Posted on 07/03/2008 3:58:32 PM PDT by blam
Cave Men Loved to Sing
Heather Whipps
Special to LiveScience
LiveScience.com
Thu Jul 3, 1:01 AM ET
Ancient hunters painted the sections of their cave dwellings where singing, humming and music sounded best, a new study suggests.
Analyzing the famous, ochre-splashed cave walls of France, the most densely painted areas were also those with the best acoustics, the scientists found. Humming into some bends in the wall even produced sounds mimicking the animals painted there.
The Upper Paleolithic people responsible for the paintings had likely fine-tuned their hearing to recognize the sound qualities in certain parts of the cave and chose to do their artwork there as a kind of landmark, perhaps as part of a singing ritual, said researcher Iegor Reznikoff, a specialist in ancient music at the University of Paris X in Nanterre.
Reznikoff will present his findings at the upcoming Acoustical Society of America meeting in Paris, France.
Cave dwellers used echolocation
People who lived in Europe during the Upper Paleolithic - from 10,000 to 40,000 years ago - spent a lot of time in caves, often living there or at least camping out for short periods. "They were hunters in cold conditions," Reznikoff told LiveScience.
With only dull light available from a torch, which couldn't be carried into very narrow passages, the ancient hunters had to use their voices like sonar to explore the crooks and crannies of a newfound cave, Reznikoff explained.
"When acting in a cave in conditions similar to prehistoric ones ... the surroundings a few meters ahead are almost completely dark," he said, adding that "since sound reaches much farther than reduced light, especially in irregular surroundings, the only possibility and security is to explore the cave with the voice and its echoing effects."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Lemme guess.....some archaeologist has found a neolithic Walkman?
I guess we've been demoted to chat.
That cost them my $30.00 per month donation.
Further harrassment will cost them my presence on this site.
When you pay obscene salaries to hyper-educated idiots with total job security for years of mental masturbation, this is the kind of drivel you get for your money.
gmta
My dad (RIP 1983) grew up in Washington, DC, and belonged to a social club there called the Cave Dwellers.
woA! That ain’t no Wilma from Bedrock!
Sounds a bit like a nom de cine.
With only dull light available from a torch, which couldn’t be carried into very narrow passages, the ancient hunters had to use their voices like sonar to explore the crooks and crannies of a newfound cave, Reznikoff explained.
“When acting in a cave in conditions similar to prehistoric ones ... the surroundings a few meters ahead are almost completely dark,” he said, adding that “since sound reaches much farther than reduced light, especially in irregular surroundings, the only possibility and security is to explore the cave with the voice and its echoing effects.”
Caveman: I be calling you...ooh..ooh..ooohh ooh ooh.(With apologies to the Jeanette McDonald and the Indian love call)
CaveBear: GRRROOOWR.
mostly rock music I bet.
That’s the one! How in the world did you find that? Isn’t the net amazing?
Unbelieveable.
Yup. You go to the concert with the instruments you have.
[singing] let’s give ‘em somethin’ to chat about...
Neanderthals Sang Like Sopranos
ABC Science News | 3-15-2005 | Jennifer Viegas
Posted on 03/15/2005 5:34:39 PM PST by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1363597/posts
Hominids’ Cave Rave-Ups May Link Music And Speech
Reuters (UK) | 5-31-2006 | Michael Roddy
Posted on 05/31/2006 10:52:10 AM PDT by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1641293/posts
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Gods |
Thanks Blam. Thanks wb for the, uh, humor. ;') |
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