Decoding Ice Age Animal Calendars

Bennett Bacon was an independent researcher trying to make sense of the dots and lines that accompany pictures of animals in European cave art. He had the confidence and passion to reach out to Paul Pettitt from the Department of Archaeology at the University of Durham, who in turn had the curiosity and open mind to hear him out and support the work. They built out a team and in 2023 published their analysis showing that the dots and lines represented months in a lunar calendar starting in spring, and that Y signs represented when the species shown give birth. It's an amazing window that opened up at least part of the meaning behind images that have amazed but puzzled viewers for over 150 years (at leaast). Being bold, creative, curious, and passionate, they connected the thoughts of people today with those of nearly 40,000 years ago. And all on a subject showing how closely interwoven those humans' lives were with the lives of the other species they lived among.