Why did people draw rock paintings. Rock art of primitive people: what is hidden behind it? rock painting cockatoo

Ancient rock paintings (petroglyphs) are found all over the world and have one common feature, they describe animals, including those that are no longer found on earth. Many of these drawings are so well-preserved that experts thought they were fake at first glance. However, after careful examination, the images were found to be genuine. Below is a list of ten well-preserved prehistoric rock paintings.

Chauvet cave

A cave located near the commune of Vallon-Pont-d'Arc, in the valley of the Ardèche River in southern France. Contains the earliest known and best preserved rock art in the world dating from the Aurignacian era (36,000 years ago). The cave was discovered on December 18, 1994 by three cavers - Eliette Brunel, Christian Hillaire and Jean-Marie Chauvet. The drawings in the cave depict various animals ice age.

Magura Cave

Magura is a cave located near the village of Rabisha in the Vidin region, Bulgaria. In the cave, bones of a cave bear, cave hyena and other animals were found. And on its walls you can see drawings from different historical periods. They mainly depict female figures, hunters, animals, plants, sun and stars.

The find includes about 5,000 Aboriginal drawings on rocks in Kakadu National Park, Australia. Most of the paintings were created around 2000 years ago. Interestingly, they depict not only animals, such as white sea ​​bass, catfish, kangaroo, rocky couscous and others, but, and their bones (skeletons).

Tadrart-Acacus

Tadrart Acacus is a mountain range in the Ghat Desert in western Libya, part of the Sahara. The massif is known for its prehistoric rock art, which spans the period 12000 BC. e. - 100 AD e. and reflects the cultural and natural changes in the area. The drawings depict animals such as giraffes, elephants, ostriches, camels and horses, as well as people in various situations. Everyday life, for example, dancing and playing on musical instruments.

Serra da Capivara is a national park located in the northeastern part of Brazil in the eastern state of Piauí. The park contains many caves containing examples of prehistoric art. The drawings, in great detail, depict animals and trees, as well as hunting scenes. A well-known section of the park, Pedra Furada contains the oldest remains human activity on the continent, which significantly changed the idea of ​​the settlement of America. In order to preserve numerous prehistoric exhibits and drawings, the Brazilian government created this national park.

Lascaux Cave is located in the southwest of France and is famous for its rock paintings dating back to the Paleolithic period. The cave contains about 2,000 drawings, which can be grouped into three main categories: animals, human figures and abstract signs. The cave is one of the places on the planet where you will not be allowed.

The Bhimbetka Rock Dwellings is an archaeological site of over 600 rock shelters located in Raisen District, Madhya Pradesh, India. These shelters contain the earliest traces of human activity in India; according to archaeologists, some of them could have been inhabited more than 100 thousand years ago. Most of the drawings are in red and white and depict animals such as crocodiles, lions, tigers and others.

Laas Gaal

Laas Gaal is a cave complex located on the outskirts of the city of Hargeisa in Somalia. Known for its well-preserved rock art. The drawings date back to the ninth - third millennium BC. e. and depict mostly cows, humans, giraffes, wolves, or dogs.

Altamira Cave is located near the city of Santillana del Mar, Cantabria in Spain. It was accidentally discovered in 1879 by amateur archaeologist Marcelino Sanz de Sautuola. This great archaeological discovery is known for its ancient rock paintings from the era Upper Paleolithic(35 - 12 thousand years ago), which depict bison, horses, wild boars, prints of human palms and more.

Cueva de las Manos

Cueva de las Manos is a cave located in southern Argentina, in the province of Santa Cruz, in the Pinturas river valley. Known for archaeological and paleontological finds. First of all, these are rock paintings depicting human hands, the oldest of which date back to the ninth millennium BC. e. The left hands of teenage boys are depicted on the walls of the cave. This fact suggested that these images were part of an ancient rite. In addition to hands, the walls of the cave depict guanacos, rhea, cats and other animals, as well as hunting scenes for them.

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Vintage cave drawings primitive people were very amazing images, basically they were all drawn on stone walls.

There is an opinion that the rock paintings of ancient people are various animals that were hunted at that time. Then these drawings were made leading role V magical rites, hunters wanted to attract real animals during their hunt.

