Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
Well before early versions of writing originated in Mesopotamia around 3000 BCE,
images had been used as a way of communicating for thousands of years. Markings
and drawings have been found all over the world, often carved into stones or drawn
on rock faces. The best known of these are the cave paintings of Lascaux and Chauvet
in France.
Experts consider the latter to be among the oldest, at around 30,000 years old. The
paintings show images of animals such as deer and bison, as well as lions, bears and
hyenas and even birds from Paleolithic times.
Little is known as to why early humans created these images, but they could be inter-
preted as a means of recording and educating communities, as well as a form of self-
expression. These images could have had some significance in prehistoric pagan cul-
tures, perhaps used by the local shaman to contact spirits and influence the weather,
find new hunting grounds and heal the sick. These cave paintings represent the first
attempts to convey information visually. They reveal how individuals communicated
to each other about their habits, experiences and lifestyles.
Cave painting showing horses, bulls and stags, in the Lascaux caves in southwestern France.
The paintings are around 17,000 years old.
