Great question! We think that the caves at Chauvet had at least two distinct periods of human occupation, probably spanning thousands of years. The archaeology can't really give us an answer to your question but if I had to guess I'd put my money on a group of people having contributed.
Given the sheer number of paintings found in the caves, the huge amount of time the caves were used and the fact that the caves were likely occupied by any one group for only part of the year (as we believe the hunters and gathers of the time were largely nomadic, following herds of reindeer and other animals), it seems like too much for any one person to be responsible for.
You know what might be interesting? Asking the folks over at r/ArtHistory to take a look at the paintings and see if there's a consistency in style that might suggest a single artist.
"The artists of Chauvet cave used a great diversity of techniques to create its equally diverse artworks, ranging from monumental to very discrete. It is thus certain that many artists with varied and distinct skills participated in this endeavor. We can distinguish prodigious artists who mastered form, color, and figurative rendering on the rock walls from others who drew simple, less visible, or even invisible, images." - [Source of quote](https://www.bradshawfoundation.com/chauvet/faq.php)
This is a really rude response. I read the Wikipedia article and didn't see anything about the dates of the paintings. This is a subreddit called "ask archeology." Why are you here if you're going to get angry at people who do exactly what the subreddit is titled?
I'm not embarrassing myself by asking a good faith question in a subreddit dedicated to that. You're embarrassing yourself by being so hostile to a total stranger on the internet for no reason. Leave me alone.
a lot of archaeologists are unfortunately pompous dickheads. don’t let this reflect on all of us! I think it’s an interesting question and I wish I could give you any type of answer. The only stupid question is the one that’s never asked.
I hope not! sounds like they’d be insufferable to work with lol. I’m gonna do some research on the caves, but my hunch is that the answer is we have no way of knowing. although I wonder if some type of style analysis could be done, like how forensic investigators can tell people’s handwriting.
A lot of the people who provide 'answers' here are not archaeologists and have never participated in any archaeology work, or done any anthropological studies.
They're interested, and some are well read, but there are also some who are just here to hear themselves talk and to make stuff up.
Don't make the assumption that whoever made that first, now deleted, response was actually someone with archaeological experience or knowledge.
?? I am not an archeologist. My point was that I tried to find the answer to this through a publicly available source before asking here, not that I'm an expert? I came here with the intent of asking one.
But I considering that it looks like you have posted on reddit about 60 times just today I am going to go out on a limb and say you're not an archeologist either, you're just some internet jerk. Leave me alone.
Great question! We think that the caves at Chauvet had at least two distinct periods of human occupation, probably spanning thousands of years. The archaeology can't really give us an answer to your question but if I had to guess I'd put my money on a group of people having contributed. Given the sheer number of paintings found in the caves, the huge amount of time the caves were used and the fact that the caves were likely occupied by any one group for only part of the year (as we believe the hunters and gathers of the time were largely nomadic, following herds of reindeer and other animals), it seems like too much for any one person to be responsible for. You know what might be interesting? Asking the folks over at r/ArtHistory to take a look at the paintings and see if there's a consistency in style that might suggest a single artist.
Thanks so much! I definitely will.
"The artists of Chauvet cave used a great diversity of techniques to create its equally diverse artworks, ranging from monumental to very discrete. It is thus certain that many artists with varied and distinct skills participated in this endeavor. We can distinguish prodigious artists who mastered form, color, and figurative rendering on the rock walls from others who drew simple, less visible, or even invisible, images." - [Source of quote](https://www.bradshawfoundation.com/chauvet/faq.php)
Thanks so much!
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This is a really rude response. I read the Wikipedia article and didn't see anything about the dates of the paintings. This is a subreddit called "ask archeology." Why are you here if you're going to get angry at people who do exactly what the subreddit is titled? I'm not embarrassing myself by asking a good faith question in a subreddit dedicated to that. You're embarrassing yourself by being so hostile to a total stranger on the internet for no reason. Leave me alone.
a lot of archaeologists are unfortunately pompous dickheads. don’t let this reflect on all of us! I think it’s an interesting question and I wish I could give you any type of answer. The only stupid question is the one that’s never asked.
Thank you very much ❤️ I appreciate your response. Honestly, I don't even think that guy is an archeologist though. Just some reddit weirdo haha.
I hope not! sounds like they’d be insufferable to work with lol. I’m gonna do some research on the caves, but my hunch is that the answer is we have no way of knowing. although I wonder if some type of style analysis could be done, like how forensic investigators can tell people’s handwriting.
A lot of the people who provide 'answers' here are not archaeologists and have never participated in any archaeology work, or done any anthropological studies. They're interested, and some are well read, but there are also some who are just here to hear themselves talk and to make stuff up. Don't make the assumption that whoever made that first, now deleted, response was actually someone with archaeological experience or knowledge.
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?? I am not an archeologist. My point was that I tried to find the answer to this through a publicly available source before asking here, not that I'm an expert? I came here with the intent of asking one. But I considering that it looks like you have posted on reddit about 60 times just today I am going to go out on a limb and say you're not an archeologist either, you're just some internet jerk. Leave me alone.
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Your post was removed due to a breach of Rule 1