Pictures and rock paintings of primitive people very often resemble a two-dimensional image. rock painting very rich in drawings of bison, rhinos, deer, mammoths. Also in many pictures you can see hunting scenes or people with spears and arrows.

What did the first people draw?

Rock paintings of ancient people is one of the manifestations of their emotional state and figurative thinking. Not everyone was able to create a vivid image of an animal or a hunt; only those people who could create such an image in their subconscious could do this.

There is also an assumption that ancient people with the help of rock art conveyed their visions and life experience That's how they expressed themselves.

Where did primitive people paint?

Parts of the caves that were hard to find - this is one of the best places to draw. This explains the significance of the rock paintings. Drawing was a certain ritual, the artists worked by the light of stone lamps.

") painted pictures of the animals they hunted. They were the first people to paint using paints, although they probably painted their bodies with crushed red rock, the so-called ocher, long before that.

Apparently, the Cro-Magnons used these drawings for religious purposes. They believed that the drawings would protect against evil forces and help during the hunt, on the success of which their very existence depended. Until now, no drawings made by more ancient people have been found. Perhaps they drew or scratched with something sharp on pieces of wood that had rotted away a long time ago.

Cro-Magnons painted horses, bison and deer. Often in the drawings there are also images of spears, which, according to the artist's intention, should have brought good luck during a real hunt.

One of the Cro-Magnon artists put his hand to the rock, and then sprayed paint around it through a reed. Images of people or plants are extremely rare in early drawings.

In front of you is an image of a woolly mammoth carved on the wall of the cave, on which its long shaggy hair is clearly visible. Rock art often shows us what prehistoric animals looked like.

Cro-Magnons carved in stone figurines of very fat or pregnant women. They also sculpted figurines out of clay, after which they burned them on fire. Probably, primitive people believed that such figurines would bring them good luck.

Cave drawings

Take up rock painting

You will need plaster, a box like a large matchbox, twine, duct tape, and paints.

Take a piece of twine 6 cm long and fold it in half so that you get a loop. Attach this loop with adhesive tape to the bottom of the box from the inside.

Mix the gypsum with so that a thin solution is obtained, and pour it into the box, a layer about 3 cm thick should form there. Let the gypsum harden, then peel the box away from it.

Repaint one of the rock paintings on this page on this piece of plaster. Then color it in using the same colors as the caveman: red, yellow, brown and black.

You can also reproduce a carved image of an animal. Transfer the outline of the mammoth shown on this page to a piece of plaster. Then, with an old fork, push the lines in plaster along the entire contour.

Speleologists around the world find cave drawings ancient people in all corners of the globe. The rock paintings are perfectly preserved to this day, although they were drawn many millennia ago. There are several types of such art, which are periodically included in the World Heritage List.

As a rule, the ancient man painted the walls of the caves with the same type of scenes - he depicted hunting, human hands, various battles, the sun and animals. Our ancestors attached special significance to these drawings and invested in them a sacred meaning.

These paintings were created using various ways and materials. Ocher, animal blood and chalk were used for drawing. And hewn pictures were created on a stone with the help of a special cutter.

We invite you to take a mini tour of mysterious world caves with rock paintings created by an ancient man BC.

Magura Cave, Bulgaria

Prehistoric pictures have been found in the Bulgarian Magura Cave, not far from Sofia, which strikes with its uniqueness and length. Underworld stretched for two kilometers, and the halls of the cave are huge: its width is 50 m, and its height is 20 m.

The discovered rock painting was created using bat guano. Pictures were applied in many layers over several periods: the Paleolithic, Neolithic, Eneolithic and Bronze Age. The drawings depict figurines of ancient people and animals.

Still here you can find a painted sun, and various tools.

Cave Cueva de las Manos, Argentina

In Argentina, there is another ancient cave with a large number of rock paintings. In translation, it sounds like “The Cave of Many Hands”, as it is dominated by the handprints of our ancestors. The rock painting is located in great hall 24 m wide and 10 m long. The approximate date of drawing the pictures is 13-9 millennium BC.

Numerous handprints are imprinted on the voluminous limestone canvas. Scientists put forward their own version of the appearance of such clear prints - ancient people put a special composition in their mouths, and then blew through a tube on their hand, which was applied to the cave wall.

There are also images of people, animals and geometric shapes.

