Did Humans Make These Ancient Cave Paintings? | National Geographic

National Geographic

30 Dec 201402:50

Summary

TLDRResearchers in Asturias, Spain, have discovered ancient calcite deposits on cave art, potentially dating it to over 41,000 years ago. This pushes back the timeline of Europe's oldest art and raises questions about whether it was created by Neanderthals or early modern humans. The findings challenge previous assumptions about the origins of symbolic behavior and art, suggesting that Europe, not Africa, may have been the birthplace of early artistic expression. The discovery also prompts speculation about the role of art in social cohesion and the possible artistic capabilities of Neanderthals.

Takeaways

🗺️ The script discusses the discovery of small calcite deposits on cave art in Asturias, Spain, which can be dated to determine the age of the paintings.
🕰️ Art in Spain has been dated to be 15,000 years older than previously thought, making it the oldest art in Europe, at least 41,000 years old.
🤔 There is uncertainty about whether the art was created by Neanderthals or the earliest modern humans to arrive in Europe.
🌏 Modern humans evolved around 200,000 years ago in Africa but did not start expressing symbolic thoughts until around 100,000 years ago.
🎨 The earliest known paintings are in Europe, raising questions about why painting began there and not in Africa where modern humans originated.
🤝 One theory suggests that modern humans may have needed to reorganize into different social structures upon arrival in Europe to compete with Neanderthals for resources.
🙏 The script mentions the possibility that new religious practices requiring cave painting could have been a means of maintaining social cohesion.
🗣️ There is interest in determining if human symbolic behavior coincides with the development of language or if it dates back to the earliest anatomically modern humans.
👥 The script also raises the question of whether Neanderthals could have produced art, with the dating of the paintings potentially providing evidence for this.
📰 The findings are considered 'big news' as they challenge previous dismissals of Neanderthals as symbolic individuals and suggest they may have used pigments for body adornment.
🎭 The script concludes by suggesting that if Neanderthals used pigments for makeup, it wouldn't be surprising to find they also painted caves.

Q & A

What is the significance of the small calcite deposits found on top of cave art in Asturias?
-The calcite deposits are significant because they can be dated to determine the age of the cave paintings, providing insights into the timeline of ancient art.
How old is the oldest art found in Europe?
-The oldest art discovered in Europe dates back at least 41,000 years, which is significantly older than previously thought.
What is the uncertainty regarding the creators of the oldest European art?
-There is uncertainty whether the art was created by Neanderthals or by the earliest modern humans to arrive in Europe, as the dating does not specify the artist.
When did modern humans evolve, and when did they start expressing symbolic thoughts?
-Modern humans evolved around 200,000 years ago in Africa, but they did not start using symbolic expressions until about 100,000 years ago.
Why is it intriguing that the earliest paintings were found in Europe rather than Africa?
-It is intriguing because modern humans had been around for a long time in Africa before they started creating art, suggesting a unique cultural development in Europe.
What social factors might have influenced the development of cave painting in Europe?
-The presence of Neanderthals in Europe at the time of the arrival of modern humans may have forced them to reorganize into different social structures, possibly leading to new religious practices and the need for cave painting to maintain social cohesion.
What is the relationship between symbolic behavior and language in human evolution?
-Researchers are interested in whether symbolic behavior coincides with the development of language or if it dates back to the point when humans began to physically resemble modern humans.
Are there any indications that Neanderthals might have been capable of creating art?
-Evidence of Neanderthal use of pigments for body adornment suggests that they might have also been capable of painting caves, although this is still under investigation.
What does the dating of the cave paintings aim to determine?
-The dating aims to determine whether the paintings were made by modern humans or by Neanderthals, providing insights into the origins of artistic expression.
Why is the discovery of the cave paintings in Spain considered 'big news'?
-The discovery is significant because it challenges previous assumptions about Neanderthals' capacity for symbolic thought and suggests they may have been capable of creating art.
What role might cave paintings have played in the social structures of early humans?
-Cave paintings might have served as a means of maintaining social cohesion, possibly through the expression of shared religious or cultural beliefs.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 Ancient Art of Asturias: Dating Cave Paintings

Researchers in Asturias, Spain, are examining small calcite deposits atop cave art to determine the age of the paintings. The findings suggest that the art is at least 41,000 years old, which challenges previous assumptions and could indicate that it is the oldest art in Europe. The dating of these paintings is crucial as it may reveal whether the art was created by Neanderthals or the earliest modern humans to reach Europe. The discovery raises questions about the origins of symbolic thought and expression, as well as the social structures and environmental factors that may have influenced the development of art in Europe rather than Africa, where modern humans first evolved.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Asturias

Asturias is a region in northern Spain known for its rich prehistoric art, particularly cave paintings. In the context of the video, it is the location where researchers are studying calcite deposits to date ancient cave art. The script mentions Asturias as the place where they have dated art that is significantly older than previously thought.

