Stunning oeuvre of fine art on cave rampart at places likeLascauxandChauvetare among humans ’s gem , offer insight both into theecologyof a suffer world and the talents and psychology of our ancestor . Although most famous for realistic word picture of animate being , European Upper Paleolithic art also admit abstract symbols , of which at least 32 have been identified .
In a new study , independent researcherBacon Bennettand co - generator pore on the three most common of these non - nonliteral symbols . They claim these perpendicular lines , dots , and < Y > condition are the first examples of what became letter , admit .
“ We attest that when found in closemouthed association with epitome of fauna the line < | > and dot < • > constitute number denote months , ” the authors write .
Dots and dashes accompanying animals from Western and Central European cave art with dots and lines circled (a-b) Aurochs(c-d) Horse (e) Red Deer (f) Salmon (g) Salmon (h) Mammoth. Image Credit: Bacon et al./Cambridge Archaeological Journal
More determinedly , the paper claims ; “ We also demonstrate that the < Y > sign , one of the most ofttimes occur sign in paleolithic non - figurative fine art , has the import < To Give Birth > . ” The inclusion body of a < Y > within a series of other marks is proposed to indicate the calendar month in which mammal young wereborn , or boo or fish think up .
The marking could provide an indication of the optimum timing for hunt specific species .
If true , the claims would symbolise the biggest feeler in understandingcave artsince its modern rediscovery , as well as transforming our understanding of the origination of piece of writing . Such extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof , which it ’s far from remove the source have .
The paper observe the three symbols discussed became more coarse towards the close of the Palaeolithic , 20 - 12,000 years ago , over a wide geographical area , which might indicate they were carry increasingly useful information .
The newspaper declare oneself the symbols ’ original purpose may have been in indicating numbers for animals portrayed next to them on the wall . However , they could have later on evolved to convey more complex messages , such as timing .
There are too few target in any individual painting for them to say anything useful if they represent days . On the other hand , if a sequence represents the phone number of months , they could betoken the time need between some initiate event and optimum hunt clock time .
The beast portrayed are almost always prey species , which would have been most vulnerable around the time their young were digest . Knowing when to foreknow this would have been critical information forhuntingpeople , particularly in the depth of the Ice Age when other foods were scarce .
As the authors note , the counting of months would want to be “ anchored to a well - delineate start engagement , ” which they propose was the unfreezing of river in late spring . Although the timing of this upshot would have deviate across Europe , for people mostly cut back to a finicky location , the important thing would have been how long after the local thaw individual metal money give parturition .
The authors test their hypothesis by construct a database of 256 sequences of superman , line , and < Y > symbolization in former Paleolithic European cave art and the animals with which they were associated . Another 606 sequences without any < Y > s were also included .
Some of the species depicted , such asmammothsandwoolly rhinos , are extinct , and their nativity round unknown . However , the authors claim that for survivor , the chronological succession without < Y > symbols top out at numbers that match the months expected between outpouring and pairing season . The < Y > s come along in the sequence at points that match probably deliver season for the relevant species .
However , Dr Melanie Changof Portland State University toldLive Science ; the authors ; “ Hypotheses are not well - supported by their results , and they also do not address substitute interpretations of the marks they canvas . " Chang proposed two alternative explanation for the < Y > symbol to Live Science , although these would be even harder to test .
The first three authors of the newspaper are not associated with scientific institutions . This may increase the difficulty they face in convince their professional twin they have cracked a 20,000 - year - onetime code , whether or not they can provide plausible explanations for less vulgar symbols in the futurity . On the other script , co - authorProfessor Paul Pettittof Durham University toldThe Guardianhe was ; " happy he take it seriously , " when Bacon contacted him .
The paper is open access at theCambridge Archaeological Journal
