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Wall Art... Then vs Now
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Wall Art...Then vs Now
All through history animal representation in art has had many meanings from myths and symbols to legends and tales. Through it all we have gained a captivating perspective of our own humanity.
Analysts have discovered that the animals in cave art were not just for decoration or the representation of their lives but gave thought to the human belief in gods. Most of the animals shown in the drawings were not hunted by the tribes as they were seen as being too powerful and dangerous.
It is believed that these caves were not intended as dwellings to live in, thus leading to the thought that they were an access to the spirit world. Although cave people didn't have religious traditions like we do now, they definately had beliefs in supernatural powers and practices.
Religious Significance
Theories of prehistoric art
Were these pieces of art a way of communication between tribes? The theory is that these spectacular drawings were the first form of communication
There are so many theories related to the animals role in cave art. Things like it being a way to communicate with others, religious or ceremonial purposes, and one of the more poplular is that they would paint the animal before a big hunt, ensuring that the death would be inevitable. But that one isn't very likely as the animals that were painted were not the type they hunted.
Rock art is a thrilling part of our species' evolutionary history, and of indigenous peoples' cultural history. Even when the meaning of the animal images remain unknowable to us, those images move us with their beauty and with the questions they raise about a diversity of human ways of looking at the natural world.(King,2017)
It is possible these paintings are a record of the histories of the tribes, their rituals, and their beliefs as this was all before written word had been developed. The metaphorical images may have recorded a story and the symbols recoded nature. There is a theory that the anilmals were always drawn in order of the seasons, indicating the passing of time.
Miyagawa suggests that, "acoustically based cave art must have had a hand in formimg our cognitive mind."
The images on cave walls that have been discovered so far are the closest thing we have to any types of records. But experts disagree on how they should be interpreted, some try to fill in the gaps while others feel there is no need to assume anything about the paintings.
Significance of Prehistoric and present-day art
Since the beginning of human civilization, art has been a huge part or our existence. Humans have alwyas expressed their creativity. Cave art helps to connect present-day artists with a new perspective.
World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted
Graffiti, much like cave art, is abstract shapes and images created with the attempt to understand and express the external world. Graffiti is an extension of cave art, but today's society sees it as vandalism. Street art is a way for today's artists to express and communicate their concerns with the world. These artists of today are being labled "vandals" and punished, their art being removed. Street art is valuable, and just like it is in our best interest to protect and preserve cave art, we need to do the same for the street art. Future generations need to be able to see the art so they can understand our time here on earth.
Significance of Prehistoric and Present-day Art
The true purpose of cave art may never be understood, but it strengthens the bond between present-day artists and our ancestors.
Whatever their reasons were, past or present. Our reality is that we can only speculate, we may never know the real meaning behind these amazing pieces of art.
Theories and Interpretations
Bibliography
Kiely, Alexandra. “The Origin of the World’s Art: Prehistoric Cave Painting.” HeadStuff, 11 Jan. 2023, headstuff.org/culture/history/origin-worlds-art-prehistoric-cave-painting/#:~:text=Hunting%20was%20critical%20to%20early,of%20herds%20in%20the%20wild.
King, Barbara J. “Animal Images in Prehistoric Rock Art: Looking beyond Europe.” NPR, NPR, 3 Aug. 2017, www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2017/08/03/540805776/animal-images-in-prehistoric-rock-art-looking-beyond-europe.
Prehistoric vs modern day murals
Dizikes, Peter. “The Writing on the Wall.” MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 21 Feb. 2018, news.mit.edu/2018/humans-speak-through-cave-art-0221#:~:text=Cave%20artists%20were%20thus%20not,%E2%80%9CIt’s%20a%20communal%20effort.%E2%80%9D.
Cortazar, Ryan Z. “Scholar: Cave Paintings Show Religious Sophistication.” Harvard Gazette, Harvard Gazette, 26 Apr. 2007, news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2007/04/scholar-cave-paintings-show-religious-sophistication/.