Most cave art the work of teens, not shamans - A landmark study of Paleolithic art

University of Alaska Fairbanks, Institute of Arctic Biology ^ | 10 February 2006 | Dale Guthrie and Marie Gilbert

[SunkenCiv]

This ancient art was made during the late Pleistocene, about 10,000 to 35,000 years ago, and has typically been the purview of art historians and anthropologists, many of whom view Paleolithic art as done by accomplished shaman-artists... Using new forensic techniques on fossil handprints of the artists and examining thousands of images, "I found that all ages and both sexes were making art, not just the senior male shamans," Guthrie said. These included hundreds of prints made as ocher, manganese, or clay negatives and a few positive prints made with pigments or mud applied to hands that were then placed on cave surfaces.

[SunkenCiv]

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The Nature of Paleolithic Art by R. Dale Guthrie

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[SunkenCiv]

Does this strike anyone else as "not news"? :')

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[Darkwolf377]

So it's graffitti?

[Tax-chick]

This seems fairly obvious, given the average lifespan under Paleolithic conditions.

[Dustbunny]

Does this strike anyone else as "not news"?

Me.

[End Times Sentinel]

Most cave art the work of teens, not shamans

This comes as no surprise to me.  The summer between my sophomore and junior years in highschool, I took a paper and ink making class as part of an art camp.  Well, being forgetful, I left my completed project on the bus on day.  You can imagine my surprise when several years later it reappeared, now being hailed as "The Dead Sea Scrolls".

Owl_Eagle

(If what I just wrote makes you sad or angry,

 it was probably sarcasm)

[Pharmboy]

Very interesting...great find. And, it's news to me.

[ThanhPhero]

In other news- A spokesman from the Archaelogy Department of the Universtiy of Madrid announced the discovery of paleolithic paint-spray cans in a cave near Asturias.

[Jersey Republican Biker Chick]

So it was all your fault!

[Hatteras]

[Dr.Zoidberg]

Some things NEVER change.

[Grammy]

So, kids have always been writing on the walls? I see those moms didn't know how to get off marker either.

[null and void]

So it's graffitti?

Yeah. Punks.

[caver]

I've seen plenty of grafitti in caves but never seen any cave art. I have seen what people describe as historic signatures and dates. Today they are considered as historic but adding yuour own name is strictly frowned against and is illegal in a lot of places.

[tertiary01]

I've always thought that the much interpretation usually reflected the ideology of the researchers ever since I stated this 35 years ago in my first Anthro class. That comment guaranteed a subpar grade insuring that I would not be able to participate on the one dig they had going.

[norton]

Although I might buy the book based on it's description in this post:

All I can picture just now is a paleolithic refrigerator covered with watercolors.

[texas booster]

Most "cave art" that I have seen consists of mammoth breasts and, umm ... bottoms, scantily clad if at all.

Now why would someone think that teenagers drew this??

Shocking, I say.

[texas booster]

Most "cave art" that I have seen consists of mammoth breasts and, umm ... bottoms, scantily clad if at all.

Now why would someone think that teenagers drew this??

Shocking, I say.

[ApplegateRanch]

Today they are considered as historic but adding yuour own name is strictly frowned against and is illegal in a lot of places.

Yeah, or try carving YOUR name onto Register Cliff or Independence Rock; or draw a few lines on an unused part of the Nazca Plateau, and see what it gets you! No sense of humor.

[Servant of the 9]

It's Grafitti !!