Re: Oldest UK Rock Art found? | Forum — The Modern Antiquarian

The Gower Peninsular 2

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Oldest UK Rock Art found?

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Shelby Mustang Jul 30, 2011 23:21:08

Replying to CARL

finding something like that would be the beginning, middle and end wouldn't it? seeing a scratched drawing of an animal in its death throes drawn by the man that did it, drawn by the man that was so proud of his achievement that he wanted to always remember that moment is fantastic.

this might seem like a dumb question but are there any landscape drawings that have been discovered? is there any evidence that man stood in his surroundings in awe at the beauty of it all?

if this question is below you guys normal wavelength then please forgive the intrusion.

drewbhoy Jul 31, 2011 01:19:43

Replying to Shelby Mustang

That is a brilliant question Shelby I'm sure Tiompan and the others will come up with something for you. Plenty Pictish stones up here some of which were recycled from earlier use like the stones at Rhynie, Camus and Blackhills. Probably some of caves like those in Southern France would have an answer. Sculptor's cave is the nearest one I can think of. Camus, Sculptors and Blackhills are in Moray section, Rhynie in Aberdeenshire. Hope you are well Shelby.

moss Jul 31, 2011 06:36:21

Replying to Shelby Mustang

Shelby Mustang wrote:

this might seem like a dumb question but are there any landscape drawings that have been discovered? is there any evidence that man stood in his surroundings in awe at the beauty of it all?

if this question is below you guys normal wavelength then please forgive the intrusion.

No landscapes, but the Cave of Chauvet is perhaps the greatest tribute to the creative spirit in us humans... The horses motif is perhaps the finest, but many animals are depicted in the panels, and who could resist the Cave of the Bear...

http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/arcnat/chauvet/en/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chauvet_Cave

tiompan Jul 31, 2011 11:00:39

Replying to Shelby Mustang

In the mostly abstract open air (i.e. surrounded by the landscape )Atlantic tradition of Neolithic /B.A. rock art the only reasonble claims for a landscape depiction are the Bedolina "map " from Valcamonica . Although it may be much later ,i.e 1000-500 B.C. and not necessarilly a depiction of the landscape as it was . Nothing convincing of the heavens either , although Orion's belt and the Pleiades are often "seen " when a slightly squint group of three cup marks or six/seven in a clump are abstracted .Recent claims for constellations and a map of the moon are outlandish in more ways than one .
When the markings are iconic they are usually of humans , animals , equipment and weapons .
Good question .