The interpretation of Upper Palaeolithic parietal paintings

Abstract

Art is one of the factors of human life that fall under the category of symbolism. In my study I will focus on the paintings of Upper Palaeolithic Western Europe that are found in the Franco-Cantabrian caves. My interest in this study was triggered off in my search for the first tangible and intensely manifested fonn of art that the Homo Sapiens Sapiens has produced. In fact, the Franco-Cantabrian caves attest to the grandest form of symbolism of our human ancestors. It is through this same symbolism that man has managed to pass on some of his intrinsic beliefs in a simplified pictorial way. Yet, it is these 'simplified' messages that have proved so difficult for scholars to read what our primitive ancestors wanted to say. This has all resulted from the fact that we are studying a stage from prehistory. Since the time of the first discoveries of these paintings, controversies have been rampant as to how we could interpret such a heritage. In order to try and get a good stronghold on the wide picture, my aim was to follow the development of the theories that have been proposed up to now, together with a concise resume of the paintings themselves. The biggest question ever that continues to elude scholars is the meaning of these widely acclaimed painted canvases. In fact, this topic will be wrapping up our observations, with the debate of the widely speculated answers. I will try my best to reach my aims by immediately passmg on to an abridged introduction on art - its significance, origins and the problems of its interpretation due to the fact that no documentation supports it. My introduction will end with a concise geographical and sociological background to the Upper Palaeolithic cave paintings. What will follow is a general summary of the parietal paintings found inside the caves of the Franco-Cantabrian region. Though very much restricted by space, I will try to give the reader a small picture of the various, though homogeneous, types of drawings and techniques used by the painters.