The World's Earliest Cave Art
The Ancients6 Nov 2022

The World's Earliest Cave Art

200,000 years ago in what is now Tibet, two children left a set of hand and foot prints on a travertine boulder, still identifiable today and is thought to be the earliest example of cave art.


In today’s episode, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Sally Reynolds from the University of Bournemouth, who describes the evidence that suggests this was a deliberate act of creativity, highlighting the human urge to make art goes back millennia.


We also learn that these feet and hands likely belong to Denisovans, predating Homo sapiens in Europe and Asia.

It’s a fascinating discussion around not just art, but also the earliest evidence of humans living high altitude anywhere in the world, and a glimpse into what human behaviour would have been like to allow for children to be this creative nearly a quarter of a million years ago.


For more Ancients content, subscribe to our Ancients newsletter here.


If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code ANCIENTS for a free trial, plus 50% off your first three months' subscription.


To download, go to Android > or Apple store >

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episoder(606)

The Polynesians: Ancient Mariners of the Pacific

The Polynesians: Ancient Mariners of the Pacific

The ancient Polynesians remain the greatest seafarers in history. Already by the time of the legendary founding of Rome on 21 April 753 BC, Polynesian voyagers had crossed huge parts of the Pacific Oc...

27 Sep 202033min

The Battle of Salamis

The Battle of Salamis

We've had the Battle of Thermopylae with the brilliant Paul Cartledge; we've had the Battle of Artemisium with the great Owen Rees. And I'm delighted to say that we are today fulfilling the 2,499 Pers...

24 Sep 202037min

The Rise of Constantine

The Rise of Constantine

The Emperor Constantine I, better known as Constantine the Great, is one of the most significant emperors in Roman history. His later Christian biographers lauded him as an icon, the man who set in mo...

20 Sep 202049min

Jason and the Golden Fleece

Jason and the Golden Fleece

This week's episode from the History Hit archive features the brilliant Tom Holland telling the myth of Jason and the Argonauts, an epic story of honour, adventure, dangerous women and a golden fleece...

17 Sep 202054min

Alexander the Great: Through Persian Eyes

Alexander the Great: Through Persian Eyes

Conqueror. Destroyer. Convert. Legendary king. It's fair to say that Alexander the Great's relationship with ancient Persia was complicated. Despite conquering the Persian Empire, Alexander admired an...

13 Sep 202034min

The Roman Forum

The Roman Forum

Another one from the History Hit archive! The Roman Forum, also known by its Latin name Forum Romanum (Italian: Foro Romano), is a rectangular forum (plaza) surrounded by the ruins of several importan...

11 Sep 202025min

The Vestal Virgins

The Vestal Virgins

Priestesses of Vesta, Goddess of hearth, home and family, the College of Vestal Virgins were Rome’s only full-time priesthood. They numbered only six and were selected from noble Roman families at an ...

6 Sep 202046min

Pax Romana

Pax Romana

Time for a delve into the History Hit ancient history archives! In this podcast Dan Snow sits down with the brilliant Adrian Goldsworthy to ask the big questions surrounding the success of Imperial Ro...

4 Sep 202042min

Populært innen Historie

rss-dette-ma-aldri-skje-igjen
henrettelsespodden
rss-katastrofe
historier-som-endret-norge
rss-benadet
historier-som-endret-verden
aftenposten-historie
med-egne-oyne
rss-nadelose-nordmenn-gestapo
sektledere
rss-strid-de-norske-borgerkrigene
historiepodden
rss-gamle-greier
rss-frontkjemperne
rss-historiske-romanser-svik-drap-og-kjarlighet
taakeprat
liberal-halvtime
vare-historier
virkelig-grusomt
historiepodden-ww2