Cave art history and significance

Prehistoric cave art is considered to be man's original form of art, although its date of origin is still unknown. The art displays the effects of the cultures and surroundings that created them. Cave art found in Europe and Africa depicts the prehistoric conception of animals, humans, symbols and weapons. There are many differences and commonalities between the art found in both areas.

The bulk of the world's cave paintings were discovered in Europe. The humidity and temperature of the European climate are perfect for preserving the art. Cave paintings, along with additional indications of human life, are entirely preserved. Even the footprints of humans and animals are embossed on the floors of several caves.

Examples of European prehistoric cave art are present in the Chauvet cave in Vallon-Pont-d'Arc, Ardeche, France and in Les Trois Freres, France. "We have derived new radiocarbon dates for the drawings that decorate the Chauvet cave...which confirm that even 30,000 years ago Aurignacian artists, could create masterpieces comparable to the best Magdalenian art." (http://www.nature.com)

Both animals and signs are present throughout the Chauvet cave. However, not one complete human image has been found there. Only segments of the human body are depicted. This is a common trait of European cave art.

Art is drawn in these caves using lines, thick and thin, as well as dots. One of the halls of the Chauvet cave, called the Hall of the Bears, contains a rendering of a big rust colored cave bear between the heads of to animals. Near the entrance of the cave, a series of red dots are used to create animal forms. Some are accentuated by the use of yellow, which is used to depict horse heads on a few of the walls.

According to Adams, the Cro-Magnon race is believed to be responsible for the cave art of France and northern Spain. The Cro-Magnon race replaced the Neanderthalers in Europe between 40,000 and 30,000 years ago. Homo sapiens was considered superior to the Neanderthal because they developed in warm regions of the earth. (180-190)

The Cro-Magnons, thought to be the foremost evolved link to Homo sapiens, "were responsible for the Upper Paleolithic industries (e.g. Aurignacian Solutrean, Magdalenian), distinguished by flint blade tools and by a remarkably varied and skilful use of bone, antler and ivory. The speed with which their culture developed suggests that they had some new means of communicating ideas. Possibly they were the inventors of the first fully articulate language." (Adams, 183)

The Cro-Magnon produced outstanding art found in caves such as those in Chauvet and Lascaux. It is believed that neither of these places were home to the Cro-Magnon, and there is little explanation as to why they created their artwork there. (Adams, 25)

Another French cave, in Les Trois Freres, contains a cave painting of a 'medicine man'. He appears to be donning reindeer antlers. "It has been suggested that at times when the animals, on whom man depended for his food supply, had not returned, the tribe retired to the depths of the cave and there took part in a religious ceremony during which the medicine-man induced in the worshippers a trance-like state which made them highly suggestible." (Adams, 25)

Man is believed to have evolved in Africa in the same manner, the Rhodesia Man being replaced by the more advanced ancestors of the Bushmen and San between 50,000 and 25,000 years ago. The Bushman and San are considered to be the original inhabitants of Southern Africa. (Adams, 25)

Africa is considered to have some of the most exquisite cave art in the world. The meaning behind African cave art is considered to be more easily discernable than its European counter part. Examples of African prehistoric art are present in the caves of Apollo 11 of Namibia, considered to be one of the oldest caves in South Africa, and Linton on the Eastern Cape of Africa.

Apollo 11 was formerly considered to be the oldest African cave art at 27,000 years old. In 1969, small plaques were found. According to Garner, "two painted stone palm-sized plaquettes were found in the layer between Mousterian and Upper Paleolithic. One of them was split into two fragments. A rhino depiction made with a black pigment is on one of the plaquettes, an ungulate - on the other." (1)

The cave paintings in Linton are considered to be only 11,000 years old, as opposed to Apollo 11. The cave shelter located in Linton on the Eastern Cape of Africa contains a painting of that illustrates the experiences of healers or shaman, calling on supernatural powers. Human figures are clearly defined. The shaman has hooves, as if taking on the shape of an animal in order to connect to the spiritual world. White dots are used to represent spiritual power.

Strange features are also assigned to other animals and humans present during the trance in the painting, using white dashes. Animals in the painting appear to have mismatched body parts, such as a snake with an antelope head.

Garner adds that the artists of these caves "were hunter-gatherers, hunting with bows and arrows and eating edible roots and berries. Living in rock shelters, in the open or in crude shelters of twigs and grass or animal skins. They made no pottery, rather using ostrich eggshells or animal parts for storing and holding liquids." (1)

There are several distinctive differences between African and European cave art. One of the most obvious is its use of the human form. Unlike European rock art, the subject matter in Africa is dominated by the human form. In fact, most European cave art contains no human form at all in either paintings or etchings. For example, the cave paintings in Linton feature full human forms, whereas the Chauvet cave and Les Trois Freres cave do not.