Understanding the Origins of Paleoart: The Neurovisual Resonance Theory and Brain Functioning.

Abstract

Mark making on a range of objects and the manufacture of artifacts seem to have an ancient derivation, predat-ing the representational depiction of the Upper Paleolithic by a considerable period. In an attempt to provide a coherent explanation for the appearance and longevity of these items, I submit a theory based upon how the visual cortex and visuo-spatial areas of the brain function in relation to the emergence of symmetry in lithic tech-nologies. This theory endeavors to show how the preference of hominins for natural occurring objects, such as crystals and fossils, and the ability to make sculptured items, can potentially be accommodated under the aegis of one all-embracing explanation. It shows how various parts of the visual brain have influenced the preference for certain marks and shapes in that different regions of the visual pathways are shown to resonate or respond dis-proportionately according to the nature of the stimulus. These preferences are deemed to have become subject to material realization thanks to the interfacing of visual and visuo-motor pathways that had previously functioned as relatively separate systems.