[rosenfan]

...supposedly these folk had to spend hours looking for food to survive, working from sun to sun.I know there are some antropologists who insist that you can subsist on a few hours of work per day in a hunting/gathering culture. Not sure I believe that....look at how difficult non-mechanized farming is.

They weren't farmers. What's more, it could have been older members of the tribe would couldn't hunt/gather as efficiently who made these carvings. They also could have been made by the tribal shaman, who would have had more time on his hands.

Why? Why would you waste the time? Tap a rock with a rock, even over and over and the results are pretty poor...somehow some group persisted even though the rewards [payoff] were pretty slim.

The more sophisticated religions had not yet been invented, and people have been expressing themselves through spiritual art as long as they've been people.

[Adder]

Good points...I know they weren’t farmers. Maybe I am wrong but it seems that h&g would be more arduous
than farming, which is my point.
Otherwise, why the rush to embrace farming? A steady food supply[for the most part]but harder work?

Perhaps.

But the part about the elderly or shamans is good. Hadn’t thought of that.