Rock Art of the Nerja Caves (ES) is 42,000 years old
The title of one of my previous blogs was “Chauvet Cave, the oldest known cave art in Europe“. This title has to be changed. A fortnight ago (feb. 11, 2012) professor Jose Luis Sanchidrian (University of Corboba) announced that six cave paintings had been found in the Nerja Caves 35 km from Malaga (Andalusia, Spain). Datings done on organic deposits beside the paintings gave an age between 43,500 and 42,300 years. In 2013 results of datings of the paintings themselves should be published.
The pictured animals resemble seals but bear stripes. An observer thought they might represent a kind of fish species.
The most important of this find is that it is 10,000 years older than the rock paintings of the Chauvet Cave (F). Chauvet with an age up to 32,500 years seems suddenly much younger and Lascaux, up to 17,000 years old, suddenly seems young, some 25,000 years younger than the finds in the Nerja Caves.
This find could be very important for another reason.
Painted by neanderthalensis or by sapiens?
So far it was assumed that Neanderthals lived South of the Ebro at least 28,000 years ago or more recent. They made stone tools that technically belonged to the mousterian which corresponded with what Neanderthals produced until the arrival of Homo sapiens in Europe.
Recently it was argued by some researchers that Homo sapiens arrived in Europe much earlier than was accepted until recently. They suppose modern man arrived around 40,000 years ago. To be followed.
Professor Sanchidrian thinks the paintings were made by neanderthals. If we are naughty, we would ask whether Homo sapiens took over rock paintings from … Neanderthals. To be followed.
It is remarkable that these paintings represent animals just as the paintings of the much younger caves in France and Spain which were undoubtedly made by Homo sapiens. Was totemism a part of neanderthal culture?
It is remarkable that these paintings represent animals just as the paintings of the much younger caves in France and Spain which were undoubtedly made by Homo sapiens. Was totemism a part of neanderthal culture?
Source: La prima obra de arte de la humanidad, ¿hecha por neandertales? http://www.abc.es/20120207/cultura-arte/abci-primera-obra-arte-humanidad-201202071253.html
If you are interested in art you might like these blogs:
Art in Olduvai 1,74 Million Years BP, Baboonhead Rather unknown, undeserved, the oldest known art in the world
The Origin of Aesthetic Feeling and Art Fundamental: How our aesthetic feeling originated in reproduction of man, a darwinian explanation.
The oldest statuettes adapted by man are between 233,000 and 800,000 years old
“Lion Man”, the oldest statuette with a combination man-animal ‘Der Löwenmensch” was found in Germany.
The oldest Love Statuette in the World They keep on loving for ever in the British Luseeum.
A virtual visit to the Lascaux Cave is mind blowing!
Nerja Caves: the oldest Cave Art in Europe, 42,000 years old Rock paintings , probably made by neanderthals
Art in Olduvai 1,74 Million Years BP, Baboonhead Rather unknown, undeserved, the oldest known art in the world
The Origin of Aesthetic Feeling and Art Fundamental: How our aesthetic feeling originated in reproduction of man, a darwinian explanation.
The oldest statuettes adapted by man are between 233,000 and 800,000 years old
“Lion Man”, the oldest statuette with a combination man-animal ‘Der Löwenmensch” was found in Germany.
The oldest Love Statuette in the World They keep on loving for ever in the British Luseeum.
A virtual visit to the Lascaux Cave is mind blowing!
Nerja Caves: the oldest Cave Art in Europe, 42,000 years old Rock paintings , probably made by neanderthals
Marc I. Vermeersch's blog 
It almost looks like a helix of DNA
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