu-Kun Lin, Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), Kandererstrasse 25, CH-4057 Basel, Switzerland. Tel. +41-61-683-77-34; Fax: +41-61-302-89-18; E-Mail: [email protected]). Some books will be offered to the scholarly community for the purpose of preparing full-length reviews.