Alexander Marshack focused attention of prehistorians on artifacts with marks that appeared to be notations. He interpreted many of these artifacts as day counts in lunar phases. These views were sometimes challenged on technical grounds, but little has been done since Marshack's work to understand what such marks might represent. The aim of this article is to establish a preliminary framework for interpreting prehistoric notations. This involves: distinguishing notations from decoration or other types of marking; establishing a range of uses from known ethnographic notations; identifying diagnostic features of notational artifacts; and providing provisional interpretations of some prehistoric examples of notations. I provide eight criteria for distinguishing notations from decorations, and suggest several principles for interpreting notations. The ethnographic data indicate that material notations above the range of 10–30 marks are hallmarks of transegalitarian societies usually with relatively complex numerical systems that extend into hundreds or thousands. Combining ethnographic observations and theoretical considerations, I conclude that there are a number of distinctive record keeping patterns in material remains related to: 1) public displays, 2) feasting, 3) private debts or records, and 4) astronomical records.

亚历山大·马沙克 (Alexander Marshack) 将史前学家的注意力集中在带有似乎是符号的标记的文物上。他将许多这些文物解释为月相中的天数。这些观点有时会因技术原因受到质疑，但自从 Marshack 致力于了解这些标记可能代表什么以来，几乎没有人做过什么。本文的目的是建立一个解释史前符号的初步框架。这包括： 区分符号与装饰或其他类型的标记；从已知的民族志符号中建立一系列用途；识别符号工件的诊断特征；并提供一些史前符号示例的临时解释。我提供了区分符号和装饰的八个标准，并提出了解释符号的几个原则。人种学数据表明，超过 10-30 标记范围的物质符号是跨平等社会的标志，通常具有扩展到数百或数千的相对复杂的数字系统。结合人种学观察和理论考虑，我得出结论，物质遗存中有许多独特的记录保存模式，与：1) 公开展示，2) 宴会，3) 私人债务或记录，以及 4) 天文记录。