2023-09-15 04:00:05
A centuries-old technique, stereoscopic photography, has allowed researchers to discover previously unknown animal figures on the walls of a cave in Spain. This method, which dates back to the beginning of the 19th century, offers a new perspective on rock art.
After taking into account the contours of the cave wall, the researchers used the technique to reveal a depiction of a horse. The two images at the bottom are processed with the DStretch software.
Credit: Images prepared by R. Asiain & P. ​​Saura; Antiquity Publications, Ltd.
Rock art is a well-known art form in Europe, dating back at least 40,000 years. 3D recording methods are gaining popularity among archaeologists. However, these 3D images are often studied on computer screens in 2D, which does not do justice to the artists’ original vision.
A recent study published August 17 in the journal Antiquity modifies this approach. Raquel Asiain, an archaeologist and photographer at the Complutense University of Madrid, and colleagues used stereoscopic photography to capture the art of La Pasiega cave in north-central Spain.
The photos show two previously unrecognized images in the cave. The bottom reveals these images after processing with DStretch.
Credit: Images prepared by R. Asiain & P. ​​Saura; Antiquity Publications, Ltd.
The technique uses pairs of high-resolution photographs taken 63.5 millimeters apart, the average distance between an adult’s pupils. These pairs force the brain to perceive a 3D image. More than 700 depictions of animals and symbols adorn the walls of La Pasiega, first discovered in 1911. Through this study, three previously hidden animals were discovered: two horses and an aurochs (The aurochs (or auroch ) is an extinct bovid, ancestor of current breeds of cattle…), an extinct species of bovine.
April Nowell, an archaeologist at the University of Victoria in Canada, points out that this technique allows the general public to get closer to the original artistic experience, although elements such as the sound of water are still missing (L’eau is a chemical compound ubiquitous on Earth, essential for all…) which drips.
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