Cave Art in Upper Paleolithic

This paper investigates the possible interpretations of cultural period known as the Upper Paleolithic which began in Western Europe approximately 30,000 years ago. Archaeologists and anthropologists tried to understand the meaning of those paintings which were depicted by the primitive artists on the walls and ceilings of the caves. One possible explanation, which is borrowed after the functional paradigm of Malinowski, is that the early man painted to fulfill his basic needs and relaxed himself by expressing his artistic talent. And finally the perspective of cognitive anthropologists and psychologists has also been discussed in this paper, which stated that shaping of material culture (cave art) by early man was the key of the extension of his mind beyond the limits of brain.