Rock Dwellings of Bhimbetka, India

In India, many caves with rock art have been discovered. One of them is located in the north of central India, in the state of Madhya Pradesh. locals gave this name to the cave in honor of the hero of the epic "Mahabharata". The paintings of the ancient Indians date back to the Mesolithic era.

Here you can see both worn, dim images, and very colorful and interesting drawings. Basically, various battles and ornaments are depicted here.

Serra da Capivara National Park, Brazil

In the Brazilian national park Serra da Capivara, there is a cave of ancient people, the walls of which have preserved drawings that were drawn 50 thousand years ago.

Scientists have discovered about 300 different arts and architectural monuments here. The cave is dominated by drawings of animals and other representatives of the Paleolithic era.

Laas Gaal cave complex, Somaliland

In the African Republic of Somaliland, archaeologists have discovered the Laas-Gaal cave complex, on the walls of which pictures of the times of 8-9 and 3 millennia BC have been preserved. Ancient settlers depicted here a variety of domestic and life scenes: cattle grazing, various rituals and games.

Contemporaries who live here are not particularly interested in this rock art. And in the caves, as a rule, only shelter from the rain. A large number of drawings have not yet been studied and archaeologists continue to explore them.

Rock art of Tadrart Acacus, Libya

There is a hall of Bulls and a palace hall of Cats. Unfortunately, in 1998, these masterpieces of painting were almost spoiled by mold. Therefore, in order to avoid this, in 2008 the cave was closed.

All over the world, speleologists in deep caves find confirmation of the existence of ancient people. Rock paintings have been excellently preserved for many millennia. There are several types of masterpieces - pictograms, petroglyphs, geoglyphs. Important monuments of human history are regularly included in the World Heritage Register.

Usually on the walls of the caves there are common plots, such as hunting, battle, images of the sun, animals, human hands. People in ancient times attached sacred significance to the paintings, they believed that they were helping themselves in the future.

Images were applied by various methods and materials. For artistic creativity animal blood, ocher, chalk, and even bat guano were used. special kind murals - hewn murals, they were beaten out in stone with the help of a special cutter.

Many caves are not well studied and are limited in visiting, while others, on the contrary, are open to tourists. However, most of the precious cultural heritage disappears unattended, not finding its researchers.

Below is a short excursion into the world of the most interesting caves with prehistoric rock paintings.

Magura Cave, Bulgaria

It is famous not only for the hospitality of the inhabitants and the indescribable color of the resorts, but also for the caves. One of them, with the sonorous name of Magura, is located north of Sofia, not far from the town of Belogradchik. Total length more than two kilometers of cave galleries. The halls of the cave are colossal in size, each of them is about 50 meters wide and 20 meters high. The pearl of the cave is a rock painting made directly on the surface covered with bat guano. The paintings are multi-layered, here are a number of paintings from the Paleolithic, Neolithic, Eneolithic and Bronze Ages. The drawings of ancient Homo sapiens depict figures of dancing villagers, hunters, many outlandish animals, constellations. The sun, plants, tools are also represented. Here begins the story of the festivities of the ancient era and the solar calendar, scientists assure.

Cueva de las Manos Cave, Argentina

The cave with the poetic name of Cueva de las Manos (Spanish for “Cave of Many Hands”) is located in the province of Santa Cruz, exactly one hundred miles from the nearest locality the city of Perito Moreno. The art of the rock painting in the hall, 24 meters long and 10 meters high, dates back to 13-9 millennium BC. amazing picture on limestone is a three-dimensional canvas, decorated with traces of hands. Scientists have built a theory about how the surprisingly crisp and clear handprints turned out. Prehistoric people took a special composition, then they put it in their mouths, and through a tube they blew it with force onto a hand attached to the wall. In addition, there are stylized images of a man, rhea, guanaco, cats, geometric figures with ornaments, the process of hunting and observing the sun.

Bhimbetka Rock Dwellings, India

Charming offers tourists not only the delights of oriental palaces and charming dances. In north central India, there are huge mountain formations of weathered sandstone with many caves. Once upon a time, ancient people lived in natural shelters. About 500 dwellings with traces of human habitation have been preserved in the state of Madhya Pradesh. The Indians called rock dwellings named Bhimbetka (on behalf of the hero of the Mahabharata epic). The art of the ancients here dates back to the Mesolithic era. Some of the paintings are minor, and some of the hundreds of images are very typical and vivid. 15 rock masterpieces are available for contemplation of those who wish. Mostly, patterned ornaments and battle scenes are depicted here.

