TwoMillionYearsofArtinHumanEvolution

JamesHarrod,Ph.D.AdjunctInstructorinArtHistory,MaineCollegeofArt,Portland,Maine

Director,CenterforResearchontheOriginsofArtandReligionoriginsnet.org(pleistocenecoalition.com)

AH224PaleolithicArt,Spring2012

UpperPaleolithic/LaterStoneAgePalaeoart

Meme#4UpperPaleolithic/LSA:Mythic III Shamanic,‘Laurasian’(M.Witzel)

6WorldsShamanism(SoulJourney,SoulRetrieval),Mother‐of‐Animals,Master‐of‐AnimalsCave/watersasemergenceplace;UP(E)arraysoffemaleandmalespiritualtransformations

Upper(MilkyWayStar)WorldLife‐GiverDeath‐Giver

2UpperWorlds(skyworldcelestials&starworld)

(GreatSpirit,tutelaryspirit)

creatorbeingsspiritsofthedeaddreamintobeingreturn‐to‐homelandscape,alldormant,incubatinglifeformspre‐emergenceinterconnected‘negativecapability’usingsacredpower(inversepower)

2MiddleWorlds(thisworld&parallel,ghostworlds)

waterholequicksand(generativity)(vortex,abyss)

2LowerWorlds(undergroundworld&waterworld)

(spiritanimals)

UP(E)GEOMETRICSIGNS

ThreecategoriesofUP(E)paintedandincisedimages:

• Animals• Humans(lessthan10%ofsites)• Geometricsigns(Bahn&Vertut1997)

‘147outof170sitesinFrance70%ofsigntypesremainedinuseover25,000yearandnosignappearseverywhere,soconsciousdecisions;wereculturallymeaningful;andiftheydidhavesignificancetheywerebeingusedtoconveyinformation.ByMagdalenianrepeatedpairingsandlargerconfigurationsoccur’(Von Petzinger 2011)

DIVINATION:

UP(E)GEOMETRICSIGNS

DecipheringUpperPaleolithic(European)GeometricSigns

Part1:TheBasicGraphematics

SummaryofDiscoveryProcedures

Examples of Paired Signs – A. Leroi-Gourhan (Leroi-Gourhan A. 1967. Treasures of Prehistoric Art: chart XXXIV)

The Upper Paleolithic (European) ‘Rosetta Stone”: Paired ‘Tri-line’ and ‘Branch’ Signs Lorthet tri-line and branch, serpent and birds and newly hatched chicks

(Marshack A 1991. The Roots of Civilization fig 109a,b) Semiotic interpretation: James Harrod

‘Flow’Sign:Tri‐Line=‘flowinundulatingrhythmicmovementoflifein3worlds’

LePlacardtri‐lines(Chollot‐VaragnacM.1980.LesOriginesduGraphismeSymbolique:54.937b)

‘Flow’Signs:Tri‐Line,UndulatingMeanderLine,andZigzag(seriesofrunninganglesorchevrons)L:Romanelli,FinalEpigravettian,‘coremeanderwithtwomainbranchesmarkedwithrunninganglessymbolizingwater'.MarshackA.1977.'Themeanderasasystem',pl.41afterBlanc)Ctop:Altamiratri‐line.'meanderstracedintheclaywithatoothedinstrumentandanengravedhind’.(MarshackA.1977.'Themeanderasasystem’,pl.27a,bafterBreuil1952:fig.23,24)Rtop:Ardaleshorseswithtri‐linemeanders,‘wavylineswatersymbolism’.MarshackA.1977.'Themeanderasasystem',pl.45)Cbottom:Altamira,'meandersinclayandtheheadofbullatrightwithinmeander’.(MarshackA.1991.TheRootsofCivilization:pl27c,afterBreuil)

‘Branch’Signs:=‘sprout,emerge,givebirth,hatch,growoutof,grow,unfold,unfurlbranches,ramify,branch’A‐ELascaux;FMarsoulas;GCougnac;HNiaux;IIsturitz;JAltamira;KElCastillo;LLaPasiega(afterA.Leroi‐Gourhan1967byPatriciaReis)

‘Branch’‐Signs'Chinese'horse,LascauxAxialGallery

(silkscreenprintD.Mazonowicz,cf.Leroi‐GourhanA.1967.TreasuresofPrehistoricArt:fig81)

‘Contact,Cleave’Sign:Singleandmultiple‘Darts’and‘StrokeLines’=‘Contact,cleaveto,feelirruptingspiritenergieswithin,bepregnant,gestate,double,splitwithin,disrempt,die,bewounded,killed,sacrificed,besetapart,crossintotheseparateorotherworld’

