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New views on old hands: the context of stencils in El Castillo and La Garma caves (Cantabria, Spain)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Paul Pettitt ,
Alfredo Maximiano Castillejo ,
Pablo Arias ,
Roberto Ontañón Peredo  and
Rebecca Harrison
Paul Pettitt
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK (Author for correspondence, email: [email protected])
Alfredo Maximiano Castillejo
Affiliation:
The Cantabria International Institute for Prehistoric Research, University of Cantabria, Edificio Interfacultativo, Avda. los Castros s/n, 39005 Santander, Spain
Pablo Arias
Affiliation:
The Cantabria International Institute for Prehistoric Research, University of Cantabria, Edificio Interfacultativo, Avda. los Castros s/n, 39005 Santander, Spain
Roberto Ontañón Peredo
Affiliation:
The Cantabria International Institute for Prehistoric Research, University of Cantabria, Edificio Interfacultativo, Avda. los Castros s/n, 39005 Santander, Spain Museo de Prehistoria y Arqueología de Cantabria, Avda. los Castros 65–67, 39005 Santander, Spain Cuevas Prehistóricas de Cantabria, 39670 Puenta Viesgo, Spain
Rebecca Harrison
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology, University of Sheffield, Northgate House, West Street, Sheffield S1 4ET, UK
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Abstract

Hand stencils are an intriguing feature of prehistoric imagery in caves and rockshelters in several parts of the world, and the recent demonstration that the oldest of those in Western Europe date back to 37 000 years or earlier further enhances their significance. Their positioning within the painted caves of France and Spain is far from random, but responds to the shapes and fissures in the cave walls. Made under conditions of low and flickering light, the authors suggest that touch—‘palpation’—as much as vision, would have driven and directed the locations chosen for these stencils. Detailed study of the images in two Cantabrian caves also allows different individuals to be distinguished, most of whom appear to have been female. Finally, the project reveals deliberate associations between the stencils and features on the cave walls.

Keywords

CantabriaEl CastilloLa GarmaPalaeolithic artpainted caveshand stencilspalpation
Type
Research articles
Information
Antiquity , Volume 88 , Issue 339 , March 2014 , pp. 47 - 63
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd. 2014

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