Altamira Caves: Paleolithic Art and Its Legacy
Discovery of Altamira Caves
The Altamira Caves were discovered by Marcelino Sanz de Sautuola in 1879. The discovery occurred when his daughter, María, accidentally pursued their dog, who had hidden there. The girl entered the interior of the cave through a small opening, and upon going to rescue her, they found this great artistic treasure.
Altamira Cave Layout and Artistic Features
The Altamira Cave extends 270 meters from the entrance to the deepest part. We can distinguish three zones: the entrance hall, where early humans lived; the Room of Paintings, often called ‘the Sistine Chapel of Quaternary art’; and a series of interconnected rooms and corridors. While examples of paintings are found throughout these spaces, the most remarkable are concentrated in the Room of Paintings. The artworks in this room exemplify the Franco-Cantabrian painting style. Animals were depicted utilizing the natural protuberances of the rock, thereby achieving a sense of volume. The color palette is notably rich, featuring ocher, black, and red pigments. These paintings meticulously represent details such as the eyes, manes, and hooves of the animals.
Significance of Altamira Cave Art
Thanks to these cave paintings, we gain insights into the life of Upper Paleolithic people, including their hunting techniques, weaponry, animals, and rituals. A pioneer in the study of cave paintings was Henri Breuil. However, other authors introduced the idea that the art represented in Paleolithic caves indicated a sanctuary-like character, suggesting a religious system. It was believed that these walls held the mysteries of life and death. The vigor, realism, color, and expressiveness of these paintings are remarkable, even if the artists’ primary intention was simply to observe nature and depict what they saw. In rock art, two clearly differentiated areas exist: the Franco-Cantabrian, to which the Altamira cave paintings belong, and the Levantine (Mesolithic) art.
Major Schools of Prehistoric Cave Art
Cave painting is the most significant form of prehistoric art, found predominantly inside caves. Through these artworks, we understand much about the customs and beliefs of humans who lived during the Paleolithic period. In the Iberian Peninsula and Southern France, two major schools of cave art are recognized:
- The Franco-Cantabrian School: Characterized by rich colors and representations of isolated large animals (bison, deer, and horses). Notable caves include Altamira, El Castillo, Pindal, and Las Monedas.
- The Levantine School: Features monochrome figures (black, red, or ocher) and highly stylized, schematic scenes. Key sites include El Cogul, Morella la Vella, Alpera, and Minateda.
Art and Architecture of Ancient Mesopotamia
During Sumerian times, temples were often built upon artificial mounds of earth. This structure evolved into the ziggurat, a massive stepped tower with the main temple at its summit, accessed via ramps. The Ziggurat of Ur is documented from the 12th century BCE, and another prominent example is the Etemenanki ziggurat dedicated to Marduk in Babylon. Sumerian sculpture is characterized by the creation of full, free-standing figures, often cylindrical in form. These figures, often depicted in prayer, are hieratic and adhere to the law of frontality. They appear seated or standing, with hands clasped on their chests, shaved heads and beards, and covered by robes that leave one shoulder and arm bare. Assyrian art, particularly reliefs, developed to depict various episodes from daily life or to exalt the king. These reliefs are typically arranged in horizontal registers on walls, often depicting the human torso in profile. Notable scenes are characterized by dynamic animal movements and expressiveness, such as the famous ‘Wounded Lioness’ relief.