Cave Art


Only a small group of scholars studies rock art from the ice age. Most of these scholars are interested in the fi gures of people and animals. I am interested in everything else, especially the symbols. But sometimes, they are hard to fi nd. To inspect the cave, we walk along in single


fi le. Our boots make sucking sounds in the mud. T e sounds echo off the walls. I notice the ceiling is starting to get low again.


According to the map, the two red dots are


in a small chamber, to the back of the cave. But the cave narrows. T e only way forward is to lie on our backs in the mud and scoot along. As we shine our fl ashlights and slither


forward, I see them. T ere are two small dots the size of fi ngertips. T e dots were made from a reddish mineral called iron oxide. T e mineral has faded some, though. T ey look more pink than red to me. What do they mean? Why were they made?


What compelled these ancient people to make this diffi cult and muddy journey underground, with only the aid of a torch or oil lamp? T ese are the questions that keep me up at


night. T ese are the questions that keep me crawling deep underground, looking for and carefully recording every symbol I can fi nd.


Hidden deep inside many ice age caves, we found ancient signs and symbols.


20 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPLORER


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