Cave Art Paintings of the Chauvet Cave, Essay Example

According to many experts, the paintings of the Chauvet Cave had a significant role in people’s lives. Some believe that representing a successful hunt was believed to have a magical role to make the wishes of the creators and the small community come true. However, the caves are believed to have served as a ritual place (Sayre, 3). Others believe that they served as a lunar calendar that predicted the migration of animals for the hunter-gatherer people.

Ancient artists were able to represent the wish of their group, and depict the images from memory. This was a shift towards art, as the use of imagination was used. Further, it is important to note that the paintings of hunting and animals served as a tool to connect those who hunted and gathered together: they could all relate to the images and shared a memory or wish that was represented on the paintings.

The fighting of the rhinoceroses below the horses might represent power, something that was needed for hunting, dragging the animals in the cave, and running.  As Sayre (3) confirms: “they were created to exert some power or authority over the world of those who came into contact with them”. The first representation of culture, shared knowledge, beliefs, and aspirations is clearly visible in the Chauvet Cave paintings. The artist certainly had a purpose when creating the paintings, other than simply copying images. While it is impossible to fully understand their aspirations, it is clear that the cave’s images had a significant role in the community’s life. They provided artists and the group with a way of creating a shared culture, community, shared vision, and belief system.

References

Sayre, H. (2007) The Humanities: Culture, continuity, and change. Prentice Hall.