(circa 300,000 to 30,000 years ago)

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,,,,,Oldowan

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,,,,,Early Paleolithic

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,,,,,Middle Paleolithic

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.....Upper Paleolithic

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Stone Arrangements (Stone Heaps, Standing Stones, Stone Circles, Geoglyphs)

• Dar-es-Soltane Cave 2, Morocco, Aterian, c. 127-40,000 BP; e.g., heap of sandstone slabs 1m. dia. by 30 cm high
• El Guettar, Gafsa, Tunisia; Aterian [Libyan Aterian dated variously OSL140-130,000 BP or 90-69,000 BP]. In heap of limestone blocks, some 60 limestone spheroids; bones (rhino, bovids) flakes and nuclei in base; beautiful Aterian point in center of pile; several flint spheroids at the top of the heap, deposited in a spring. Of the flint spheroids at the top of the heap, one, perfectly smooth, its white cortex flaked at one pole to expose the black flint inside and the other pole stained with red ochre. Symmetrical arrangements of exotic stones at four directions. Two limestone geometric plaquettes at base, one isoceles triangle, one lozenge.
• Windhoek, Namibia; 36 spheroids placed in a spring
• Arcy-sur-Cure, France, MP; spheroid piles
• Har Karkom, Levantine Mousterian or Aterian, stone circles of white limestone blocks in which are deposited flint sculptures, zoomorphic, anthropomorphic (especially female figurines) and geometrics
• Har Karkom, Israel. HK86b "Paleolithic Sanctuary" comprises dozens of standing stones in concentric circles, which evokes the landscape as a female birthgiver. (Though dated to an MP/UP transitional period, it has 'the feel' of MP palaeoart found elsewhere around the world.) Flint sculptures and tool depositions at standing stones. Aesthetic spheroid.
• Koonalda Cave, Nullarbor Plain, Australia, c. >20,000 BP. While dating is late, the cave has extensive digital fluting of the pre-Panaramitee tradition. The cave, which was used as a flint quarry, has a funnel-squeeze passageway that opens above a shaft with water below. There are stones standing and on the ground with zoomorphic and anthropomorphic shape. The overall cave structure evokes womb and birthgiving (rebirth) symbolism. Engraved 'signs' at either side of the Squeeze confirm this ritual meaning.

Geometric stones (spheroid, discoid, triangle, lozenge, pentagon, hexagon, crescent), single, in associations, in piles

• Multiple sites with spheroids (see, e.g., in Stone Arrangements, above)
• Kabwe (Broken Hill), Zambia, Sangoan tools, c. 200,000 or >125,,000 BP;1 ochre piece; ochred spheroid; bones of Homo sapiens archaicus or rhodesiensis
• Har Karkom, Levallois Mousterian and Aterian hutfloors with lozenge, pentagon and hexagon shapes
• La Quina, France, MP, large circular stone disk (Henri-Martin 1947; Marshack 1991)
• Tata, Hungary, nummalite disk (see Signs below)

Stone sculptures. Continues from EP at multiple sites with elaboration in combinations of motifs on a single sculpture, such as:

• La Roche-Cotard II, Langeais, Indre-et-Loire, France, layer 7 (32,100 BP), Mousterian, flint, human face, mask-like, with bone splinter through nose
• Har Karkom ('Mt. Sinai'), Israel; multiple Levantine Mousterian sites appear to contain flint zoomorophic and anthropomorphic sculptures and geometrics, such as HK148b (Aterian hutfloor); HK19 (Levallois Mousterian hutfloors); HK190 (Mousterian of Acheulian Tradition), continuing typical Early Paleolithic themes (head, animal, female figure, geometric shape), some in combinations in a single object
• Northwest European MP sites, discovered and recorded by Walther Matthes (Hamburg, Germany), Archaeologische Berichten group (Elst, Netherlands); Ron Williams (Warlingham, Surrey, England) and others; also continuing typical Early Paleolithic themes (head, animal, female figure, geometric shape), some in combinations in a single object

