Paragraph D explains that abstract patterns like dots and grids are explained by "neurological studies," which show the human brain universally generates these shapes during trances.
A. The primary purpose was not hunting magic. B. The artists were afraid of these animals. C. These animals were worshipped as gods. D. The cave was a zoo.
: Beyond naturalistic animals, many cave walls feature abstract geometrical designs , such as clusters of dots and quadrangles. 3. The 20,000-Year Evolutionary Timeline
Some archaeologists refer to the images of hands, the dots, quadrangles, and other geometric shapes as finger fluting. There is a theory that these figures and symbols may have been a form of communication.
A more enduring hypothesis connects cave art to hunting magic. French anthropologist Henri Breuil argued that painting animals on cave walls was a form of sympathetic magic designed to bring luck to the hunt. By capturing the image of a beast, the hunters believed they could magically overpower its spirit. This theory gained traction because the vast majority of painted subjects were large, meaty herbivores like mammoths and wild cattle. However, critics point out a major flaw in Breuil’s logic: the bones found in the debris of nearby human campsites rarely match the species painted on the walls. For instance, while reindeer was the primary food source for many of these populations, they are infrequently depicted in the art.
Prehistoric Cave Paintings Took up to 20,000 Years to Complete " (focusing on Dr. Pike's research).
Skim for numbers, dates, and proper nouns (Chauvet, Lascaux, Altamira). Scan for synonyms of "created" (made, painted, produced).
— Charcoal could be hundreds of years old when picked up, meaning we date when the wood burned, not when the drawing was drawn.
Hunting magic: Sympathetic magic to ensure successful hunting expeditions.
Paragraph D explains that abstract patterns like dots and grids are explained by "neurological studies," which show the human brain universally generates these shapes during trances.
A. The primary purpose was not hunting magic. B. The artists were afraid of these animals. C. These animals were worshipped as gods. D. The cave was a zoo.
: Beyond naturalistic animals, many cave walls feature abstract geometrical designs , such as clusters of dots and quadrangles. 3. The 20,000-Year Evolutionary Timeline paleolithic cave art ielts reading answers
Some archaeologists refer to the images of hands, the dots, quadrangles, and other geometric shapes as finger fluting. There is a theory that these figures and symbols may have been a form of communication.
A more enduring hypothesis connects cave art to hunting magic. French anthropologist Henri Breuil argued that painting animals on cave walls was a form of sympathetic magic designed to bring luck to the hunt. By capturing the image of a beast, the hunters believed they could magically overpower its spirit. This theory gained traction because the vast majority of painted subjects were large, meaty herbivores like mammoths and wild cattle. However, critics point out a major flaw in Breuil’s logic: the bones found in the debris of nearby human campsites rarely match the species painted on the walls. For instance, while reindeer was the primary food source for many of these populations, they are infrequently depicted in the art. Paragraph D explains that abstract patterns like dots
Prehistoric Cave Paintings Took up to 20,000 Years to Complete " (focusing on Dr. Pike's research).
Skim for numbers, dates, and proper nouns (Chauvet, Lascaux, Altamira). Scan for synonyms of "created" (made, painted, produced). These animals were worshipped as gods
— Charcoal could be hundreds of years old when picked up, meaning we date when the wood burned, not when the drawing was drawn.
Hunting magic: Sympathetic magic to ensure successful hunting expeditions.