L:Niaux'woundedbison',(Leroi‐GourhanA.1982.TheDawnofEuropeanArt:fig74)

R:Paglicci,Apulia,engravedhorsepelvis.‘runningstallionwith27darts,20differentpoints;6‐7horizontaldartswithnofeathers’,(MarshackA1991.TheRootsofCivilizationfig120B)

Semioticinterpretation:JamesHarrod

‘Contact,Cleave’‐Signs:Singleandmultiple‘Darts’and‘StrokeLines’(alsoY‐signsand2bi‐linesandgridonneckhorse58,possiblybi‐lineon61)

=‘Contact,cleaveto,feelirruptingspiritenergieswithin,bepregnant,gestate,double,bifurcate,disrempt,die,bewounded,killed,sacrificed,besetapart,crossintotheseparateorotherworld’

Lascaux, Nave, Panel of the Imprint. Ruspoli M. 1986. The Cave of Lascaux: The Final Photographs: 130 (after Glory).

‘Contact,Cleave’‐Signs:SingleandmultipleDarts,StrokeLines,XsandBi‐Lines(also‘breath’marksandpossiblytri‐lineorpairedX–tri‐line)

Lascaux, Chamber of Felines. Ruspoli M. 1986. The Cave of Lascaux: The Final Photographs: 145 (after Glory). Semiotic interpretation: James Harrod

Anishinabe(‘Ojibwe’),Algonquian.Midewiwinmedicinesocietychant(onbirchbarkscrolls)Anishinabesingersprovidedsongtranslationsofpictogramsandshamans/preceptslaterprovidedexplanatorycomments,

top:WhiteEarth,Minnesota,bottom:RedLake(MalleryG.1888/1972.Picture‐writingoftheAmericanIndians,Vol.1:233,246)

Semioticinterpretation–comparison:JamesHarrod

‘X’‐Signs,ChineseRockArtGongxian,Sichuan,Chinadepictsafishermanandfish,thelatterwiththreeXsonitsbody,whichmayhaveameaningstillinusetoday:"verylarge!”Interpretation:EmmanuelAnati.AnatiE.1993.Worldrockart:Theprimordiallanguage.BolletinodelCentroCamunodiStudiPreistorici27.fig.112

orpossiblymorelikelytheX‐likecharactercomponentfoundintheChinesecharactersforyì(cut,mow,shear);yáo(oracleline,sacrificialmeat);andshá(kill).Interpretation:JamesHarrod

InhieroglyphicEgyptianthegenericdeterminative"X"signifies"break,divide,cross"(RittnerRK.1996.Egyptianwriting.InP.DanielsandW.Bright(eds.)Theworld'swritingSystems:80).Interpretation:JamesHarrod

‘Contact,Cleave’‐Sign:‘Bi‐Line’L:LePlacard1doubleline;R:5pairsofdoublelines,1singleline.Reindeerantlerfragment.Solutrean.

(Chollot‐VaragnacM.1980.LesOriginesduGraphismeSymbolique54.937.Land54.937.I)

GimbutasM.(1989.Thelanguageofthegoddess)decodesEuropeanNeolithicbi‐linesas"progressiveduplication,doubling,pregnancy,twinning,abundance,thepoweroftwo.”

SemioticInterpretation:JamesHarrod

‘Contact,Cleave’‐Sign:‘Bi‐Line’=‘Contact,cleaveto,feelirruptingspiritenergieswithin,bepregnant,gestate,double,bifurcate,disrempt,die,bewounded,killed,sacrificed,besetapart,crossintotheseparateorotherworld’

L:Chauvet,horsewithdoublelinemarking(ClottesJ.2003.ChauvetCave:Theartoftheearliesttimes:fig32?)

R:LaPIleta(Malaga),'paintedpregnantmarewithsequenceofdoublewoundmarks,eachsetmadeatadifferenttime'.,(MarshackA1991.TheRootsofCivilizationfig197)

SemioticInterpretation:JamesHarrod

‘Bi‐Line’=‘Contact,cleaveto,feelirruptingspiritenergieswithin,bepregnant,gestate,double,bifurcate,disrempt,die,bewounded,killed,sacrificed,besetapart,crossintotheseparateorotherworld’

LaMadeleineengravingonbone.(MarshackA1991.TheRootsofCivilizationfig99.

Bi‐LineandX’sonSerpents:Contemporary,Bihar,IndiaUtchet Madhabhani, Bihar, India. 20th Century.