Death rites. First evidence of human burials; secondary defleshing, caching with or without offerings continues, such as:

• Kabwe (Broken Hill), Zambia, Sangoan tools, c. 200,000 or >125,,000 BP; ochred spheroid and ochre with skeletal remains (see above)
• Herto, Ethiopia, Ar/Ar 154-160,000 BP - Homo sapiens idaltu; mixed 'final Acheulian' and MSA tool features; nonutilitarian cutmarks, hence mortuary ritual, skull defleshing for secondary burial
• Qafzeh, Layer XVII, ESR and TL100,000 BP, Levantine Mousterian Tabun C tools; Qafzeh 8 burial (Homo sapiens sapiens) next to triangular Levallois core incised with iterated stroke marks/lines, non-utilitarian, in association with two lumps of red ochre, scraped, used (Hovers, Vandermeersch and Bar-Yosef 1997); red ochre associated with burials in lower layers of cave, sometimes with marine mollusks, and Qafzeh 11 buried with deer antlers (Hovers, Ilani, Bar-Yosef and Vandermeersch 2003)
• Dederiyeh Cave, Syria, Layer 8, c. 50-70,000 BP - MP tools of type Tabun B; Homo sapiens neanderthalis infant burial with limestone block near head and triangular flint in heart area
  
• La Ferrassie, France, c. 60,000;18 cupules on underside of a roughly triangular rock slab over burial 6, Neanderthal child; all except two cupules are arranged in pairs; all cupules of similar size, except of of the two unpaired, which is significantly larger; iterative lines on bone from another burial (Capitan & Peyrony 1921; Marshack 1991)
• Kebara Cave, Israel, TL 60,000±4,000, ESR 62,000±8,000; Levantine Mousterian Tabun B tools, Homo sapiens neanderthalis burial, skull removal?, animal bones with engraved marks (Davis 1974); iterative stroke marks, possibly chevrons
• Amud; Tabun;burials
• La Chapelle, France; possibly with bovid bones
• Le Regourdou, France; skeleton associated with bear bones, including substitution of certain skeletal bones with the corresponding bear bones and a shield-like stone object between the legs--all suggestive of shamanic sensibilities.
• Teshik Tash; possible ring of mountain goat horn cores
• Shanidar; possibly with flowers

Spirit animal rites

• Har Karkom, stone circles in which are deposited zoomorphic and anthropomorphic flint sculptures (see above)
• El Guettar, bovid and rhino bones in stone heap (see above)
• Nahr Ibrahim, Lebanon, Mousterian; remains of fallow deer burial with ochre (Solecki 1975)
• Bruniquel Cave, France, >47,600 BP; several hundred meters into the cave, an artificial stone quadrilateral structure, 4 m. x 5 m. containing burned bear bone (Balter, M. 1996. Science 271:449) and
• Le Regourdou, France, MP and other European sites; selective placement of bear bones and skulls, suggestive of bear cult rituals

Pigment use (red ochre, black manganese, etc). EP red ochre use continues. Note that the colors red and black are symbolic in the El Guettar spheroid and are the basic two colors used in European Upper Paleolithic parietal art. Seventeen17 sites/objects listed in Bednarik, R. 1992. Palaeoart and Archaeological Myths. Cambridge Archaeological Journal 2,1:27-57, including for example, with additions:

