How Did Our Ancestors Pick Where to Draw?

Take our mini-quiz and find out

Did they draw randomly in the caves? (2019/2019) by Fanny Le BagousseGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

Did prehistoric artists pick a spot based on…

A. Its natural relief or B. Its ease of access

The correct answer is…

A. Its natural relief

They chose the walls in order to take advantage of their natural reliefs and/or the topographical position. 

Feline Fresco (Chauvet Cave, Ardèche) (2008/2008) by L. Guichard/Perazio/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

This explains why, in the Chauvet Cave, walls that would have been easy to work on were ignored in favor of clay walls with a twisting relief. 

How long was cave art practiced for? (2019/2019) by Fanny Le BagousseGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

Let's see if you can answer another prehistory question!

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.

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