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By PTI
LONDON: Some of the oldest cave paintings in the world, discovered on European sites, reveal that human ancestors may have had advanced knowledge of astronomy there is 40,000 years.
Animal symbols in the work illustrate constellations of stars in the night sky and are used to represent dates and mark events such as comet strikes, such as comet strikes. ALSO READ | Check out one of Oman's true natural wonders, "Al Hoota Caves"
They reveal that, perhaps 40,000 years ago, humans followed the same pattern. evolution of time using the knowledge of the slow evolution of the position of the stars over thousands of years.
The study published in the Athens Journal of History suggests that ancient peoples understood an effect caused by the gradual shift of the Earth's axis of rotation.
The discovery of this phenomenon, called precession of the equinoxes, had been previously recognized. to the ancient Greeks.
About the time of extinction of Neanderthals, and perhaps before humanity settled in Western Europe, people could set dates within 250 years.
The results indicate that the astronomical knowledge of ancient peoples was much greater.
Their knowledge may have facilitated navigation on the high seas, with implications for our understanding of prehistoric human migration, researchers said. The team studied the details of Paleolithic and Neolithic art with animal symbols on sites in Turkey, Spain, France and Germany.
They found that all sites used the same method of dating based on sophisticated astronomy, even though
Researchers clarified the results of a study on stone carvings of one of these sites – Gobekli Tepe in modern Turkey – which is interpreted as a memorial to a devastating comet strike. around 11,000 BC J. – C.
It is thought that this strike initiated a mini ice age known as the youngest Dryas period
. They have also decoded what is probably the most well-known work of ancient art – the scene of the Lascaux well in France [The researchers are suggesting that the work involved a lot of animals and animals could be commemorated in 15200 BC]
The team confirmed the results by comparing the Age of many examples of rock art – known chem dating practically used paintings – with the position of stars in ancient times predicted by sophisticated software.
The oldest sculpture in the world, the lion-man of the Hohlenstein-Stadel cave, dating back to 38,000 BC. old time measurement system.
"Early rock art shows that people had advanced knowledge of the night sky during the last ice age, and intellectually they were not much different from us today," said Martin Sweatman. University of Edinburgh, who led the study.
"These results corroborate a theory of the multiple impacts of comets during human development, and revolutionize the way prehistoric populations are viewed," said Sweatman.
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