• Kapthurin Formation, MSA, c. 280,000 BP; 75 pieces of ochre and ochre stained grindstone
• Twin Rivers, >200,000 BP, Lupemban MSA; 302 pieces of hematite, specularite and other colorants making full spectrum palette, many with use wear
• Kalambo Falls, Zambia, Useries c. 180,000 BP - Lupemban MSA tools, red ochre
• Nooitgedacht, South Africa, >200,000 BP; 1 piece ground hematite
• Florisbad, MSA 121,000±6,000 BP; ochre grinding slabs
• Klasies River Mouth, South Africa, MSA I, >100,000 BP;160 pieces, many with wear facets,14 from MSA I; ochred 'plaques'
• Tata, Hungary, 101-120,000 BP; beveled, polished and ochred mammoth molar 'plaque' (Vértes 1964; confirmed Marshack 1976)
• Qafzeh Cave, ESR and TL100,000 BP, Levantine Mousterian Tabun B tools; extensive pieces of red ochre through multiple levels, Layers XVII-XXII, 71 studied, manuported to site, utilized through grinding and scraping to extract powder, Levallois core used as ochre receptacle; ochre-stained flakes, corees and scrapers; associated with burials in lower layers of cave, sometimes with marine mollusks; evidence of color symbolism (Hovers, Ilani, Bar-Yosef and Vandermeersch 2003)
• Molodova, Ukraine, Mousterian; ochre at center of oval arrangement of mammoth bones
• Peche de L'Aze, MP; 103 blocks of manganese dioxide, 67 of which show rounding from use on a soft substrate
• Lion Cavern, Swaziland; ochre mine, MSA stone mining tools
• Blombos Cave, Stillbay, Layer CC, TL 77,000 BP, OSL 70,000; 8937 pieces of ochre, many bearings evidence of utilization--scraping and grinding; 9 pieces potentially engraved with geometric signs, two with iterative strokes and 'X' s (Henshilwood et al 2002)

Perforated portable objects. Collecting naturally perforated objects and perforating and polishing of objects also continues from EP. Ten10 sites/objects listed in Bednarik, R. 1992. Palaeoart and Archaeological Myths. Cambridge Archaeological Journal 2,1:27-57, including for example, with additions:

• Bocksteinschmiede, Micoquian, c. 110,000 BP; human-perforated wolf vertebrae and wolf metapodium plus naturally perforated bone fragments (Narr 1951; confirmed Marshack 1991; but disputed D'Errico and Villa 1997 as partially digested bones regurgitated by hyenas)
• Prolom II, Crimea, Micoquian, c. 100,000 BP; 111 perforated phalanges (Stepanchuk 1993)
• Repolusthöhle, Austria, MP (possibly Late Acheulian), perforated bone point and perforated wolf incisor (Mottle 1951)
• Fontmaure, France, Mousterian of Acheulian Tradition and Chatelperronian, >40,000 BP; perforated circular fossilized sponges (Coscinopora sp.?), some holes natural, some artificial and/or natural but artifically enlarged (van der Made 2002)
• Bacho Kiro, Bulgaria, >43,000 BP; two perforated canines (confirmed Marshack 1991)
• La Quina, France; partly-perforated fox canine, fractured in identical manner to next item (Martin 1907-1910; confirmed Marshack 1991)
• Arcy-sur-Cure, France, Chatelperronian, 35-34,000 BP; partly-perforated fox canine, fractured in identical manner to previous item; also canines and shell with notched 'heads' (Marshack 1991); beads, probable necklace
• Border Cave, South Africa, >195,000 BP up to maximal OIS7, 238,000 BP - MSA 2b; infant burial, with perforated marine shell (Beaumont et al 1978).
• Congo, 90,000 BP; ostrich eggshell beads
• Apollo 11 Cave, Howieson's Poort, c. 70-85,000 BP; ostrich eggshell beads
• Dieplkloof Cave, MSA; ostrich eggshell beads
• Grotte Zouhra, Morocco; Aterian; bone pendant;
• Seggédim, Niger; four deliberately drilled quartzite flakes
• Oued Djebanna, Algeria; perforated shell
• and beads occur in a variety of other African MSA sites

Exotics (gems, crystals and fossils). The collection of exotic objects also continues from the EP, such as:

• Le Moustier, Les Merveilles and Spy; rock crystals in implements
• Arcy-sur-Cure, Chatelperronian, 35-34,000 BP; pyrite clusters, fossil crinoid (Leroi-Gourhan 1967,39)
• Skhul and Qafzeh MP; Glycymeris shells (not edible species)

