The Truth About Cavemen and Art

Posted on October 22, 2008
Filed Under Museums & tours |

Posted by Sierra

Prehistory is full of stereotypes. We homosapiens tend to think of Cro-Magnons as “cave people.” This is totally incorrect. They didn’t live in caves. Well, at least not in deep ones. It is impossible to live in a deep cave for three reasons:

1. It’s too humid; you would get sick and die after a while.
2. There’s no light.
3. If you light a fire, it gets REEEEEEEEEEEEEEALLY smoky.

So then, what did these Cro-Magnons use deep caves for? Well, no one really knows. It’s a deep, dark mystery. But one use is more or less known—for paintings. They painted the walls, the ceiling, even as high as 7 metres.

Where can you see these paintings? Near Les Eyzies, in a cave called Font de Gaume. It is one of three caves in the world where the public can see the original cave paintings.

An interesting thing about the cave is for a long time people knew it was there, even though it wasn’t officially “discovered.” Then one day a teacher came and visited the cave and realized how old the paintings were. The cave was then officially discovered.

The pictures are of animals. Bison, horses, mountain goats, reindeer, all sorts of animals. The caves used to be lit by candles, causing the animals to seem to move. Now it is lit by electric lights. Some animals are engraved. They are colored—some red, some black, some a mixture.

The art is amazingly exact. It is shaded to make the drawing 3-D. Remember how perspective was invented some 600 years ago in Italy? Well, these paintings are from waaaaaaaaaaaaay before then. So “HA!” Renaissance! Just kidding :)

Another cool thing about the animals is that they are painted to “move” with the rock. Does that make sense? For example, one of the hind legs of a horse is painted on a thin strip of rock that looks like a horse’s hind leg.

No one knows why these paintings are here. Or why they’re animals. Or if the animals symbolize or represent anything. For example, could the reindeer be love, the bison strength, and the horses family? It is a mystery. Perhaps someday we will have the answers to these questions, but for now, the mysteries remain unsolved.

Comments

4 Responses to “The Truth About Cavemen and Art”

  1. Maggie Hilliard on October 22nd, 2008 9:37 pm

    Dear Sierra,

    We were out in Las Vegas area with Ron & Sue in September. We did some exploring at Red Rock Canyon and Valley of Fire, we also saw some “pictues from the past”. Do you have any photos? It would be interesting to compare the European and the American “rock” artists.

    Since I am now RETIRED I have the time to learn about things of interest to me; art and archeology are 2 of them.

    I have really enjoyed your impressions of the trip, thanks for sharing.

    Maggie

  2. josh on October 25th, 2008 1:49 pm

    I’d love to see photos, did you guys take any? I’ve read a lot about Lascaux, and it’s a place I really would like to travel to someday. Definitely a little jealous back here in the states…

  3. Stan on October 25th, 2008 9:58 pm

    Hi Josh - No photos allowed inside.

    You’ll just have to visit yourself. If I didn’t think “bucket lists” were a bit silly I’d say Font de Gaume belongs at the top of anybody’s.

  4. Gretchen, Jill & Mark! on October 30th, 2008 10:55 am

    Stan, Sierra and Daria!
    We sent you coments last Friday, but I don’t find them recorded, so maybe they didn’t get there. We had a great time together, but the Champaigners went home yesterday. I hadn’t seen Mark for lots of years, and he looks and sounds good! Neither of you inherited your father’s political mind! Now that I have caught up with your blog, I will go on regularly! Great weather in Colorado! Sierra’s commentary is just great and tells me a lot!

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