Apparently, early modern humans were able to detect the way sound reverberated in these chambers, and they painted artwork on surfaces that were acoustic “hot spots,” i.e., suitable for generating echoes. We take up the topic of cave art and archeoacoustics, particularly the discovery that cave art is often closely connected to the acoustic properties of the cave chambers in which it is found. While we can readily observe the results of this high-order cognitive capacity, it is difficult to see how it could have developed. We see this in the rapid innovation in tool making, the development of complex language, and the creation of sophisticated art forms, none of which we find in our closest relatives. Early modern humans developed mental capabilities that were immeasurably greater than those of non-human primates.
0 kommentar(er)
