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Prehistoric cave art is considered to be man's original form of art, although its date of origin is still unknown. The art displays the effects of the cultures and surroundings that created them. Cave art found in Europe and Africa depicts the prehistoric conception of animals, humans, symbols and weapons. There are many differences and commonalities between the art found in both areas.
The bulk of the world's cave paintings were discovered in Europe. The humidity and temperature of the European climate are perfect for preserving the art. Cave paintings, along with additional indications of human life, are entirely preserved. Even the footprints of humans and animals are embossed on the floors of several caves.
Examples of European prehistoric cave art are present in the Chauvet cave in Vallon-Pont-d'Arc, Ardeche, France and in Les Trois Freres, France. "We have derived new radiocarbon dates for the drawings that decorate the Chauvet cave...which confirm that even 30,000 years ago Aurignacian artists, could create masterpieces comparable to the best Magdalenian art." (http://www.nature.com)
Both animals and signs are present throughout the Chauvet cave. However, not one complete human image has been found there. Only segments of the human body are depicted. This is a common trait of European cave art.
Art is drawn in these caves using lines, thick and thin, as well as dots. One of the halls of the Chauvet cave, called the Hall of the Bears, contains a rendering of a big rust colored cave bear between the heads of to animals. Near the entrance of the cave, a series of red dots are used to create animal forms. Some are accentuated by the use of yellow, which is used to depict horse heads on a few of the walls.
According to Adams, the Cro-Magnon race is believed to be responsible for the cave art of France and northern Spain. The Cro-Magnon race replaced the Neanderthalers in Europe between 40,000 and 30,000 years ago. Homo sapiens was considered superior to the Neanderthal because they developed in warm regions of the earth. (180-190)
The Cro-Magnons, thought to be the foremost evolved link to...
Aurignacian Solutrean, Magdalenian), distinguished by flint blade tools and by a remarkably varied and skilful use of bone, antler and ivory. The speed with which their culture developed suggests that they had some new means of communicating ideas. Possibly they were the inventors of the first fully articulate language." (Adams, 183)
The Cro-Magnon produced outstanding art found in caves such as those in Chauvet and Lascaux. It is believed that neither of these places were home to the Cro-Magnon, and there is little explanation as to why they created their artwork there. (Adams, 25)
Another French cave, in Les Trois Freres, contains a cave painting of a 'medicine man'. He appears to be donning reindeer antlers. "It has been suggested that at times when the animals, on whom man depended for his food supply, had not returned, the tribe retired to the depths of the cave and there took part in a religious ceremony during which the medicine-man induced in the worshippers a trance-like state which made them highly suggestible." (Adams, 25)
Man is believed to have evolved in Africa in the same manner, the Rhodesia Man being replaced by the more advanced ancestors of the Bushmen and San between 50,000 and 25,000 years ago. The Bushman and San are considered to be the original inhabitants of Southern Africa. (Adams, 25)
Africa is considered to have some of the most exquisite cave art in the world. The meaning behind African cave art is considered to be more easily discernable than its European counter part. Examples of African prehistoric art are present in the caves of Apollo 11 of Namibia, considered to be one of the oldest caves in South Africa, and Linton on the Eastern Cape of Africa.
Apollo 11 was formerly considered to be the oldest African cave art at 27,000 years old. In 1969, small plaques were found. According to Garner, "two painted stone palm-sized plaquettes were found in the layer between Mousterian and Upper Paleolithic. One of them was split into two fragments. A rhino depiction made with a black pigment is on…
Bibliography
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Adams, P.J., et al. The Concise Encyclopedia of Archaeology. Ed. Cottrell, Leonard. 1st ed. New York: Hawthorn Books, 1960.
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Bandi, Hans-Georg, et al. The Art of the Stone Age; Forty Thousand Years of Rock Art. New York: Crown Publishers, 1961.
Cave Art" 2001. Nature Publishing Company. April 19, 2003 http://www.nature.com.
Cave Paintings" 1999. Prehistoric Art. April 19, 2003. SAPAR. http://vm.kemsu.ru/en/palaeolith/cavepaint.html.
San/Bushmen Hunter Gatherers" 2001. Battlefields of history. April 19, 2003. http://www.battlefields.co.za/history/bushmen/index.htm#Paintings.
South African Rock art" 2001. Iziko Museums of Cape Town. April 19, 2003. http://www.museums.org.za/sam/resource/arch/rockart.htm.
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