Hidden Paleolithic Animal Art Revealed with Stereoscopic Photography in the Spanish Cave of La Pasiega

Using a modern photography technique, archaeologists have uncovered previously unknown Paleolithic animal art hidden within the rock walls of the Cave of La Pasiega in north-central Spain. These paintings, numbering more than 700, were first identified by anthropologists in 1911.

Making the Ancient Cave Art Look 3D

Cave paintings, a centuries-old European tradition, were traditionally seen as 2D, but ancient artists incorporated cave features. Modern archaeologists use 3D methods but mostly study on 2D screens, a perspective that does not truly align with the way the ancient artists themselves would have experienced their work.

Researchers used stereoscopic photography to explore cave art, revealing new insights discussed in their study, titled "Animals hidden in plain sight: stereoscopic recording of Palaeolithic rock art at La Pasiega cave, Cantabria" published in Antiquity.

Complutense University of Madrid archaeologist and photographer Raquel Asiain and her team devised a straightforward approach to capture the three-dimensional characteristics of both the cave walls and the artwork adorning them.

Stereoscopic photography, with origins dating to the 1800s, is not a recent innovation. One of its most familiar applications is in the View-Master, a children's toy that delivers distinct images to each eye, producing a 3D effect.

Using high-resolution photos spaced 2.5 inches apart (approximating pupil distance), they create a 3D effect when viewed together, even without a device, akin to '90s "Magic Eye" illusions.

Through a systematic study using stereoscopic photography, researchers led by Asiain uncovered three previously concealed animals: two horses and an aurochs. High-resolution images posted on Flickr make the horses easily visible, revealing one beneath a deer image in the center and the other with its mane, neck, and chest on the left.

The positioning of the latter horse, with its head in a concave area and its chest in a convex area of the cave wall, enhances its three-dimensional appearance. By employing 3D glasses or slightly crossing one's eyes, viewers can now experience the cave's undulating features much like people did tens of thousands of years ago.

Ancient Artist Used Natural Rock Features to Create Art

Ancient artists skillfully integrated natural rock formations into their depictions, blending human-made and natural elements seamlessly for added depth and dimensionality. The cave's topographical features might have sparked their creativity, akin to pareidolia, where they perceived unintended shapes in nature and imagined complete forms to enhance their art.

The researchers made significant findings in the cave art, such as a red horse image measuring approximately 460 x 300mm, displaying the head, eye, ear, and cervico-dorsal line with natural cracks incorporated into the outlines. This figure adapted to the cave wall's features, with the cervico-dorsal line aligning with a concave area.

Another yellow ochre horse, about 600mm long, depicted the head, mane, back, and hindquarters, using the rock's shape to define the horse's belly and natural cracks for the foreleg.

Stereoscopic photos revealed numerous correlations between the images and the cave wall's irregularities, unseen in regular photographs. The study emphasizes that paleolithic rock art should consider both the artwork and the topographical features of the rock they're on, as these elements are inseparable.

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