ABSTRACT

In this paper, we present a novel hypothesis as to what led humans in the Upper Paleolithic to penetrate and decorate deep, dark caves. Many of the depictions in these caves are located in halls or narrow passages deep in the interior, navigable only with artificial light. We simulated the effect of torches on oxygen concentrations in structures similar to Paleolithic decorated caves and showed that the oxygen quickly decreased to levels known to induce a state of hypoxia. Hypoxia increases the release of dopamine in the brain, resulting in hallucinations and out-of-body experiences. We discuss the significance of caves in indigenous world views and contend that entering these deep, dark environments was a conscious choice, motivated by an understanding of the transformative nature of an underground, oxygen-depleted space. The cave environment was conceived as both a liminal space and an ontological arena, allowing early humans to maintain their connectedness with the cosmos. It was not the decoration that rendered the caves significant; rather, the significance of the chosen caves was the reason for their decoration.

摘要

在本文中，我们提出了一个新的假设，关于是什么导致旧石器时代晚期的人类渗透和装饰深而黑暗的洞穴。这些洞穴中的许多描绘都位于内部深处的大厅或狭窄的通道中，只能通过人造光导航。我们模拟了火炬对类似于旧石器时代装饰洞穴结构中氧气浓度的影响，并表明氧气迅速下降到已知会导致缺氧状态的水平。缺氧会增加大脑中多巴胺的释放，导致幻觉和出体体验。我们讨论了洞穴在土著世界观中的重要性，并认为进入这些深而黑暗的环境是一种有意识的选择，其动机是对地下、缺氧空间的变革性质的理解。洞穴环境被认为是一个阈限空间和一个本体论舞台，允许早期人类保持与宇宙的联系。使洞穴变得重要的不是装饰；相反，所选洞穴的重要性是其装饰的原因。