Serra da Capivara National Park, Brazil

Rare animals and venerable scientists find shelter in the Serra da Capivara National Park. And 50 thousand years ago here, in the caves, our distant ancestors found shelter. Presumably, this is the oldest community of hominids in South America. The park is located near the town of San Raimondo Nonato, in the central part of the state of Piauí. Experts have counted more than 300 archaeological sites. The main surviving images date back to 25-22 millennium BC. The most amazing thing is that extinct bears and other paleofauna are painted on the rocks.

Laas Gaal cave complex, Somaliland

The Republic of Somaliland recently seceded from Somalia in Africa. Archaeologists in the area are interested in the Laas-Gaal cave complex. Here are rock paintings from the 8th-9th and 3rd millennium BC. On the granite walls of the majestic natural shelters, scenes of the life and life of the nomadic people of Africa are depicted: the process of grazing, ceremonies, and playing with dogs. The local population does not attach any importance to the drawings of their ancestors, and uses the caves, as in the old days, for shelter during the rain. Many of the studies have not been studied properly. In particular, there are problems with the chronological reference of the masterpieces of the Arab-Ethiopian ancient rock paintings.

rock art Tadrart Acacus, Libya

Not far from Somalia, in Libya, there are also rock paintings. They are much earlier, and date back almost to the 12th millennium BC. The last of them were applied after the birth of Christ, in the first century. It is interesting to observe, following the drawings, how the fauna and flora changed in this area of ​​the Sahara. First we see elephants, rhinoceros and fauna characteristic of a rather humid climate. Also interesting is the clearly traced change in the lifestyles of the population - from hunting to settled cattle breeding, then to nomadism. To get to Tadrart Acacus, one has to cross the desert to the east of the city of Ghats.

Chauvet Cave, France

In 1994, on a walk, by chance, Jean-Marie Chauvet discovered the cave that later became famous. She was named after the caver. In the Chauvet cave, in addition to traces of the life of ancient people, hundreds of wonderful frescoes were discovered. The most amazing and beautiful of them depict mammoths. In 1995, the cave became a state monument, and in 1997, 24-hour surveillance was introduced here to prevent damage to the magnificent heritage. Today, in order to take a look at the incomparable rock art of the Cro-Magnons, you need to get a special permit. In addition to mammoths, there is something to admire, here on the walls there are handprints and fingers of representatives of the Aurignacian culture (34-32 thousand years BC)

Kakadu National Park, Australia

In fact, to the famous cockatoo parrots, the name of the Australian national park it does not matter. It's just that the Europeans mispronounced the name of the Gaagudju tribe. This nation is now extinct, and there is no one to correct the ignorant. The park is inhabited by natives who have not changed their way of life since the Stone Age. For thousands of years, Indigenous Australians have been involved in rock art. Pictures were painted here already 40 thousand years ago. In addition to religious scenes and hunting, stylized stories in drawings about useful skills (educational) and magic (entertainment) are sketched here. Of the animals, extinct marsupial tigers, catfish, barramundi are depicted. All the wonders of the Arnhem Land plateau, Colpignac and the southern hills are located 171 km from the city of Darwin. in the 35th millennium BC, it was the early Paleolithic. They left outlandish rock paintings in the Altamira cave. The art artifacts on the walls of the huge cave date back to both the 18th and 13th millennia. IN last period polychrome figures, a peculiar combination of engraving and painting, the acquisition of realistic details are interesting. The famous bison, deer and horses, or rather, their beautiful images on the walls of Altamira, often end up in textbooks for middle school students. The cave of Altamira is located in the Cantabrian region.

Lascaux Cave, France

Lascaux is not just a cave, but a whole complex of small and large cave halls located in the south of France. Not far from the caves is the legendary village of Montignac. The paintings on the walls of the cave were drawn 17 thousand years ago. And they still amaze amazing shapes, akin contemporary art graffiti. Scholars especially value the Hall of the Bulls and the Palace Hall of the Cats. What prehistoric creators left there is easy to guess. In 1998, the rock masterpieces were almost destroyed by mold, which arose due to an improperly installed air conditioning system. And in 2008, Lasko was closed to save more than 2,000 unique drawings.