(Jayakar P. 1990. The Earthen Drum: 105, fig 87)

Aurignacian‘vulva‐seed’(‘uteruswomb’,‘teardrop’)signsL:Castelmerle,DordogneH:97.4cm.R:AAbriCellier;BAbriBlanchard;CLaPortel;DBédeilhac;EArcy‐sur‐Cure;FUssat;GLes

Combarelles;HPechMerle;IAltamira;JElCastillo;KLaMouthe;L:ElCastillo;MUssat;NIsturitz.Drawings:PatriciaReisafterA.Leroi‐Gourhan;seealsoGimbutasM.‘MonstrousVenus’.1981:Fig.1and2.

Interpretation:MarijaGimbutas,‘cosmicwomb’,‘sourceofthewatersoflife’,‘ofthesproutingoflife’,and‘givingofbirth’JamesHarrod,‘teardrop’shape,‘sourceofallsorrowandjoyoflife’,compareconversegenderedEgyptianAtumwhoemergesfrom

primordialseaasamound(benben)andfromownseedmakesairandmoisture,ShuandTefnut,andfromowntearscreateshumanity.

‘Center’‐sign=concentriccircles,withholesorwithoutIsturitzandMasd'Azil,Concentriccircleswithholes;possiblyastronomicorcalendrical

(Chollot‐VaragnacM.1980.LesOriginesduGraphismeSymbolique:223,74.954and47.225)

UpperPaleolithic(European)GeometricSignsSemiotic(‘Logic’)Square,TheBasicGrapho‐SemanticHypothesis

GestureMovement‐Formssymbolizing“Centerinward!…Contactirruptingspiritenergies!…Branch,grow!…Flow!”FollowingA‐J.Greimas’methodofstructuralsemantics,IallocateUP(E)graphemesbymutualinter‐definition

ofshapeaccordingtoanAristotelianLogicSquare(HarrodJ.2004online.DecipheringUpperPaleolithic(European):Part1.TheBasicGraphematics—SummaryofDiscoveryProcedures:Diagram2)

UpperPaleolithic(European)GeometricSigns:ExpandedGrapho‐SemanticHypothesisIdentificationandallocationofgraphemesaftercross‐mappingagainstMaryLeCronFoster’s(1978,1986,1990)lexiconof‘primordial

language’(PL).(HarrodJ.2004online.DecipheringUpperPaleolithic(European):Part1.TheBasicGraphematics—SummaryofDiscoveryProcedures:Diagram5updated2009)

PairedX‐Branchand‘TheAlphabet”ofUP(E)GeometricSigns(Chevron,Branch,X,Circle)L:LePlacard,Magdalenian,pairingbranchandXsigns

(Chollot‐VaragnacM.1980.LesOriginesduGraphismeSymbolique:135,55.054)

R:LaMadeleine,Magdalenian,SignsRepresentingtheFourSignClustersofUP(E)(Chollot‐VaragnacM.1980.LesOriginesduGraphismeSymbolique:113,20.058)

ReadingUpperPaleolithic(European)Lorthettri‐lineandbranch,serpentandbirdsandnewlyhatchedchicks(MarshackA1991.TheRootsofCivilizationfig109a,b)

TheLorthetengravingsays:

"Breakoutofyourshell,hatch,beborn,newlyalive,strivingtotakeshape,branchout,blossom,ramifywithspringthawlife!andthenfollowtheundulatingself‐movementoflife,wiseinthewaysofdanger,filledwith

theanimatingspiritoflifeinallthreerealms(upper,middleandlower)!"

ReadingUpperPaleolithic(European)(Leroi‐GourhanA.1967.TreasuresofPrehistoricArt:fig332)

TheLascauxChamberofFelinesengravingsays:“Stand,contactyourpiercingwounds;listentothespiritlionspeakingtoyou,breathingoveryou,with

healingandpower!Mybodyisaspirit;andmybodyisyourbody,spiritlion.Ibexknows;alltheserealmsarespiritrealms,Above,Below,andthisMiddleWorld,irruptingspiritenergieswithinyouasintheseworlds.Feellionspirit,ibexspiritandbisonspiritenergyirruptintoyourlife.Receiveit,asIamofferingmyspiritto

you.Thisistheheartofyoursacrifice.Cleavetoyourwounds,andheal!"

LascauxChamberofFelines,XandIIIsignsSomerenditionsoftheChamberofFelinesdonotshowclearlytheXwithlinetoTri‐LineinLeroi‐Gourhan’srendition.Before

dismissingtheimageasaprojection,here’sanotherXplusTri‐linefromthesamesectionofLascaux(framefromfilm:LascauxRevisité1989)

ReadingUpperPaleolithic(European)LaVache,FinalMagdalenian,pairedbi‐lineandchevronsoneaglebone(MarshackA1991.TheRootsofCivilizationfig154)

TheLaVacheengravingsays:

“Separate,distinguishyourotherhalf,yourhigherpower,cleavingtoirruptingspiritstallionenergy,feelyourgestatinginnerabundance!andthenflowwithself‐movingspiritenergy,wind‐like,stallion‐like,radiant

withlight!Thisisthespiritstallionspeaking.”

