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Derivatives of Ritual
Investigating the Origins of Paleolithic Art from the Perspective of an Evolutionary-Psychological Archaeology
Abstract The history of research into the origin and meaning of Palaeolithic art is long and complex. Most investigators either try to decipher the symbolic meaning of the depicted motifs or concentrate on questions about chronology, style and technique. Yet this leaves a large explanatory gap: the underlying human psychology and its evolutionary depth. At this level of analysis, art seems to be a conglomerate of psychological buildings blocks originating from ritual behavior coupled with our evolved aesthetic sense and the psychology of prestige. Especially the relationship among art and ritual seems highly relevant for understanding the origins of Palaeolithic art because this relationship manifests itself not only psychologically but also archaeologically. Here we discuss the deep evolutionary relationship among these peculiar phenomena of human behavior and relate it to the archaeological record. In doing so, we offer possible directions for a fruitful interdisciplinary cooperation between Palaeolithic Archaeology and Evolutionary Psychology – a relationship that is still surprisingly underdeveloped.
Keywords cluster concept of art, psychology of ritual, evolutionary aesthetics, psychology of prestige
