Shamanism In Art Across Time

Art offers us insight into how humans interpreted the world around them, giving some context of what life may have been like many thousands of years ago. Philosophically speaking, humans pride themselves on their ability to comprehend information as well as their thirst for true knowledge. However, it is evident that there is more than our thirst for knowledge that defines us. Before humans developed the written word, they found ways to convey and record meaningful thoughts, which would continue to amaze future generations. Modern efforts to decipher these antiquities has proven challenging; there is more to learn about expressive art that most care to consider. During the Paleolithic period humans survived nomadically, encouraging a more physically demanding way of life. In essence, their unstable lifestyle reinforces the notion that their priorities were rudimentary and that they had lived without luxury. Fortunately, humans have an uncanny ability to defy expectation; these nomadic people were no exception, for they had developed, possibly
Shamanism provides an answer to the people that lived in that time. According to the textbook, Art Across Time, shamanism “functions as intermediaries between the human and the spirit worlds” (Adams, 35). Usually accessing this space between the two realms requires a ritual, or trance. The images of the floating animals seems to be part of that transitory journey to the space between the two realms; looking up as one passes further into the cave, the animals above flow in the same direction, giving the viewer that sense of oneness. The sense of importance also seems to be evident in the placement of the actual paintings, which are not placed in open caves. They are referred to as “deep caves” because of how extensive they are; normally one would not go to such incredible lengths into a dark cave unless, of course, it was