Cambridge Archaeological Journal ( IF 1.6 ) Pub Date : 2024-04-22 , DOI: 10.1017/s0959774324000155
April Nowell , Paul Bahn , Jean-Loïc Le Quellec
In this paper, we examine the lunar calendar interpretation to evaluate whether it is a viable explanation for the production of Upper Palaeolithic parietal art. We consider in detail the history of this approach, focusing on recently published variations on this interpretation. We then discuss the scientific method and whether these recent studies are designed to address the research questions necessary to test a lunar calendar hypothesis. More broadly, we explore challenges related to inferring meaning in art of the deep past, the use of secondary sources and selecting appropriate ethnographic analogies. Finally, we assess claims that the lunar calendar interpretation documents the world's oldest (proto)writing system. We conclude that the lunar calendar interpretation as currently construed suffers from multiple theoretical and methodological weaknesses preventing it from being a viable explanation for the production of Upper Palaeolithic art. We further find that claims following from this interpretation to have discovered the oldest known (proto)writing system are unsubstantiated.
中文翻译:
评估旧石器时代晚期顶叶艺术中阴历的证据
在本文中,我们研究了农历解释,以评估它是否是旧石器时代晚期壁画产生的可行解释。我们详细考虑了这种方法的历史,重点介绍了最近发表的关于这种解释的变体。然后,我们讨论了科学方法,以及这些最近的研究是否旨在解决检验阴历假说所需的研究问题。更广泛地说,我们探讨了与推断深沉过去的艺术中的意义、使用二手资料和选择适当的人种学类比相关的挑战。最后,我们评估了农历解释记录了世界上最古老的(原始)书写系统的说法。我们得出的结论是,目前解释的农历解释存在多种理论和方法论上的弱点,使其无法成为对旧石器时代晚期艺术产生的可行解释。我们进一步发现,根据这种解释声称发现了已知最古老的(原始)书写系统的说法是未经证实的。