Home Page

About OriginsNet

Theory and Methods

Overview of Four Eras of Evolution
of Art, Religion, Mind and Psyche

,,,,,Oldowan

• Sites, Tools, Hominids
• Art, Religion, Mind
• Gallery

,,,,,Early Paleolithic

• Sites, Tools, Hominids
• Art, Religion, Mind
• Gallery

,,,,,Middle Paleolithic

• Sites, Tools, Hominids
• Art, Religion, Mind
• Gallery

.....Upper Paleolithic

• Sites, Tools, Hominids
• Art, Religion, Mind
• Gallery

Publications and Studies (PDF files)

OriginsNet BLOG - New Discoveries, New Theories

• Cupule
  • Daraki-Chattan, Indragarh, Chambral Valley, India; MP [MP in India generally dated 150,000-40,000 BP]; 498 cupules on cave walls, some in pairs, associated with MP tools
  • Auditorium Cave, Bhimbetka, Madhya Pradesh, India, minimum MP based on micro-erosion [MP in India generally dated 150,000-40,000 BP]; 9 cupules on flat panel on side of Chief's Rock at center of four-directions cross-corridors; Chief's Rock has overall shape of an elephant
  • La Ferrassie, France, c. 60,000;18 cupules, including 8 pairs (see above)
  • Granilpi and Jinmium, Australia, latter first thought to be TL-dated to 75-58,000 BP but OSL minimum dated to before 3,000-6,000 BP; cupules in rows and groups on complexes of panels
• Meander, undulating line
  • Koonalda Cave, Nullarbor Plain, Australia, C14 c. >20,000 BP, with lowest artifact level 29,400+11,600/-4,600 BP (compare dating of Allen's Cave, Nullarbor, C14 18,000 but OSL 39,000±3,100 BP); digital fluting and meanders; this is the oldest Australian marking style, called 'pre-Panaramittee'; meanders at New Guinea II, Snowy River, 21,000 BP;
  • Cueva Morin, Spain; Level 17, Mousterian, "macaroni' meander engravings on 11 bones, some natural vascular grooves amplified and extended by deliberate engraving, V-shaped grooves, with other natural causes ruled out; one bone has widely spaced parallel sets of meanders; another, is totally covered with macaroni meanders (Freeman 1978; the last instance disputed by Marshack 1991 and D'Errico and Villa 1997); aside: this piece may be a curated nature-fact; it has overall shape of a mammoth
• Radiating, fan-like, divergent line motifs
  • Prolom II, Crimea, Micoquian, c. 100,000 BP; four engraved bone objects: saiga phalange engraved with set of 7 'fan-like' divergent radial stroke marks; horse canine, polished, with 5 deeply engraved subparallel strokes from one end; triangular bone fragment, with 2 strokes radiating from point; fragment of bone with two parallel but not adjacent strokes (Stepanchuk 1993)
• Zigzag
  • Bacho-Kiro, Bulgaria, Mousterian, >43,000 BP; zigzag on bone fragment (Marshack 1976, in Kozlowski et al 1982; Kozlowski 1992)
• Cross or X
  • Tata, Hungary, Quina Mousterian, Useries c 100,000 BP; cross on both sides of circular silicified fossil nummulite disk,, a natural crack crossed at right angle by engraved line (Vértes 1964; Marshack 1991)
  • Blombos Cave, Stillbay, Layer CC, TL 77,000 BP, OSL 70,000; 9 pieces of ochre potentially engraved with geometric signs; 2 engraved with iterative strokes and/or 'X' s or 'crosshatch' (Henshilwood et al 2002)
• Arc, semicircle
  • Quneitra, Golan, Israel, ESR 53,900±5,900 - Levantine Mousterian Tabun B tools, flat cortex flint plate incised with 4 nested semicircles and surrounded by vertical, overarching lines
• Dart, arrow
  • Oldisleben 1, Germany, Micoquian, c. 120,000 BP; arrow or dart, on or emerging from lozenge or other shape(broken) on stone (Bednarik 2004 in press)
