Greg Jenner

So that's ideal.

Yeah, it's great, isn't it? Let's leave the cave for now, because that was charming, but, you know, it's quite damp in there. LAUGHTER So that's fascinating. The idea of illustrating the... You've got static art, but it's illustrated by the flicker of the flames. It's a fascinating animating technique. Sean, do you know what the word pareidolia means?

Yeah, it's great, isn't it? Let's leave the cave for now, because that was charming, but, you know, it's quite damp in there. LAUGHTER So that's fascinating. The idea of illustrating the... You've got static art, but it's illustrated by the flicker of the flames. It's a fascinating animating technique. Sean, do you know what the word pareidolia means?

If only it was. It's actually the study of parasols, you know, the umbrellas. Now, Izzy, what is pareidolia?

If only it was. It's actually the study of parasols, you know, the umbrellas. Now, Izzy, what is pareidolia?

Yeah.

Yeah.

But what's so interesting, I think, is that pareidolia, if I understand it, is you're more likely to see the thing that you're accustomed to seeing.

But what's so interesting, I think, is that pareidolia, if I understand it, is you're more likely to see the thing that you're accustomed to seeing.

So if you spend your days in the dark looking at animals, you're more likely to see animals. Is that right? Yeah.

So if you spend your days in the dark looking at animals, you're more likely to see animals. Is that right? Yeah.

Fascinating, isn't it? Yeah. I'm going to drag us back a little bit more towards form and function, a little bit of, like, why might this art have been so important to people? Sean, I mean, we've already talked about, like, hunting manual. Are there any other theories you might want to chuck out as to why people would spend such time and effort doing art? It's something to do, really.

Fascinating, isn't it? Yeah. I'm going to drag us back a little bit more towards form and function, a little bit of, like, why might this art have been so important to people? Sean, I mean, we've already talked about, like, hunting manual. Are there any other theories you might want to chuck out as to why people would spend such time and effort doing art? It's something to do, really.

I think the one I would pitch more seriously would be when you get people around a campfire and they start telling stories. And I've had this on an archaeology dig. You get people around a campfire from different backgrounds. They don't all speak the same language. Sometimes art is quite useful. So is there anything in that?

I think the one I would pitch more seriously would be when you get people around a campfire and they start telling stories. And I've had this on an archaeology dig. You get people around a campfire from different backgrounds. They don't all speak the same language. Sometimes art is quite useful. So is there anything in that?

So, OK, so I'm pushing the kind of communication functionality. Are there any other theories that you want to name check, even if you don't agree with them?

So, OK, so I'm pushing the kind of communication functionality. Are there any other theories that you want to name check, even if you don't agree with them?

Maybe religious elements, this early phase of what we might call ritual behavior that, you know, It's no longer simply just survive, but it's now like, here are some ideas we have about maybe there's a sky god or a reindeer god.

Maybe religious elements, this early phase of what we might call ritual behavior that, you know, It's no longer simply just survive, but it's now like, here are some ideas we have about maybe there's a sky god or a reindeer god.

This is the part of the show where Sean and I put down our paintbrushes and sit quietly by the fire for two minutes for some storytelling, while Dr Izzy takes centre stage to tell us something we need to know about Paleolithic art. Take it away, Dr Izzy.