| Project Detail |
Understanding how lighting systems were used by cave dwellers
Increasing control of fire played a major role in the emergence and expansion of the human species. During the Palaeolithic period, artificial lighting such as torches was a key resource for developing cave dwellers’ complex social and economic behaviour. Using a groundbreaking and interdisciplinary methodology applied to residues of Palaeolithic light, the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions A-LIGHT project aims to shed light on these distant cave activities. It will supply information and data on the first cave art and symbols from this prehistoric time, as well as consider the usefulness of light produced by fire.
The control of fire is a milestone in human evolution. Artificial lighting is a crucial resource for the expansion of social and economic behaviour in Palaeolithic groups beyond the day hours. Besides, this allowed the potential development of the first symbolic comportment located in deep caves probably at least 176ky ago. This would increase during the Upper Palaeolithic when archaeological remains proliferate in darkness linked to the rock art. The A-LIGHT project, Archaeology of the Light, aims to improve our knowledge of palaeolithic activities in caves through a pioneering and interdisciplinary methodology applied to rarely-studied remains: the residues of Palaeolithic light. Its multi-analytical approach will provide multifaceted information, including the widely debated chronology of the first cave art. Additionally, it will supply useful data for other researchers who delve into topics related to cave art and the symbolic world of the Palaeolithic (visibility, accessibility, space perception...). The experimental reproduction will permit evaluating the efficiency of the light systems deduced from the previous multi-analytical study and reach a Virtual Scientific Reproduction (prototype in non-academic placement), with its economic potential in heritage dissemination and tourism activities. It also includes an ethnographic section which will help shedding some light on alternative interpretations to the utilitarian aspect of the firelight. The host institution (UBx), under the supervision of Dr. Ferrier, will conduct and train Dr. Medina, a specialist in Subterranean Archaeology from Spain, to advance her training in Archaeo-pyrotechnology in caves (multiproxy, multi-analytical and experimental approach, with special incidence about on-site analysis). Dr. Medina will contribute to the charcoal analysis from the inner of the caves and provide an opportunity for the host to expand the study area to new geographical contexts and recently discovered caverns. |
