Experts have known for some time that non-figurative signs in Palaeolithic cave art must represent a numbering system. However, up until now, they were not sure what information was encoded. Many of these signs are found alongside animal images which suggested a connection, but the meaning was elusive. A new study appears to have finally solved the mystery! Analysing data from more than 400 caves in Europe, researchers have found statistically significant evidence that these markings were a lunar calendar designed to mark biological events in the lives of different animal species.

They found that signs such as dots, lines and the Y symbol, were used by hunter-gatherers to record when their prey, such as aurochs, bison, and mammoths were birthing, mating or migrating. The notational system was geographically widespread and in use for tens of thousands of years! To what extent it can be classed as a proto-writing system is debatable, but it's also quite possible that the Y sign represented the verb 'to give birth.' In this video I discuss this exciting new study.

#ancienthistory #paleolithic #prehistory

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✨ REFERENCES

Bacon, B., Khatiri, A., Palmer, J., Freeth, T., Pettitt, P., & Kentridge, R. (2023). An Upper Palaeolithic Proto-writing System and Phenological Calendar. Cambridge Archaeological Journal, 1-19. doi:10.1017/S0959774322000415

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Chauvet Cave, credit: Claude Valette

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Cave art images with encircled markings taken from Figured 1 and 2 of the paper referenced above.

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La Pasiega Cave, credit: Gobierno de Cantabria

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Altamira Cave
Lascaux Cave

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