💡Calcite deposits

Calcite deposits are mineral formations that can accumulate on cave surfaces over time. They are significant in the script because they can be dated to determine the age of the cave paintings beneath them. The video discusses using these deposits to establish that the art in Asturias is much older than initially believed.

💡Cave art

Cave art refers to paintings, drawings, and other artistic expressions found in caves, often created by prehistoric humans. The script discusses the dating of cave art in Asturias, suggesting that it may be the oldest in Europe, and raises questions about who created it—Neanderthals or early modern humans.

💡Dating

Dating in this context refers to the scientific process of determining the age of an object or substance, such as cave art or calcite deposits. The script explains how dating these formations helps researchers understand when the paintings were made and by whom.

💡Neanderthals

Neanderthals are an extinct species of human that lived in Europe and parts of western Asia. The script raises the possibility that the cave art in Asturias could have been painted by Neanderthals, suggesting a reevaluation of their cognitive abilities and cultural practices.

💡Modern humans

Modern humans, or Homo sapiens, evolved around 200,000 years ago in Africa. The script discusses the timeline of modern human evolution and their arrival in Europe, questioning whether the earliest cave paintings were created by them or by Neanderthals.

💡Symbolic behavior

Symbolic behavior refers to the use of objects, signs, or actions to represent ideas or concepts. The script explores the emergence of symbolic behavior in modern humans and its potential connection to the creation of cave art, suggesting it may have been a means of social cohesion.

💡Social cohesion

Social cohesion is the bonding and unity within a group or society. The script suggests that the painting of caves might have been a way for early humans to maintain social cohesion, especially in the context of competition with Neanderthals for resources.

💡Religious practices

Religious practices are rituals, beliefs, and activities associated with a religion or spiritual tradition. The script hypothesizes that cave painting may have been part of new religious practices that emerged as a response to the social and environmental challenges faced by early humans in Europe.

💡Language

Language is a system of communication using words or symbols. The script raises the question of whether the development of symbolic behavior, such as cave painting, coincides with the emergence of language in human evolution.

💡Pharrell Williams

Pharrell Williams is a contemporary reference in the script, mentioned in the context of evidence for Neanderthal use of pigments, possibly as body adornment. This suggests that Neanderthals may have had a more complex symbolic culture than previously thought, which could extend to cave painting.

Highlights

Researchers have discovered small calcite deposits on top of cave art in Asturias, which can be used to date the paintings.

The dating of the art suggests it is at least 41,000 years old, making it the oldest art found in Europe.

The age of the art raises questions about whether it was created by Neanderthals or the earliest modern humans to arrive in Europe.

Modern humans evolved around 200,000 years ago in Africa but did not start expressing symbolic thoughts until around 100,000 years ago.

The earliest known paintings are found in Europe, not Africa, where modern humans have been present for a much longer time.

One theory suggests that modern humans may have needed to reorganize into different social structures upon arrival in Europe to compete with Neanderthals.

Cave paintings could have been a means of maintaining social cohesion through new religious practices.

Researchers are interested in the correlation between human symbolic behavior and the development of language.

There is ongoing debate about whether symbolic behavior dates back to the earliest stages of human evolution.

The dating of the cave paintings will help determine if they were made by modern humans or Neanderthals.

The discovery challenges previous assumptions about Neanderthals' capacity for symbolic thought and behavior.

Evidence suggests Neanderthals may have used pigments for body adornment, similar to makeup.

The possibility that Neanderthals painted caves adds a new dimension to our understanding of their culture.

The findings in Asturias are considered 'big news' due to their potential to reshape our view of Neanderthal capabilities.

The research could lead to a reevaluation of Neanderthals as symbolic individuals, beyond their known use of pigments.

The study of cave art in Spain provides crucial evidence for understanding the origins of human symbolic behavior.