Just like in any other drama, there is a beginning. The idea was born back in 2012, when Denis, one of our team members, was still working as an art gallery director in a major gallery.
One day, while preparing for his weekly seminar on art history, he had an epiphany: “There must be something hidden, something more in these paintings, drawings, and other pictorial representations in caves and on rocks!”
In the back of his mind, Pablo Picasso’s words, “We have learned nothing in twelve thousand years,” spoken after visiting the Lascaux Cave in France, echoed constantly.
But what was it? What do these images actually represent? And who were the artists behind them? Where did their knowledge come from?
These are just a few of the questions that arise from these incredible, sometimes unimaginable drawings—artworks that would challenge even today’s professionals.
Palaeolithic cave art is remarkable for its extraordinary aesthetics and the high level of artistic skill it demonstrates. The combination of realism and abstraction is striking. Palaeolithic artists played with shadows and shades of color, used the natural contours of the cave walls, and varied the sizes of figures to create a sense of multidimensionality and movement. The animals depicted seem almost alive.
As the research continued, Denis came to understand that we haven’t been paying enough attention to what our ancestors were trying to communicate. While some intriguing theories exist, many loose ends remain. This is why we believe that by sharing and educating, we modern Homo sapiens can learn a great deal. If only we could decipher these images and the stories they tell.
The prevailing official theory, which emerged in the early 1900s, claimed that Paleolithic paintings had a magic-religious purpose: by painting animals, their numbers would multiply. This concept of “hunting magic” was tied to “sympathetic magic,” where symbolic acts were believed to influence reality. This utilitarian approach was highly functional, linking art directly to the need for food.
But did this theory hold up? Analysis of Paleolithic diets, based on faunal bones found near rock art sites, showed a mismatch between the animals depicted and those consumed. For example, at Lascaux, 90% of the bones found were from reindeer, yet only one painting of a reindeer exists.
While researchers acknowledged that some aspects of the hunting magic theory had merit, it clearly didn’t explain everything. The theory was too simplistic given the complexity and diversity of the compositions, prompting the search for further explanations.
(Quote from Bradshaw Foundation)
Professor Dr. Michael Rappenglück of Munich University believes that the scenes at Lascaux represent a map of the sky from 17,000 years ago. The seven points above the shoulder blades of the nearby bull are thought to depict the constellation of the Pleiades. Additionally, the stars Aldebaran, the Pleiades, and the Hyades together form the constellation Taurus. “If this bull had been discovered in a medieval manuscript and not on a cave wall, it would have been immediately recognized as Taurus,” Rappenglück explained.
That being said, we can almost hear you asking: “But why the name neandARThal?”
As you probably know, it is widely accepted that the earliest undisputed art originated with Homo sapiens during the Aurignacian period, around 43,000 years ago. However, there are other, much older artworks that go beyond simple expressions of creativity, which is the foundation of human development. According to historical evidence, these had to be created by Homo sapiens neanderthalensis. It’s incredible to think that they may have been the originators of art, such as the works found in caves like La Pasiega in Cantabria or Maltravieso in Cáceres, Extremadura, which have been dated to at least 64,000 BC.
Since they are the originators, this is, in a way, a tribute.
Of course, we put a spin on the name by changing a letter, and frankly, we just like the sound of it. Then again—why not?
Well, not to bore you to death with this unparalleled dramatic horror story, but that’s how it all started. And from there, like all stories go, we lived happily ever after. Or something like that.
However, if you would like to learn more, we cordially invite you to check out our “About the Art” section to get a fuller picture.
