the ancient cave art far exceeds a 5 minute "doodle" in a boring algebra lesson ! It is highly probable the location were meeting places that held spiritual meaning .Also a lot of planning and time and effort to create them even involving "spray painting" !
The creation of prehistoric cave art in France, such as the masterpieces found in Lascaux and Chauvet, was a highly labor-intensive, complex, and "painstaking" process that required immense skill, preparation, and specialized knowledge. Artists worked in dangerous, deep-underground, and pitch-black environments using only flickering torchlight or fat-burning stone lamps.
The creation process involved several steps:
Preparation: Artists often scraped or smoothed the irregular limestone surfaces before painting, and sometimes used scaffolding to reach high ceilings, as indicated by post holes and rope marks in caves.
Sourcing Materials: Pigments were sourced from local minerals, including iron oxide (red and yellow ochre) and manganese dioxide (black). These had to be found, transported, and ground into fine powders.
Techniques: Artists utilized multiple methods:
Painting: Brushes were likely made from animal hair, twigs, or plant fibers.
Spray Painting: Pigment was blown through hollow bones or reeds to create a spray-painted effect on the wall.
Engraving: Sharp flint tools were used to incise outlines into the rock.
Has anybody been to see the IMAX film "Cave of Forgotten Dreams" ?
photo is attributed to wikimedia