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Prehistoric Hand Stencils In Spanish Caves Not Randomly Placed, Say Researchers
Popular Archaeology ^ | Sunday, April 17, 2016 | editors

Posted on 04/23/2016 11:54:33 AM PDT by SunkenCiv

Prehistoric cave occupants paid attention to cave wall morphology and touch when creating hand stencils.

Human occupants of two caves in Northern Spain put some thought into where they placed their hand stencils on cave walls as much as 37,000 years ago, during Palaeolithic times. The topography and physical characteristics of the walls in the low light conditions of the caves seem to have mattered to them, suggest a team of researchers...

What they found was a pattern that indicated selection or attention to certain types of natural cave wall features for placement of the stencils. "In total 80% of observable stencils at La Garma and 74% at El Castillo have some kind of association, either with fissures or undulations on the caves' surfaces," state the researchers in the study report. "Some stencils seem to have been 'fitted' to subtle topographic features in the wall, and some were positioned on bosses in the wall in such a manner that they appear to be 'gripping' the wall in a similar way that explorers use their hands to steady themselves when navigating the caves," ...

Moreover, under the low-light conditions of the caves, the authors suggest that the stencils were created using a significant reliance on touch and close-up scrutiny of the surface, in addition to overall visual facility.

Interestingly, the few hand stencils that were created in what would have been difficult or uncomfortable positions for the artists were clearly placed in association with certain types of natural features, such as atop a stalactite, associated with a crack, or ergonomically fitted to a concave surface with the fingers 'gripping' a boss.

The researchers also determined that more than one individual was making similar decisions about the placement of the stencils, indicating common or shared choices among a group of individuals.

(Excerpt) Read more at popular-archaeology.com ...


TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: cave; caveart; cavedrawings; cavepainting; cavepaintings; godsgravesglyphs; macroetymology; marysettegast; neandertal; neandertals; neanderthal; neanderthals; palaeolithic; paleosigns; paulpettitt; platoprehistorian; spain
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To: SunkenCiv

“This way to the egress.”

“Easy meal here.”

“Gents.”


21 posted on 04/23/2016 12:23:17 PM PDT by Buttons12 ( It Can't Happen Here -- Sinclair Lewis.)
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To: GrandJediMasterYoda
I couldn't draw a horse or lion from memory like that

I bet you could if dinner depended on it!

22 posted on 04/23/2016 12:25:16 PM PDT by Buttons12 ( It Can't Happen Here -- Sinclair Lewis.)
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To: Buttons12

Obviously the cavewoman was directing the caveman where to place their art, ....until they got it just right.


23 posted on 04/23/2016 12:28:40 PM PDT by Cvengr ( Adversity in life & death is inevitable; Stress is optional through faith in Christ.)
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To: SunkenCiv

Whoa! <3


24 posted on 04/23/2016 12:31:04 PM PDT by Monkey Face (Have you ever had one of those days when you are holding a stick and everyone looks like a pinata?)
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To: bunkerhill7

That is really interesting, thanks for the post! East is at the top.


25 posted on 04/23/2016 12:37:52 PM PDT by Sawdring
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To: SunkenCiv

Maybe it means “Goomba at 4 yrs. old. Goomba at 7 years old. Goomba just before the bear ate him.” We had the same type of markings in my old farmhouse before the bulldozer ate it.


26 posted on 04/23/2016 12:43:43 PM PDT by Safetgiver (Islam makes barbarism look genteel.)
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To: SunkenCiv

“Mog, why you no bring flowers to cave like other troglodytes?”

“Talk to the hand!”


27 posted on 04/23/2016 12:55:12 PM PDT by SoCal Pubbie
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To: GrandJediMasterYoda

wow, those are beautiful..... reminds me of da Vinci


28 posted on 04/23/2016 1:06:58 PM PDT by sdpatriot ("Thank you very much, sdpatriot!! Smooch!" - from JR - send him a buck!!!!)
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To: bunkerhill7

found this

from Latin Hibernia, the Roman name for Ireland, also in forms Iverna, Juverna, Ierne, etc., all ultimately from Old Celtic *Iveriu “Ireland” (see Irish (n.)). This particular form of the name was altered in Latin as though it meant “land of winter” (see hibernation).
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=Hibernia


29 posted on 04/23/2016 1:34:01 PM PDT by sdpatriot ("Thank you very much, sdpatriot!! Smooch!" - from JR - send him a buck!!!!)
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To: ichabod1

Those rascals were clever. Next we’ll find some tie dyed saber toothed tiger skins.


30 posted on 04/23/2016 1:44:59 PM PDT by Tucker39 (Welcome to America! Now speak English; and keep to the right....In driving, in Faith, and politics.)
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To: bunkerhill7

It’s Hibernia.


31 posted on 04/23/2016 1:56:23 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Here's to the day the forensics people scrape what's left of Putin off the ceiling of his limo.)
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To: bunkerhill7

Oh, sorry, you’d caught it.


32 posted on 04/23/2016 1:56:41 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Here's to the day the forensics people scrape what's left of Putin off the ceiling of his limo.)
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To: AEMILIUS PAULUS

It’s thumb accomplishment.


33 posted on 04/23/2016 1:59:32 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Here's to the day the forensics people scrape what's left of Putin off the ceiling of his limo.)
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To: Smokin' Joe

;’)


34 posted on 04/23/2016 1:59:46 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Here's to the day the forensics people scrape what's left of Putin off the ceiling of his limo.)
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To: Rockpile

It’s speculative of course, but if that’s why we do it, why not? :’)


35 posted on 04/23/2016 2:00:14 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Here's to the day the forensics people scrape what's left of Putin off the ceiling of his limo.)
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To: Buttons12

Put 37,000 cave artists to work in a cave for 37,000 years, one of them will write a Shakespeare play — unfortunately, we’ll never figure out the translation.


36 posted on 04/23/2016 2:01:24 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Here's to the day the forensics people scrape what's left of Putin off the ceiling of his limo.)
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To: Monkey Face

:’)


37 posted on 04/23/2016 2:01:43 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Here's to the day the forensics people scrape what's left of Putin off the ceiling of his limo.)
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To: SunkenCiv

This is a very punny thread.


38 posted on 04/23/2016 6:04:14 PM PDT by colorado tanker
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To: bunkerhill7

Interesting map. It has Ravenna on the wrong side of the Apennines.


39 posted on 04/23/2016 6:14:58 PM PDT by Verginius Rufus
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To: bunkerhill7
Now, that is an interesting map! They managed to get in essentially every known country -- in somewhat related positions -- but they had almost zero sense of direction.

Yet, even with the distortion, modern geographers can say, Mount Sinai should be about here." -- and,there it is...

That is an amazing amount of data! And, it makes surprisingly good sense...

Thanks for posting it!

40 posted on 04/23/2016 6:34:28 PM PDT by TXnMA ("Allah: Satan's current alias. "Obama": Allah's current ally...)
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