Cave Painting

Cave painting is the first known form of painting, with discovered cave paintings having been dated from 40,000 years ago. The earliest cave paintings found in Europe date to 32,000 years ago, and are located in caves in Lascaux, France and in Altimira, Spain. These cave paintings, drawn and painted on the walls of caves, depict primarily wild animals such as bison, horses and deer, which existed during the times when the cave paintings were created by perhistoric man.

By means first of carbon dating and more recently paint analysis, experts have determined that the cave paintings were indeed created by prehistoric man during the Paleolithic period.
The animals represented in cave paintins were in many cases the kinds of animals prehistoric man relied on for food. It is thought also that some symbolism or religious meanings might exist in the cave paintings, and even that certain of the great wild beasts may have been worshipped in a sense by prehistoric man.

Some historians believe the cave paintings to be a form of transmitting information while others believe cave painting may have had religious or symbolic meanings. Because the cave painting in France and Spain was done in areas where there were no signs of habitation, it is assumed the cave painting was for no decorative purpose.

A number of colors and paint media were used in cave painting, including red and yellow
ochre, hematite, manganese oxide and charcoal. The paintings were simple and somewhat stylized, but unmistakable in form. Humans were not represented in the prehistoric cave paintings.

In much more recent times,primitive paintings have been discoveed in South Africa,including paintings of oth humans and animals. Early rock painting has been found in India, Indonesia and Malaysia, and been dated to around 3000 years ago.

Because cave paintings are an important element in the history of man, and because the cave paintings are susceptible to deterioration through exposure, the primary caves containing cave painting have been closed to the public. The cave paintings have been replicated, however, so that people can see exact reproductions of these ancient works of man. Whether they were a sign of worship, or perhaps a totem of sorts related to the hunt, or even a primitive means of communication, the simple but remarkable depictions of animals in, the cave paintings are a tribute to man's early skills of perception and interpretation,and his sense of his environment as well as his urge and need to make his presence known.

< Back To Painting Next Previous