Cited by 181Archaeology and Rock Art StudiesPleistocene-Era Hominins and ArchaeologyArchaeology and ancient environmental studies

Evolution of prehistoric cave art

Valladas, H., Clottes, J., Geneste, J.-M., Garcia, M. A., Arnold, M., Cachier, H., Tisnérat-Laborde, N.·2001·Nature

Abstract

Sophisticated examples of European palaeolithic parietal art can be seen in the caves of Altamira, Lascaux and Niaux near the Pyrenees, which date to the Magdalenian period (12,000-17,000 years ago), but paintings of comparable skill and complexity were created much earlier, some possibly more than 30,000 years ago. We have derived new radiocarbon dates for the drawings that decorate the Chauvet cave in Vallon-Pont-d'Arc, Ardèche, France, which confirm that even 30,000 years ago Aurignacian artists, already known as accomplished carvers, could create masterpieces comparable to the best Magdalenian art. Prehistorians, who have traditionally interpreted the evolution of prehistoric art as a steady progression from simple to more complex representations, may have to reconsider existing theories of the origins of art.

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Crossref · 10.1038/35097160

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4 of 4 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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Authors
Valladas, H., Clottes, J., Geneste, J.-M., Garcia, M. A., Arnold, M., Cachier, H., & Tisnérat-Laborde, N.
Affiliations
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
Corresponding author
Valladas, H.
Venue
Nature
Published
2001-10-04
Volume
413
Issue
6855
Pages
479-479
ISSN
  • 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-4687
OpenAlex
W2045219718
Cited by
181
References
4
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 5
FWCI
48.26
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Nature (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • HAL (submittedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Archeology › Archaeology and Rock Art Studies
  • Social Sciences › Anthropology › Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Archaeology and ancient environmental studies
Keywords
prehistoric cave art, Aurignacian, Chauvet Cave, radiocarbon dating, Magdalenian, parietal art, origins of art, Upper Palaeolithic, Lascaux, Altamira
MeSH terms
Archaeology, Biological Evolution, France, Humans, Paintings, History, Ancient

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