• Geometric shapes (spheroid, discoid, triangle, lozenge, pentagon, hexagon, crescent) (as noted above under Geometrics), with perhaps spheroid (circle) and triangle prominent symbols. The EP 'shape of space' symbol seems to have become MP 'geometric shapes' symbol. Freqently aggregated with other MP symbols.
  • Kabwe (Broken Hill), Zambia, Sangoan tools, c. 200,000 or >125,,000 BP; ochred spheroid
  • El Guettar, Gafsa, Tunisia; Aterian [Libyan Aterian dated variously OSL140-130,000 BP or 90-69,000 BP]. Some 60 limestone spheroids; at the top of heap, one, perfectly smooth, its white cortex flaked at one pole to expose the black flint inside and the other pole stained with red ochre. Symmetrical arrangements of exotic stones at four directions. Two limestone geometric plaquettes at base, one isoceles triangle, one lozenge.
  • Tata, Hungary, Quina Mousterian, Useries c 100,000 BP; circular nummalite disk
  • Windhoek, Namibia; 36 spheroids placed in a spring
  • Arcy-sur-Cure, France, MP; spheroid piles
  • Har Karkom, Levallois Mousterian and Aterian hutfloors with lozenge, pentagon and hexagon shapes
  • Har Karkom, Levantine Mousterian or Aterian, stone circles of white limestone blocks in which are deposited flint sculptures, zoomorphic, anthropomorphic (especially female figurines) and geometrics
  • Har Karkom, Israel. HK86b "Paleolithic Sanctuary" aesthetic spheroid
  • La Quina, France, MP, large circular stone disk (Henri-Martin 1947; Marshack 1991)
• Chevron
  • Kebara Cave, Mt. Carmel, Israel, VI-XII TL 64/60-48,000 BP, Tabun B; series of deeply incised strokes, pattern 'chevron/stroke/stroke' repeated 3 times (Davis 1974)
  • Abri Lartet, Montgaudier, France, Mousterian or Aurignacian; two engraved bone objects, one with three chevrons (Debénath and Duport 1971; Cremades 1996; Bednarik 1995) [or use wear?]
• Iterative stroke marks, lines. Includes (Type A) stroke marks, single, paired ('bi-lines') or multiple, usually parallel, rare with chevrons; (Type B) sets of long parallel lines, may entirely cross the plaquette, a MP innovation; (Type C) stroke marks in series, perhaps 'tally' or count marks; (Type D) serrated or notched edges of object, perhaps decorative; must rule out use-striations, pushmarks, vascular grooves, cutmarks, etc. on bone.
  • Marks on Stone
  • Oldisleben 1, Germany, Micoquian, c. 120,000 BP; 20 stroke marks in two sets, each set with parallel strokes (Bednarik 2004 in press). [Type A] Similar to EP Bilzingsleben markings.
  • Qafzeh, Layer XVII, ESR and TL100,000 BP, Levantine Mousterian Tabun B tools; Qafzeh 8 burial (Homo sapiens sapiens) next to triangular Levallois core incised with iterated stroke marks/lines, non-utilitarian, in association with two lumps of red ochre, slightly used (Hovers, Vandermeersch and Bar-Yosef 1997). [Type A]
  • Temnata Cave, Bulgaria, MP/UP transition, c. 50-67,000 BP; schist block incised with two rows of 21 parallel stroke marks per row, with end section possibly broken off (Cremades, Laville, Sirakov and Kozlowski 1995; accepted by D'Errico and Villa 1997). [Type B]
  • La Ferrassie, France, c. 60,000; iterative long, parallel lines crossing object, on stone from burial of a child (Capitan & Peyrony 1921; Marshack 1991) [Type B]
  • Marks on Bone Fifteen 15 engraved or notched bone fragment sites/objects listed in Bednarik, R. 1992. Palaeoart and Archaeological Myths. Cambridge Archaeological Journal 2,1:27-57, such as, with additions:
  • l'Abri Suard, La Chaise-de-Vauthon, Charente, France, Mousterian, c. 150,000 BP; 15 pieces of bone of horse and reindeer, incised with iterative stroke marks, mostly parallel, some paired (Debénath and Duport 1971; Cremades 1996) [Mixed types? Type A, C and D? some use-wear?]