ReadingUpperPaleolithic(European)LesTroisFrères,Bearwithcircles(dots,cupules),chevronsorrays,andbreath‐lines(MarshackA1991.TheRootsofCivilizationfig121b)

TheLesTroisFrèresengravingsays:

“Centerinward,drawingintoyourself,likeahibernatingbear,intoyourself‐nourishing,andgenerativepotency!andthencomeforth,asinspringthaw,manifestingyourpowers,radiantly!Thisisthebearspiritspeaking,

breathingoveryouwithhealing."

ReadingUpperPaleolithic(European)ElCastillo,MiddleMagdalenian,groupisabout40incheswide.‘Femalesignsinred,amalebarbedsigninblack’,

Leroi‐GourhanA.1967.TreasuresofPrehistoricArt:fig63)

TheElCastillopaintingsays:"Centerinwardandaccessthevulva‐womb‐seedsourceofyourself!theoriginofyourfertile,lutealpower!and

thenemerge,sprout,branchingout,openingyourheart,blossoming,unfoldingwithnewlife!”

ReadingUpperPaleolithic(European)MaybereadinasimilarwayastheElCastillocomposition

(Ruspoli M. 1986. The Cave of Lascaux: The Final Photographs: 154 after Glory)

ReadingUpperPaleolithic(European)Saint‐Marcelpendant.Ovalcontaining3concentriccirclesandbranchingtree‐shape.MiddleMagdalenian

WhiteR.1986.DarkCaves,BrightVisions:fig111(M.A.N.74)

TheSaint‐Marcelpendantsays:“Centerbackinward,centerintoandfromyourself,yourcoreseedessenceandtreeoflife,ineachofitsthreeworlds,Upper,Middle,andLower!andthenemergeanew,growingoutofyourself,openingtothelightand

destinyofyourluxuriantunfoldinglife!"

BigTreeintheMiddleoftheearth,theaxismundi,thecenterandsupportoftheuniverse

Anishinabe(‘Ojibwe’),Algonquian.Midewiwinmedicinesocietychant(onbirchbarkscrolls)Anishinabesingerprovidedsongtranslationsofpictograsandshamanpreceptlaterprovidedexplanatorycomments,

RedLake,Minnesota(MalleryG.1888/1972.Picture‐writingoftheAmericanIndians,Vol.1:240)

ReadingUpperPaleolithic(European)L:Masd’Azilzigzagsandbranchtree.(Chollot‐VaragnacM.46.609).

"Emergenewborn,letyourlifeunfold,branch,blossom!andthenflow,lettingyourlifestreamforthlikespringthawwaters,feelingtherisingsap,greenjuice,withinandwithinalllivingthings,veriditas!"

BurialwithGraveGoods,Germain‐la‐Rivière,France,Magdalenian

•  15,570±200kya•  Youngadultfemale•  Gravegoodsincludea

necklaceof71perforatedreddeercanine(majorityyoungstags)(sourceprobablynorthernSpain)

(also1hindcanine;steatitebead,shell,ochredbisonskullandsplitreindeerantlernearstonestructure)(Vanhaerenandd’Errico2005)

BurialwithGraveGoods,Germain‐la‐Rivière,France,Magdalenian,~15.6kya(Vanhaerenandd’Errico2005:Fig.6)

47teethhavegeometricmarkings(40clear,7lessprecise),23nomarkings

Markingshavetracesofredochre(VonPetzinger2011)

‘Stroke’‐signs,‘X’‐signsandCombis,Germain‐la‐Rivière,France,Magdalenian,~15.6kyaLabels:JamesHarrod.Top:clearandprecise;BottomL,C:lessprecise;R:nomarkings.PhotosfromVonPetzinger2011)

(Vanhaerenandd’Errico2005)

‘X’‐sign,‘Stroke’‐sign,‘Asterisk’‐sign,‘Tri‐Line’,‘Pi’‐signandCombinations,Germain‐la‐Rivière,France,Magdalenian,~15.6kya

Labels:JamesHarrod.PhotosfromVonPetzinger2011)(Vanhaerenandd’Errico2005)

Photo/drawingbyA.Leroi‐Gourhan

ComparisonofGermain‐la‐RivièrebeadstosignsatBernifal,France,13–17kya(VonPetzinger2011)

ComparisonofGermain‐la‐RivièrebeadsignstosignsatGabillou,France,13–17kya(VonPetzinger2011)

ComparisonandPhotosfromVonPetzinger2011basedondrawingsbyJ.Gaussen