Palaeolithic art developed from public galleries towards exhibitions of a more private nature

University of the Basque Country 25 Gen 2017

 

 

A researcher at the UPV/EHU-University of the Basque Country proposes analysing characteristics such as the location and visibility of Palaeolithic works to try to deduce their purpose Blanca Ochoa, a researcher in the UPV/EHU’s department of Geography, Prehistory and Archaeology, proposes analysing the spaces in which the artistic figures of the Palaeolithic are represented to try and deduce the purpose of these expressions. In her study she observed chronological differences in the location of the drawings and engravings, which could indicate that the function and meaning of cave art gradually changed throughout the Upper Palaeolithic.

The study of Palaeolithic art is “one of the few tools we have to find out about the culture and society of prehistoric groups,” said Blanca Ochoa, researcher in the UPV/EHU’s department of Geography, Prehistory and Archaeology. Knowing who the representations were meant for “could indicate the intended use of cave art for prehistoric groups: whether it was something for the whole group, shared by all its members, or whether it was limited to small groups, or even to just one individual,” she explained. In her research the aim was to specify whether there were any preferences in terms of choosing the spaces where the Palaeolithic representations were drawn or engraved in nine caves on the Cantabrian coast located in Asturias and Cantabria. “It is an aspect that has been analysed very little until now,” remarked the researcher. They developed an in-house methodology to analyse the visibility of the figures depicted, which covers not only variables relating to the space where they are located (room size, accessibility, presence of natural light etc.) but also characteristics relating to the depictions themselves: “The size of the works, the height they are at, and, above all, the technique used to execute them (painting or engraving) largely determines visibility,” said Ochoa. “The paintings are much more visible than the engravings, and even more so if the engraving is not very deep”.

 

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telematica quotidiana 229/2006 del 08/06/2006
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Scienceonline, Autorizzazione del Tribunale di Roma 228/2006 del 29/05/06
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