Works of art first
appear in the fossil record about 40,000- 50,000 years ago and
evidence of religious expression appears only 25,000-50,000 years
ago. The paintings have been dated using a method called
accelerator mass spectrometry,which measures carbon isotopes in
dead animal and plant matter. This is a newer method of radio
carbon dating. The samples of carbon were obtained from the
charcoal used to make the drawings and from marks left on the walls
from torches used to light the cave. The dating places the
paintings between 29,700 and 32,400 years old. Making them
13,000 years older than paintings produced with the same level of
sophistication found in the famous Lascaux caves of the Pyrenees,
in France. The Lascaux caves contain masterpieces from the
Magdalenian period.
The paintings are
believed to be done by a group of Aurignacians, Cro-Magnons who
were early Homo sapiens living in Europe. According to Janeen
Renaghan, these people had an advanced brain allowing them to think
on a level of symbolism, therefore being able to use visual images
to communicate. They were the inventers of
representation. However, the reasoning behind their symbols
and depictions is unknown to us.
The fact that these
paintings are much older than previously found paintings and still
possess the same level of advancement of paintings done 13,000
yearslater proves the theory of evolution of prehistoric art as a
steady progression (i.e. Simple forms to more advanced detailed and
complex forms) to be reconsidered. According to asection of the
article Science shows cave art developed early, it was stated,
"Prehistoric cave art found in France and Spain shows ancient man
to be a remarkable artist." Even Pablo Picasso was astounded when
he visited the Lascaux caves saying, "we have discovered nothing"
talking about the advancement of caves paintings to modern
art.
The oldest artifacts
to be considered art are much older than the cave paintings; on the
other hand they came before the rise of modern humans. These
artifacts include a very smallstone carving estimated to be at
least 233,000 years old and pigments and paint-grinding equipment
found in Twin Rivers, Zambia dating between 350,000 and 400,000
years old.
