#and im p sure the site with the children being taught is like. tres something. the same site as those two gorgeous clay bison

[bucephaly]

Yea exactly, people like to think that paleolithic people solely did art in caves when it's just that that's where the art survives best. They weren't living in the caves, the caves were dark and dangerous [and that was part of what made them so important, in many painted caves, the art isn't in the entrance chamber that got any light, its all deeper where it would have been totally dark]

We do see examples of art in living areas! Shallow rock shelters carved with bas reliefs of horses, caves decorated with phallic shapes. The fact that those that survive are relief sculptures and engravings might indicate that paintings were also present, just worn away. Who knows, aurignacian people maybe really preferred wood as their canvas and none of it survives. Surely they drew in sand and with their fingers in clay.

I have issues with people saying that 'it's so dumb that people say it's all ritual shit, what if they were just drawing for fun!' Like. I'm sure they did draw for fun! But personally, I'd rather draw in the sand or on the rock shelter instead of risking the dark cave with c02 seepage that is also a favorite hibernation place for cave bears. They clearly were going to the cave for a reason other than Just to doodle and have fun

There are other caves that show signs of play. Of children being taught. Children lifted up on shoulders to mark the ceiling. Toddlers' hands being guided along. Etc etc etc. But there must have been some reason for people to go into the caves

#dont quote me on this i dont remember any citations or most of the specific sites. #im talking about chauvet for most of this #and im p sure the site with the children being taught is like. tres something. the same site as those two gorgeous clay bison #and the site with the child lifted up to mark the ceiling issss uh. the sunken one. cosquer iirc