Human Beginnings Week 2, Tuesday MMC 2265

Chauvet grotto, France, c. 30,000 B.C.E.

The last Ice Age ended about 10,000 years ago. Modern humans began to paint the interior of caves in France and Spain about 30,000 years ago. Stag, Lascaux cave

Lascaux cave, France, c. 20,000-15,000 B.C.E.

Cosquer cave, France, c. 20,000 B.C.E.

Lascaux cave, France, c. 20,000-15,000 B.C.E.

Major sites of cave art in Western Europe

Pech-Merle, France c. 14,500 B.C.E.

Hand prints from 27,000 years ago

One of very, very few depictions of a man. Lascaux cave, France, c. 20,000-15,000 B.C.E.

Who and When Modern humans (Cro-Magnon) appeared in Western Europe about 35,000 years ago These people painted images on cave walls, carved objects in the form of animals, and marked notations on bone, antlers, tusks and stone

Modern humans (Cro-Magnon) appeared in Western Europe about 35,000 years ago

These people painted images on cave walls, carved objects in the form of animals, and marked notations on bone, antlers, tusks and stone

The Tata plaque Presumably carved by a Neanderthal Found in what is now Hungary Dated to about 45,000 years ago Not a tool Not a weapon Intentionally carved Painted with red ochre

Presumably carved by a Neanderthal

Found in what is now Hungary

Dated to about 45,000 years ago

Not a tool

Not a weapon

Intentionally carved

Painted with red ochre

The Vogelherd horse Also intentionally carved (ivory) About 10,000 years after the Tata plaque Predates European cave paintings by about 10,000 to 15,000 years

Also intentionally carved (ivory)

About 10,000 years after the Tata plaque

Predates European cave paintings by about 10,000 to 15,000 years

Intentionality vs. doodling Are the cave paintings at Lascaux, Chauvet and Altamira accidental? Babies babble -- but babbling leads to speech only within a culture that speaks Artifacts that have meaning Artifacts that are used deliberately, with intention “ At the proper time and in the proper way”

Are the cave paintings at Lascaux, Chauvet and Altamira accidental?

Babies babble -- but babbling leads to speech only within a culture that speaks

Artifacts that have meaning

Artifacts that are used deliberately, with intention

“ At the proper time and in the proper way”

Carved wooly mammoth, about 2.5 in. long. Vogelherd, Germany, c. 30,000 B.C.E.

Signs and Symbols Notations on bone, antler and ivory Maybe calendars? Tracking the gestation period of a horse or the phases of the moon; seasons, migrations, plant life cycles? Combining different types of markings These human societies are becoming more complex

Notations on bone, antler and ivory

Maybe calendars?

Tracking the gestation period of a horse or the phases of the moon; seasons, migrations, plant life cycles?

Combining different types of markings

These human societies are becoming more complex

Female Images Their use and meaning? We don’t know Figures found in France, Italy, Austria, Czechoslovakia and Ukraine Like the cave paintings, many of these date from 20,000 years ago They were not made after the Ice Age ended, apparently

Their use and meaning? We don’t know

Figures found in France, Italy, Austria, Czechoslovakia and Ukraine

Like the cave paintings, many

of these date from 20,000

years ago

They were not made after the

Ice Age ended, apparently

The “Venus of Willendorf” stands about 4.5 in. tall. At first thought to be the same age as the cave paintings at Lascaux, this statuette is much older – about 24,000-22,000 B.C.E. Found on a cliff terrace above the Danube River in Austria.

Pre-history: No history Without writing, a society leaves no stories behind for us to decipher The meaning of the marks made on objects is unknown to us The meaning of the cave paintings: Also unknown What do we learn from them?

Without writing, a society leaves no stories behind for us to decipher

The meaning of the marks made on objects is unknown to us

The meaning of the cave paintings: Also unknown

What do we learn from them?

Human Beginnings Presentation by Mindy McAdams University of Florida