Posted on 03/21/2013 2:31:27 PM PDT by Red Badger
This reindeer antler from Neschers in France is engraved with a stylised horse. It was created by early humans and found between 1830 and 1848.
A 14,000-year-old engraved reindeer antler is possibly the first piece of early human art ever found. The specimen was uncovered in the 1800s and has been in the vast collections of the Natural History Museum. Its scientific importance, and clues as to how it was made are only now being revealed, scientists report today.
Natural History Museum scientists have pieced together the antler's history. It was found between 1830 and 1848 in Neschers, France, by local village priest Jean-Baptiste Croizet. There are no known records of early human artwork finds before this time and so it is the first, or one of the first, discoveries of Stone Age portable art. Early humans and art The engraving shows part of a figure of a horse, and was made by stone age people (modern humans) towards the end of the last ice age.
Although these people were hunter-gatherers, living before agriculture and domestication of animals had begun, they were nevertheless skilled technicians and artists. In the 1800s very little was known about the early history of humans, especially the fact that our species had been around for many hundreds of thousands of years, along with relatives such as the Neanderthals. So the significance of discoveries like the Neschers antler largely went unrecognised at the time. Since the late 1800s many other carved objects, along with painted caves, have been discovered that show evidence of the art which early humans were creating. The oldest examples of representational art found so far are ivory figurines of animals and humans from early Aurignacian (Upper Palaeolithic) sites in Germany, dated at 35-40,000 years. Lost and found at the Museum The Neschers antler at the Museum is a story of lost and found.
It was acquired by the Natural History Museum (then the British Museum) in 1848 as part of a larger collection for £440, which at today's value would be about £25,500. In 1881, the Museum became independent from the British Museum and the antler was moved to the new building in South Kensington. A year later the antler was put on display and mentioned in a Museum gallery guide, but its scientific importance was not recognised. It was eventually returned to the storerooms and all but forgotten until 1989 when it was rediscovered by mammal curator Andy Currant and placed in secure storage.
Despite this, it again remained unstudied and forgotten until an audit of possible worked bone and antler in the fossil collections began in 2010-2011. This was when its scientific importance became apparent and finally, over 160 years after its discovery, a full scientific description is now being published. Museum human origins expert Prof Chris Stringer, part of the research team says, 'The remarkable story of this forgotten specimen shows how careful study and detective work can belatedly give an important relic the significance it deserves'. Scanning the antler Another study by Museum scientists using a micro-CT scanner and 3D microscopy has revealed even more about the Neschers antler. Results show evidence that the antler had been prepared before being carved.
The team could see how its creator had made an incision and then repeatedly scratched it to enlarge the engraving. They could also tell that the outline of the horse's body and head was scratched out first, and then anatomical features added afterwards. These methods of study are non-destructive and could even be used to identify one ancient artist's work from another. Museum human evolution researcher Dr Silvia Bello, lead author on both studies says, 'The use of micro 3-Dimensional technologies allows for a more objective evaluation of the metrical characteristics of an engraving, thus facilitating the quantification, rather than the mere description, of the technical procedure adopted. 'Moreover, archaeological digital data have the potential to enable the long-term conservation of an archaeological record and to share these data for cultural, educational and professional purposes.'
The Lost and found paper is published in the Journal of Antiquity and the antler 3D and micro-CT scanning is published in the Journal of Archaeological Science. More information: Lost and found paper in the Journal of Antiquity Antler art scanning paper in Journal of Archaeological Science
GGG Ping!..........
Gog’s wife put it out during a yard sale. It didn’t go with the couch. Said, “this is a FAMILY cave....”
Could be, but more likely infant Zigzag too off with it and crawled all the way across the cave floor to hide it. Clearly it was HIS TOY ~ see the horse’s smile?
Very interesting
A 14,000-year-old engraved reindeer antler is possibly the first piece of early human art ever found.
The oldest examples of representational art found so far are ivory figurines of animals and humans from early Aurignacian (Upper Palaeolithic) sites in Germany, dated at 35-40,000 years.
Thank you. I was going to mention something similar.
I suppose the distinction between “found” and “discovered” should have been expressed more clearly.
Representational art, is art that is carved in the shape of something like an animal or human. This antler is a picture of a horse, not carved into the shape of a horse......
Well obviously if the 14,000 year old antler is the first work of early human art ever found, then the 40,000 year old ivory figurines of animals and humans weren’t made by humans.
I’m also confused. A report today said that modern DNA was 338,000 years old. but we waited until 14,000 years ago to produce art? I’m not sure that any of it has credibility.
That’s just the y-chromosome, and you know what that one’s for!
This was found submerged in a jar of urine. That removes all doubt that it is art.
This is something that my horse-crazy daughter would do... she’s constanly drawing horses on things.
The term “NBC News” confuses me too.
It was found around 1800, before the German sites were known. Therefore it was possibly “the first piece of early human art ever found.” The comment does not refer to the age of the object.
So, although not know at the time, it is the "first discovery" or find.
Early humans and art The engraving shows part of a figure of a horse, and was made by stone age people (modern humans) towards the end of the last ice age.
Although these people were hunter-gatherers, living before agriculture and domestication of animals had begun, they were nevertheless skilled technicians and artists. In the 1800s very little was known about the early history of humans, especially the fact that our species had been around for many hundreds of thousands of years, along with relatives such as the Neanderthals. So the significance of discoveries like the Neschers antler largely went unrecognised at the time.,/i>
Fine
Since the late 1800s many other carved objects, along with painted caves, have been discovered that show evidence of the art which early humans were creating.
The oldest examples of representational art found so far are ivory figurines of animals and humans from early Aurignacian (Upper Palaeolithic) sites in Germany, dated at 35-40,000 years.
At the end of the day, this is very poorly written.
The article should say, and the news here is; Representational art older than pictorial art, as far as we can tell.
Or
Simply say we found some really cool old art that had been overlooked for nearly 200 years.
Yes it does.
It clearly states the object is 14,000 years old.
Your comment brings to mind something I’ve asked Sunken_civ before.
Where are all the bad artworks from the past?
Seriously, it seems that we only find stuff that actually looks decent. Not the best mind you, but at least a fair representation of the subject.
Where are all the “trail and errors” of aspiring artists?
You would think there would be more bad stuff than good.
Can they prove the engraving was done at the time the antler was shed, or could it have been added later ... say, 'long about 1800?
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