Stone-age parties determine the location of cave paintings

The first cathedrals, theaters and concert halls, researchers now theorize, may have been inspired by musical performances held in caves.

Iegor Reznikoff of the University of Paris told Discovery News that he stumbled upon the Stone Age art and music connection.

"I am a specialist of the resonance of buildings and spaces, particularly of the resonance of Romanesque churches," Reznikoff explained. "The first time I happened to be in a prehistoric cave, I tried the resonance in various parts of the cave, and quickly the question arose: Is there a relation between resonance and locations of the paintings?"

To test his question, Reznikoff sang and hummed within various parts of well-known French caves containing prehistoric art. These included Niaux and Le Portel in Ariege, as well as Arcy-sur-Cure in Burgandy.

He drew three key conclusions from the "sound checks." First, most pictures were located in, or very near to, resonant locations. Second, the density of the pictures in these areas is proportional to the intensity of that spot's resonance. Finally, resonant areas where painting would be difficult, such as narrow passageways, appear to have been marked with red lines.

The latter finding suggests cave dwellers first scoped out caves for their musicality before any painting commenced.

Reznikoff will present his findings this week in Paris at Acoustics08, a meeting jointly organized by the Acoustical Society of America, the European Acoustics Association and the Societe Francaise d'Acoustique.

His findings could help explain why bone flutes have been found near some caves containing the Stone Age art.