The following article tells of a new understanding of the famous cave paintngs of Lascaux, France. But the whole scenario will need to be drastically re-dated downwards.
....
PART 1: THE ARTICLE
A translation of LASCAUX PLANETARIUM PREHISTORIQUE? by Pedro Lima
The incredible discovery of a paleo-astrononomer
SCIENCE and VIE,
December 2000
Translators note: The subject matter of this article was taken from a research study that was conducted in 1999-2000 by an independent paleo-astronomer (a scientist who studies the stars of the ancient sky) by the name of Chantal Jegues-Wolkiewiez.
The FALLING HORSE in the Axial Gallery was found to align with the Winter Solstice
The painters of Lascaux were astronomers! Cro-Magnon men painted a zodiac on the walls of the cave, which showed the formation of the sky in the Magdalenian era, 17,000 years ago. This discovery of ancient astronomy, if confirmed, could change our understanding of pre-historic art and also of the people who painted the pictures. Research conducted and revealed in this article by independent prehistoric-astronomer, Chantal Jegues-Wolkiewiez could revolutionize presently held concepts of prehistoric man's knowledge of astronomy.
At the center of the controversy is Lascaux cave. A natural rock formation in the Dordogne region of southwest France that existed for 17,000 years before four teenage boys accidentally discovered it in l940. Since that time the paintings found in the majestic Hall of Bulls in the cave are considered to be one of the highest achievements of humanity and have astounded and mystified both art historians and prehistoric archeologists.
THE FIRST ZODIAC?
In November 2000 Chantal Jegues-Wolkiewiez presented a paper at the International Symposium of Prehistoric Art in Italy. The paper was entitled, Lascaux, the Magdalenians View of the Sky. In it, paleo-astronomer, Jegues-Wolkiewiez, states that the cave paintings were records of the zodiac constellations, fixed stars and the solstice points. She confirmed her thesis by showing that all the constellations of the zodiac except Aquarius and part of Pisces are represented by the animals in their natural state of that time. The precision of the respective orientations as well as the presence of the figure of the setting Sun demonstrates that Cro-Magnon men were remarkable observers of the sky.
In November 2000 Chantal Jegues-Wolkiewiez presented a paper at the International Symposium of Prehistoric Art in Italy. The paper was entitled, Lascaux, the Magdalenians View of the Sky. In it, paleo-astronomer, Jegues-Wolkiewiez, states that the cave paintings were records of the zodiac constellations, fixed stars and the solstice points. She confirmed her thesis by showing that all the constellations of the zodiac except Aquarius and part of Pisces are represented by the animals in their natural state of that time. The precision of the respective orientations as well as the presence of the figure of the setting Sun demonstrates that Cro-Magnon men were remarkable observers of the sky.
This announcement that Paleolithic men were great astronomers as well as extraordinary artists was revolutionary. The idea that they marked the zodiac belt as a band of sky that holds twelve constellations dancing in an eternal circle following the path of the Sun and that they painted these calculations on rock puts our understanding of the history of astronomy in a radically new light. In effect this says that in far-off time men represented the actual constellations by drawing/tracing them on the pictures of certain animals particularly the bull. If this is true then they preceded the Babylonian astronomers by 10,000 years. These were surprising statements...
HOW DID THEY DO IT?
In order to represent the constellations in the cave, the ancient painters/astronomers had to find a way to mark the lines between the stars, similar to amateur astronomers today who know how to make angles by using their fingers to measure distances between the different stars. Perhaps these Cro-Magnon men used sticks as rulers to mark and measure the height of certain stars in the sky. When they returned to the cave the painters traced the drawing of the sky from their observation. According to Chantal Jegues-Wolkiewiez, these first astronomer/painters were already capable of using the stars as heavenly guides to find the position of the stars that were not visible above the horizon.
In order to represent the constellations in the cave, the ancient painters/astronomers had to find a way to mark the lines between the stars, similar to amateur astronomers today who know how to make angles by using their fingers to measure distances between the different stars. Perhaps these Cro-Magnon men used sticks as rulers to mark and measure the height of certain stars in the sky. When they returned to the cave the painters traced the drawing of the sky from their observation. According to Chantal Jegues-Wolkiewiez, these first astronomer/painters were already capable of using the stars as heavenly guides to find the position of the stars that were not visible above the horizon.
But how did Chantal Jegues-Wolkiewiez arrive at this conclusion?
In 1999 she joined with Jean-Michel Geneste, a member of the team who studied the Grotto at Chauvert in Ardeche. The idea that certain paintings at Lascaux represent stars or constellations was not new. But it was never verified by serious scientific studies based on astronomical measurements. This is exactly what Jean-Michel Geneste proposed that he and Chantal Jegues-Wolkiewiez should do.
From the first contact with the cave and the immense and poignant Hall of Bulls the two scientists followed scientific procedures, which was different from past research. A constant humidity and temperature was maintained in the interior of the cave and Jegues-Wolkiewiez scientifically demonstrated that the Lascaux paintings were 17,000 years old by using the Carbon l4 dating technique.
The paleo-astronomers made constructions of the sky in the Magdalenian period, which was different from our sky today, using astronomical software (unfonunately not named). They made models of the western map of each constellation. Then they made measurements of the orientation of all the paintings according to an astronomical compass, which is precise to half of azimuth (an arc of the heavens extending from the zenith to the horizon, which it cuts at right angles). Finally through further measurement they compared the outlines of the paintings in the Hall of Bulls with the sky in Magdalenian times.
Then from measurements taken on site the scientists established that the entrance to Lascaux cave faces west and slopes downward at a 12 degree angle. This was the plan that the paleo-astronomers presented: to prove that the NW entrance to the cave was identical to the one perceived by the prehistoric artists and that the l2 degree angle of the entrance led to the paintings in the Hall of the Bulls. From this Jegues-Wolkiewiez conjectured that the rays of the setting Sun at the Summer Solstice penetrated into the cave and touched certain paintings. (see Map)
For the remainder of this article, go to:
http://www.pciampi-astrology.com/articles/Lascaux_1.htm
