Ancient Cave Handprints "Not Human".

[Alfisti]

The Wadi Sura cave in the Libyan Desert features a number of stencil paintings dating back to between 6,000 and 8,000 years ago, including over a dozen tiny human-like hand prints. Since its discovery, the hands were thought to belong to human babies, but an anthropologist now says they’re not human at all.

http://gizmodo.com/these-ancient-hand-prints-were-not-made-by-human-hands-1762152221

 

[Michael B-C]

Interesting. Thank you for posting Alfisti. The following is taken from the abstract of the paper published in the Journal of Archaeological Science:

'The results show that the rock art small hands differ significantly in size, proportions and morphology from human hands. Potential biases between the different samples were quantified, but their average range cannot explain the observed differences. Evidence suggest that the hand stencils belong to an animal, most probably a reptile. The identification of non-human pentadactyl hand stencils is unique in the field of rock art and raises new perspectives for understanding the rock art at Wadi Sūra, and the behaviour and symbolic universe of the populations who made it.'

If this hypothesis is correct it certainly raises questions as to what motivated the painters to superimpose images of reptilian hands over these scenes, especially as several of them also contain some very suggestive figures that are also clearly non human, or at least do not suggest ordinary humans. Whatever the meaning, it is strange to read anthropologists talk about 'reptlilian' influences on the human imagination!

 

[mkrnhr]

It's not strange, reptiles are all around in ancient mythologies. There are serpents, crocodiles (in Egypt), etc.
Here is what the author says about the possible symbology:

Animal hand or foot stencils are not as common as human ones in the rock art record. Emu foot stencils are evidenced in the Carnavon Gorge and the Tent Shelter in Australia, choike/nandu (birds of thegenus Rhea) stencils in the rock art of La Cueva de las Manos in Argentina, bird stencils in Arnhem Land in Australia (Taçon et al., 2008), among others. All these animal stencils are made with tridactyl feet. As such, as far as we know, the Wadi Sūra II shelter would represent the first record ever identified of non-human pentadactyl hand stencils in the world rock art.

....

The varan is an animal associated with a strong symbolic universe amongst Saharan and Sahelian populations, who represented it in rock art (Souville, 1991; Réganon, 1978). For André Jodin, “the sacred nature of this animal for the [subactual] Libyan populations is undoubtful” (Jodin, 1964). Varans appear as protective animals to which various functions are assigned: chthonian animals related to the founding
of the villages and to origins in general, protective or apotropaic body partsworn asamulet by the Tuaregs, etc. Crocodiles are also linked to old-established beliefs about creation, destruction or regeneration,
mainly recorded in the Nile Valley. Both animals have not yet been identified by archaeology – whether in rock art or by bone remains – in the Gilf el-Kebir.

Whereas other shelters of the region mostly display scenes of everyday life (pastoralism, hunting),Wadi Sūra II is host to numerous paintings whose content is more obviously symbolic, such as composite beasts. The presence of animal stencils in this particular shelter suggests that they could have been done in the context of paintings expressing beliefs related to nature. The particular layout of the pair of tiny hands in the pair of human hands seem to indicate a close – if not fusional – connection between animals and human, in the generic sense of the term (Fig. 2). Our identification of the use of an animal (most probably a reptile) hand or forefoot as a stencil in the rock art of Wadi Sūra is a significant discovery that sheds a new light on the symbolic universe of the Early Holocene populations from the Eastern Sahara.

These paintings are probably related to some shamanic activity (Did they intend to hint at some 4D visions?). Also, if these painting have been indeed realized at the beginning of the Holocene (right after the great cataclysm), using a "shelter", what was discussed around the fire with these paintings on the wall must be very interesting.

 

[Leland]

Also, if these painting have been indeed realized at the beginning of the Holocene (right after the great cataclysm), using a "shelter", what was discussed around the fire with these paintings on the wall must be very interesting.

Indeed.

I recalled the reptile claw hand (no mistaking its nature) in the Kimberley, Northwest Australia.

The site navigation is a little funky so here is the main page, claw is at the far bottom right.

__http://www.bradshawfoundation.com/bradshaws/bradshaw_paintings.php

Here is direct link to the full-size image.

__http://www.bradshawfoundation.com/bradshaws/paintings/painting31.jpg

 

[Laura]

Made me think of the more "modern" superstition of carrying a rabbit's foot as a good luck charm.

 

[Leland]

Made me think of the more "modern" superstition of carrying a rabbit's foot as a good luck charm.

What is your understanding Laura?

Internet seems to be all over the place. Here is one congruent with what has been mentioned:

In Europe, the tradition of carrying the foot of a rabbit probably stems from ancient totemic beliefs that humans descended from animals, and particular tribes had their origins in specific species. A tribe worshiped its animal ancestor, and carried parts of that animal as protective totems.

The Celts, by around 600 B.C., are known to have associated rabbits with good fortune- the whole rabbit, not just the foot. According to Celtic folklore, the fact that rabbits lived in burrows deep underground meant that they were in direct communication with the gods and spirits of the underworld.

__http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2013/12/rabbits-foot-considered-lucky/

I have another image in my mind where there is a human hand and reptile claw angled towards each other to form a triangle. It stuck with me pondering the implications, but I can't place it just yet. Not sure if in one of my books, the internet, or even possibly one of my Rock Art hunting expeditions. I'll continue soaking on it and post if I come up with it.

Further to comments about sitting around in the cave, after this global catastrophe, whether right in the thick of it, or even years later, surely there were some pretty tough survival challenges to be faced with vegetation and wild-life, at the very least.

Mainstream would have us believe these folks just decided to drop some acid and paint visions of the trip while they rode it out??

Truly incredible, the same thing happened with folks tens of thousand of miles away on other continents and they depicted many similar, and in some cases identical, very distinctive anthropomorphic figures. Mmkay.

Fascinating find Alfisti, thanks for posting it!

 

[Joe]

Made me think of the more "modern" superstition of carrying a rabbit's foot as a good luck charm.

What is your understanding Laura?

The idea is that "reptilian aliens" may have formed a part of human experience, but were seen as 'god'. So humans may have represented these 'gods' in this way. You probably should read the Wave books and High Strangeness and several other of the recommended reading books. It'll make productive and free-flowing interaction on certain threads much easier.

 

[Leland]

Made me think of the more "modern" superstition of carrying a rabbit's foot as a good luck charm.

What is your understanding Laura?

The idea is that "reptilian aliens" may have formed a part of human experience, but were seen as 'god'. So humans may have represented these 'gods' in this way. You probably should read the Wave books and High Strangeness and several other of the recommended reading books. It'll make productive and free-flowing interaction on certain threads much easier.

Apologies for not being more clear with the question. My intention was to ask about her particular belief/understanding of the human custom of carrying the rabbit foot, and where it stems from. I gave one example of an explanation, but there are many wildly varying accounts on the internet.

As to the scenario you present, that is a bedrock belief, in large part due to reading the Wave, High Strangeness, and other books on recommended list.

Was the site/image I provided not considered productive/free-flowing?

Too much noise/commentary along with it?