The Animals Depicted In Altamira Cave
The animals depicted in the Altamira cave appear in a series of cave paintings of various species. Such paintings were made by the ancestors of modern-day Homo sapiens , and are some of the largest and most detailed in Europe. This made the cave a world icon of artistic abilities developed by humans in the Upper Paleolithic period.
The cave paintings in the cave of Altamira were the first found in Europe. The cave was discovered in 1868, but it was a decade later – in 1879 – that the first paintings were found inside. Unfortunately, throughout the 19th century these paintings were considered false.
It was from 1902 that scientific importance was given to the Altamira cave. This is thanks to the discovery of other caves in France with paintings similar to those of Altamira. Therefore, the most skeptical scientists were forced to accept the authenticity of the cave paintings.
Altamira Cave Features
The Altamira cave is found specifically in the vicinity of Santillana del Mar, in Cantabria, Spain. The cave is relatively small, as it is 270 meters deep. Its internal structure is simple, with three areas: the wider entrance, the large room with polychrome paintings, and the secondary rooms and corridors.
The room with the paintings is 18 meters long and 9 meters wide. This room is just 30 meters from the entrance. This area is known as the Sistine Chapel of Quaternary Art. In the secondary rooms and corridors there are also cave paintings, but of lesser magnitude and complexity.
Animals depicted in Altamira cave
The cave paintings in the cave of Altamira were done approximately 12,000 or 15,000 years ago. Therefore, they are from the end of the Pleistocene, and the beginning of the Holocene. This number was estimated thanks to the application of carbon 14 tests at the site.
The animals represented in the Altamira cave are mostly extinct species in Spain and the rest of Europe. Bison, deer, wild boar, mammoth and horses are painted, all animals from very cold climates, because they were represented at the end of the last glacial period.
The bison is the hegemonic animal inside the cave, as there are, in total, 16 specimens of different sizes and postures, made with different techniques. Almost everyone is concentrated on the ceiling of the main room. The artist—the artists—represented the bison in great detail. This demonstrates that they were very familiar with the anatomy and behavior of these animals.
The shrunken bison is one of the most attractive and admired paintings in the Altamira cave. This is because the artist knew how to leave the animal in this position without losing its anatomical proportions. The bison has its legs folded and its head looking down. This leaves the animal with a shrunken shape. This particular painting measures 127 centimeters from the horn to the end of the tail.
The great doe is another of the best known cave paintings. It is the largest figure, 2.25 meters long. It has very stylized paws, formed by a firm, modeled line, very realistic.
The vast majority of paintings take advantage of the natural relief of the rocks to gain dynamism and volume. All of this makes the animals represented in the Altamira cave very mobile, as if they were alive.
The importance of these cave paintings
The reason why these cave paintings were made is still a mystery. However, there are several hypotheses made by various archaeologists. At first, it was believed that they were simply art, for no reason other than to be observed.
Now, the most widespread hypothesis is its possible use as a hunting guide, since many of the animals depicted have wounds, or they lack a leg. This can be explained by the intervention of humans when hunting these types of animals at that time.
However, the most important thing about the Altamira cave is not exactly what the paintings symbolize, but the demonstration of human culture throughout history. The level of detail of the animals depicted demonstrates the intelligence and artistic abilities of our prehistoric ancestors.
Furthermore, these representations of animals from the Altamira cave have helped many researchers and the general public to get closer to ecosystems and extinct fauna for thousands of years. In short, the Altamira cave paintings are a window into prehistory, both for humans who lived at the end of the Pleistocene, and for the fauna that accompanied them.
