How our ancestors with autistic traits led a revolution in Ice Age art [View all]
May 14, 2018 by Shelley Hughes, University of York
Detailed illustrations of lions painted in the Chauvet Cave.
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
The ability to focus on detail, a common trait among people with autism, allowed realism to flourish in Ice Age art, according to researchers at the University of York.
Around 30,000 years ago realistic art suddenly flourished in Europe. Extremely accurate depictions of bears, bison, horses and lions decorate the walls of Ice Age archaeological sites such as Chauvet Cave in southern France.
Why our ice age ancestors created exceptionally realistic art rather than the very simple or stylised art of earlier modern humans has long perplexed researchers.
Many have argued that psychotropic drugs were behind the detailed illustrations. The popular idea that drugs might make people better at art led to a number of ethically-dubious studies in the 60s where participants were given art materials and LSD.
Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2018-05-ancestors-autistic-traits-revolution-ice.html#jCp
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