Cave Art-A Prehistoric Creation

We have always been a creative species. We have constantly been evolving, changing, growing, and learning new things throughout all of time. We have communicated in many ways--by making sounds and markings, and eventually, over thousands of years, these things evolved into a spoken language, the written word, and also various forms of music and art One of the earliest forms of evidence of how mark makings grew into an art, are found in the many cave drawings and paintings that have been discovered all around the world. Some are very primitive and basic, just carved lines and simple shapes. Others are more elaborate, yet still somewhat stick-figure like drawings of animals and even people. The caves themselves range in various sizes--some very tall and cavernous, to some which a human cannot even stand up in. These caves are also found in many places all around the world as well. Scientists, archaeologists, and historians believe that the cave paintings were created by making pigments from various types of items--mostly minerals. Several colors could be produced, like red(iron oxide), black(manganese oxide or charcoal), or white(limestone or calcite), just to name a few. These minerals, and sometimes other materials, were ground up very fine, and then were mixed with clay, salt, or water. Tools like bones, sticks, or shells(to hold the pigments), were then used to draw and paint the images onto the walls of the cave. Below are some current facts about our world's most well known cave art. This information is often, like the art itself, always evolving. In fact, just within the last few years, a new cave has been discovered! So perhaps, the information below will not always remain the same. And, who knows, perhaps there are many more examples of our earliest human ancestors creative abilities, lying in the dark, underneath our feet, just waiting to still be found.

Oldest cave art in the world:

Maltravieso Cave in Cáceres, Spain. One of over 70 hand stencils found and believed to be from Neanderthals over 64,000 years ago. Click here to read more.

Oldest cave art in North America: