Ancient Rock Art Depicts Humans with Nature

Why this is here: Rock art sites have been found on every continent, with some of the earliest known figurative art emerging in Southeast Asia, challenging the idea that artistic expression began in Europe.

Kerry Bowman, a bioethicist at the University of Toronto, Canada, observes a consistent pattern in ancient rock art across the globe. From the Amazon to the Sahara and beyond, early humans repeatedly depicted animals, forests, and their connection to the natural world in petroglyphs and paintings. This suggests a long-held understanding of the importance of biodiversity, predating the modern scientific concept.

Bowman notes the art isn't about power or warfare, but about the relationship between people and the living world. He visited sites in Angola, Chad, Sudan, and Indonesia, finding similar themes across cultures. While ancient peoples certainly impacted their environments, the art implies they saw themselves within ecosystems, not above them.

The author acknowledges much about the art remains unknown. Many sites remain undiscovered, and deciphering the full meaning of the images is ongoing work.

The landscapes where this art survives are now threatened by deforestation and climate change, risking the loss of both biodiversity and cultural heritage. The work to understand these ancient perspectives continues.