Discussions on China's Cliff Carvings

Author: Yao Ganming
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-10-01
Features: Though this has come to a sudden halt, the interest remains undiminished. I happened to read a new piece of news on the desk: scientists recently discovered two sites in the Blombos Cave in South Africa with ochre engravings dating back over 77,000 years, confirming these are the oldest known art fragments in the world. The stones are engraved with intersecting lines, which show that humans had abstract concepts and the ability to use symbolic signs long before they spread from Africa to Europe. Some scientists believe that the patterns on these stones are similar to the prehistoric cave paintings in Europe, though the latter are much more recent. — Imagine, historical artifacts over 77,000 years old—how invaluable such relics are in the history of human civilization! Cliff engravings are truly one of the most enduring and brilliant foundational texts in human history.