3/13/2023 0 Comments Ancient space fight paintingThe pigments themselves, such as iron oxide and carbon black (charcoal), are highly resistant to fading, unless exposed to fire or chemicals. Due to the discovery of pigments and paints near burial and religious sites, it is suggested that such paintings were often ceremonial or sacred in nature. These pigments were not available everywhere, and likely had to be sought out, and were likely considered valuable. This pigment could be mixed with charcoal or burned bones, and thickened into a paint with animal fat or other natural oils. To begin with, the paints and dyes used by these early artists were organic in nature, such as iron or hematite, which would combine to form a pigment called ochre once they began to oxidize. However, cave paintings are uniquely able to defend against the ravages of time. Tools, structural foundations, artifacts and remains gradually break down and disappear, particularly after tens of thousands of years. For this reason, the remains of ancient civilizations and early man are difficult, if not impossible, to find and study. Take a look at the Grand Canyon or the smoothly weathered tops of the Appalachian Mountains and you will see the evidence of this insistent power. The Nature of Cave PaintingsĪs we all know, nature is the most gradually destructive and creative force on the planet. The global search for cave paintings continues, as each new discovery brings new revelations into a history that is otherwise nearly invisible. However, in recent years, the timeline has been flung much farther back, with exciting discoveries in Borneo (dating approximately 40,000-52,000 years old), the Gabardung caves in Australia (at least 28,000 years old) and the Iberian peninsula (~64,000 years old). The Lascaux Caves, discovered in 1940, held the title of the oldest known cave paintings, dating roughly 17,000 years in age. This gives a clear picture into some of the fauna present at the time these paintings were made, as well as the level of sophistication and symbolic language of prehistoric man. The majority of the cave paintings that have been discovered depict symbols and animals, sometimes boasting hundreds of images in the same cave. More than 150 sites in these two countries alone have provided invaluable insight to the past. Throughout France and Spain, a number of exciting discoveries brought more attention to this field, and cave paintings have become critical lenses into the history of Neanderthals and modern man. A steady stream of additional discoveries in the 20th century confirmed that early humans were more expressive and capable than previously believed. The first cave paintings weren’t discovered until the end of the 19th century, and the claims that they were from Paleolithic times weren’t believed, since this ran so contrary to previous anthropological beliefs about early humans and their cognitive abilities. The question is: how did such cave paintings survive for tens of thousands of years, when other signs of early civilizations have been lost to the sands of time? We see such examples of ancient cave art preserved all over the world, from the caves of Lascaux to recently discovered paintings on the island of Borneo that is being hailed as the oldest figurative art ever discovered. Deep in the sheltered recess of the cave, as you shine your flashlight on the scene, you note that it is remarkably clear and well-preserved. Little do you know that more than 60,000 years ago, a prehistoric artist entered that same cave to leave one of the earliest examples of human art. Overcoming your fears, you click your flashlight to life and slip into the unknown. Imagine walking through the Iberian peninsula, in modern-day Spain, and stumbling across a hidden cave entrance. The stable temperature and humidity in caves, a lack of human contact, and long-lasting painting materials have combined to allow many ancient cave paintings to survive in nearly pristine condition.
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