Origin of Art: Stirrings of Consciousness
We may never know how, or when, the first expression of art materialized but for many years the Eurocentric idea persisted that art started in Europe. This idea stemmed from the dramatic rock art discovered at famous sites like Lascaux and Chauvet in France and Altamira Spain and instilled the idea that Europe is where human consciousness was born.
More recent discoveries, however, have shown that symbolism, through shell necklaces and engravings, predated the European art by nearly 30 000 years. Discoveries in South Africa dated at around 75 000years ago show that artistic ideas developed in the southern part of the continent of Africa – indicating stirrings of consciousness.
Despite these discoveries there are academics that still cling to the idea that the European rock art depicts a higher level of conscious thought. These Eurocentric ideas linger into the 21st century and still have a negative effect on the research around early rock art.
So what is art? This is the AI definition!
Art is the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, producing works appreciated for their beauty, emotional power, or conceptual meaning.
The Makapansgat stone, or pebble, is a small, rounded shape with what looks like eyes and a mouth ‘carved’ into it. The stone was found in a cave amongst some Australopithecus africanus artefacts dated at over 3myo. The cave is located more than fifty kilometres from where the stone occurs naturally.
Despite the realistic face-like look, studies show that the stone is naturally worn and not worked by hand.
The theory is that an Australopithecus saw the ‘face’ in the stone and took it to the cave because he recognised the facial similarities. The Makapansgat pebble is considered a manuport, an object that is collected due to its aesthetic or representative value.
The debate now is whether the stone, or any manuport, can be considered a piece of art because it had been recognised as such millions of years ago, or whether art is defined as been handmade to represent an idea.
Art: 100 000 years old or pre sapiens
Acheulean tools, made up predominantly of stone hand axes, are dated between 1,7myo and 300kya and found in many parts of the world. There is still much uncertainty as to their actual use, but we are told that they were made for practical uses only.
Many of these ornate stone tools indicate a high level of foresight and workmanship, with a finish that indicates a perception of beauty.
My question is: if they were only for digging, scraping, cutting – why would they be made to be so beautiful?
There are researchers in the field that present the theory that Acheulean hand axes involve thought and preplanning, which indicates the transferring of an idea to a piece of material – and may not be for practical purposes only. This would make the Acheulean period the time of the first artists.
Discoveries of possible Acheulean art, aside from the tools, have been noted, but not yet accepted as artefacts by science.
The debate here is not what the definition of art is but rather: can we recognize the ornate and planned Acheulean tools as art done by conscious minds.
Is it not time to relook at western-centric bias and acknowledge that there may be answers from our distant past.