Posted on 06/29/2010 1:22:10 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
VIENNA (AFP) – Prehistoric man enjoyed a primitive version of cinema, according to Austrian and British researchers, who are currently seeking to recreate these ancient visual displays.
Rock engravings from the Copper Age found all over Europe in remote, hidden locations, indicate the artwork was more than mere images, researchers from Cambridge University and Sankt Poelten's university of applied sciences (FH) in Austria believe.
"The cliff engravings... in our opinion are not just pictures but are part of an audiovisual performance," Frederick Baker of Cambridge University's Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology said in a statement Tuesday.
"There was still no moving image but (the pictures) created sequences like in animation... this was not just a treat for the eyes but also for the ears, as these rock engravings are especially found in locations with particular echoes.
"In this sense, the rock engravings are not just static images but pictures that created a story in the mind of the viewer -- just like at the cinema," said Baker.
Cambridge University and FH Sankt Poelten have now launched a "Prehistoric Picture Project" with Weimar's Bauhaus university in Germany to recreate these films, using computer technology to establish the sequence of images and animate them like in a cartoon.
The "movies," dating back to 4000 to 1000 BC, often depict fights, dances or hunts, but interestingly never show death and rarely portray women, the project's coordinators said.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
No one has the Flintstones at the Drive In?
YES!!
Much better. You are forgiven for the Nuke pic on the other thread.
The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom. ;)
The final clue to resolving this was the discovery of fossilized unpopped popcorn kernels near the base of the cliffs.
They even had their own music...Troglodyte
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlRXQEA0yj0
My favorite picture of all time.
She is close to perfect.
“Must invent fire...need to light mosquito coil...”
Oh, my God. You’re my hero. Post of the Day—no, Post of the Month!
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Thanks GeronL. Of course, this era won't leave behind anything as enduring. :') But the headline on this story/topic really grabs, eh? |
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In all seriousness why would someone take the time to carve something on a rock if it didn’t mean anything?
I wonder if they gave away wooden totems to the best actor and for best cave art?
The main difference being — Critics did not bash you anonymously in the paper, they bashed you physically with a club.
Which explains why OGG COSTNER was never seen again after his epic failure “Waterwall”. Unfortunately he had already procreated by that time.
Most of the paintings were of animals. A utilitarian (vs. impractical academic) explanation is either “restaurant menus” or “today’s game”. The local language was doubtless not written, and only marginally useful to the locals; immigrant hunters would need to point to pictures. Communal hunts would go much more smoothly if everyone was clear on what “grunt” meant. We seem to be devolving to a similar scenario (once BO completely destroys the currency and opens the borders).
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