Unusual “animation” appears in the primitives’ fire

Researchers from York University and Durham University studied 50 stone tablets preserved in the British MuseumCarved by hunters about 15,000 years ago. Analyzes showed that the first people living in France today placed tablets carved in the light of a flash of fire Create the illusion of movement Early form of animation.

analysis limestone plaques They were excavated from the Montastruc rock formation in France in the 19th and 20th centuries, and they contain various animals, often horses, reindeer, deer, bison and wolves. Patterns of thermal damage were identified on the edges of some of the stones, indicating that they were set near a fire.

Scientists have done Experiments in a prehistoric temporary camp that used virtual reality technology In order to recreate “dropped” images by a fire. Traces of heat damage indicate that they were placed near stoves to give the impression that they were moving and flickering in the light of a fire. The interplay of the chiseled stone and the traveling firelight made the shapes appear dynamic and lively.

We also conducted this experiment at night. It was a very exciting experience to see the engraved shapes come to life before our very eyes. It was also very exciting to see that the heating patterns generated by this activity matched closely with the Montastruck examples, said Izzy Wisher, a doctoral student in the Department of Archeology at Durham University.

engraved plates It can also have a practical purpose Stones can outline the hearth. The human brain is particularly sensitive to interpreting changing light and shadow as imitation of movement.

These are really animal-focused communities. They spend their whole lives tracking down animals, chasing them, thinking about animals, and turning animal skins into clothes. So it is no exaggeration to say that animals also appeared in their stories. It’s interesting to think of this play as part of the stories they tell about the fire, and when they talk about what they did on a particular day or tell stories about certain animals, these animals also come to life before the fire, Izzie Wisher concluded. .