The Cave

Before there was a written language to leave evidence of human existence, prehistoric man felt compelled to leave his mark. Hand stencils, created by blowing pigment on a hand held against a cave wall, were primary ways of leaving their unique human mark. Archeologists have found these markings in caves on all six of the habitable continents, the most ancient being around 40,000 years old.

The Chauvet-Pont-d'Arc Cave in Southern France has a grouping of handprints that date back approximately 35,000 years. There is another set that date around 29,000 years. That time difference is the difference between now and the onset of written language.

Along with these hand stencils, ancient humans would draw animals, hunters, and simple designs. They felt compelled to depict what they desired feared, but primarily, they satisfied their need to create imagery that marked their existence.