Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory ( IF 3.2 ) Pub Date : 2025-01-21 , DOI: 10.1007/s10816-025-09693-w
V. Fernández Navarro, D. Fidalgo Casares, D. García Martínez, D. Garate Maidagan
This study pioneers the application of geometric morphometrics to Palaeolithic hand stencils, offering new insights into the problematics of classic rock art using innovative methodology. Employing a triple approach encompassing contemporary, experimental, and archaeological populations, the research achieves a precise estimation of age and biological sex through hand morphometry, enhancing our anthropometric understanding of the individuals whose hands were stencilled. The results of the analysis of the archaeological sample reveals a notable presence of sub-adults, indicating children’s participation in the creation of hand stencils. The findings also suggest a balanced, mixed participation between sexes across age groups and cave locations, reflecting cohesive social behaviour among Upper Palaeolithic human groups. Statistical analysis indicates that finger width in the Palaeolithic population is larger than in the modern sample, possibly due to a more active lifestyle. Most importantly, the study demonstrates the methodology’s repeatability across various chronologies and geographies, especially in well-preserved samples, underscoring its applicability worldwide. Overall, this research represents a significant methodological advancement in our ability to understand Palaeolithic rock art, shedding light on lifestyle and cultural dynamics of hunter-gatherer societies.
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解码旧石器时代手印:通过几何形态学进行年龄和性别鉴定
这项研究开创了几何形态测量学在旧石器时代手绘模板中的应用,使用创新方法为经典岩石艺术的问题提供了新的见解。该研究采用涵盖当代、实验和考古人群的三重方法,通过手工形态测量学实现了对年龄和生物性别的精确估计,增强了我们对手上印记的个体的人体测量学理解。考古样本的分析结果显示,亚成人的显著存在,表明儿童参与了手绘模板的创作。研究结果还表明,不同年龄组和洞穴地点的性别之间存在平衡、混合的参与,反映了旧石器时代晚期人类群体之间有凝聚力的社会行为。统计分析表明,旧石器时代人群的手指宽度大于现代样本,这可能是由于更积极的生活方式。最重要的是,该研究证明了该方法在各种年代和地域上的可重复性,尤其是在保存完好的样本中,强调了其在全球范围内的适用性。总的来说,这项研究代表了我们理解旧石器时代岩石艺术能力的重大方法论进步,揭示了狩猎采集社会的生活方式和文化动态。