Abstract
Cave Art in the Upper Paleolithic presents a boost of creativity and visual thinking. What can explain these savant-like paintings? The normal brain function in modern man rarely supports the creation of highly detailed paintings, particularly the convincing representation of animal movement, without extensive training and access to modern technology. Differences in neuro-signaling and brain anatomy between modern and archaic Homo sapiens could also cause differences in perception. The brain of archaic Homo sapiens could perceive raw detailed information without using pre-established top-down concepts, as opposed to the common understanding of the normal modern non-savant brain driven by top-down control. Some ancient genes preserved in modern humans may be expressed in rare disorders. Researchers have compared Cave Art with art made by people with autism spectrum disorder. We propose that archaic primary consciousness, as opposed to modern secondary consciousness, included a savant-like perception with a superior richness of details compared to modern man. Modern people with high frequencies of Neanderthal genes, have notable anatomical features such as increased skull width in the occipital and parietal visual areas. We hypothesize that the anatomical differences are functional and may allow a different path to visual perception.
Highlights
The evidence of larger visual areas in Neanderthals leads to our testable hypothesis suggesting that an archaic visual system, in some respects, was superior to the common visual system in modern humans, given that archaic genes associated with visual perception have been found in some modern people
Do modern people with enhanced visual areas, and a high proportion of Neanderthal genes [5,95], have functional advantages in visual acuity and visual memory? is there enhanced visual perception and are the pathways in their brains compatible with raw perception as outlined in this article? Can the balance between excitation and inhibition have been similar in Neanderthals as to what we find in the autistic brain? Hyperexcitation will result in more acute vision
This article has outlined much of the positive evidence for an association between visual thinkers and archaic genes, as well as associations between visual thinkers and superior visual perception and an association between visual thinkers and impaired language abilities
Summary
The extremely detailed Cave Art from the European Upper Paleolithic, with its accurate depiction of motion, is a mystery, as it is not as symbolic as so much other Cave. Art. The ability to perceive, imagine and retrieve the necessary visual information from previous episodes of viewing live animals is normally far beyond the capabilities of modern man, except for some with savant talents. The ability to perceive, imagine and retrieve the necessary visual information from previous episodes of viewing live animals is normally far beyond the capabilities of modern man, except for some with savant talents These ancient people did not have cameras and were unlikely to take notes without portable media such as paper; they relied solely on raw perception and memory. Cave Art demonstrates an ability to perceive anatomical details and motion similar to how Savant Art shows savant perceptual ability and memory today
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