  • Klasies River Mouth, South Africa, MSA II (MSA I, >100,000 BP); bone fragment with 4 parallel equally spaced grooves (Singer and Wymer 1982) [Type B]
  • Blombos Cave, Stillbay, Layer CC, TL 77,000 BP, OSL 70,000; 1 mammal mandible fragment incised with 11 parallel lines (iterative stroke marks); partially broken, so may have numbered more [Type A]
  • La Quina, France, 2 pieces of bone with parallel iterative lines and stroke marks (Henri-Martin 1910; non-symbolic, probably for leather thong making, Marshack 1991; Cremades 1996) [Mix of use marks and Type B?]
  • Cueva Morin, Spain; Mousterian, three sets of paired lines on rib fragment; also utilized bone fragment with series of five barb-like incised marks (Freeman and Gonzales Echegaray 1983; Bednarik 1995) [Type A]
  • Petit Puymoyen, France, bone with several parallel stroke marks (Debénath and Duport 1971; Cremades 1996) [Type A?]
  • Abri Lartet, Montgaudier, France, Mousterian or Aurignacian; two engraved bone objects, one with three chevrons; one with two sets of paired stroke, one single stroke (Debénath and Duport 1971; Cremades 1996; Bednarik 1995) [Type C or A? or use wear?]
  • Tagliente Shelter, Italy, Mousterian; five engraved bone fragments; bone retoucher with numerous incised lines (Leonardi 1988; disputed D'Errico 1995) [use-wear?]
  • (Type D) Notched and serrated bones from many sites, such as Schulen, Belgium, Mousterian, serrated and incised mammoth bone fragment (Huyge 1990); Klasies River Mouth, South Africa, MSA II, 2 rib fragments with serrated edges (Singer and Wymer 1982); Border Cave, South Africa, MSA 3, notched rib (Beaumont et al 1978); Apollo 11 Cave, Namibia, MSA 2b, 2 notched bone fragments (Wendt 1974); La Ferrassie, France; small bone with transverse notches (Capitan & Peyrony 1921)
• Pairs, aggregates, combinations (incipient Upper Paleolithic graphematic systems), for example:
  • Oldisleben, Germany, Micoquian, c. 120,000 BP; arrow or dart, on or emerging from another shape(broken) (Bednarik 2004 in press).
  • Tata, Hungary, Quina Mousterian, Useries c 100,000 BP; cross on both sides of circular disk,, a natural crack crossed at right angle by engraved line (Vértes 1964; Marshack 1991). May be considered combination of X plus circle, and as taking a natural diametric crack that cuts or divides the circle and then crossing it, restoring a fourfold whole, a symbol of reparation and restoration of wholeness
  • Axlor, Spain, Mousterian; circular sandstone pebble with central groove and two cupules (Barandiaran 1980; Bednarik1992). If verified, this would = circle, plus cupule, plus stroke (dividing line), and suggests symbolism of 'it happens, presences on both sides', i.e., this world and the spirit world
  • Blombos Cave, Stillbay, Layer CC, TL 77,000 BP, OSL 70,000; 9 pieces of ochre potentially engraved with geometric signs; 2 engraved with iterative strokes and/or 'X' s (or 'crosshatch') within 3 parallel lines ('tri-line')(Henshilwood et al 2002). This is incipient UP symbolism, which could signify 'multiplying abundance in all three spirit worlds, upper, middle and lower, and manifesting between them'.
  • Kebara Cave, Mt. Carmel, Israel, VI-XII TL 64/60-48,000 BP, Tabun B; series of deeply incised strokes, pattern 'chevron/stroke/stroke' repeated 3 times; pattern interrupted by breakage at ends (Davis 1974) [Type A iterative stroke marks] This is incipient UP European symbolism.
  • Quneitra, Golan, Israel, ESR 53,900±5,900 - Levantine Mousterian Tabun B tools, flat cortex flint plate incised with 4 nested semicircles and surrounded by overarching straight lines. As the latter evoke a triangle, and nested semicircles both valley landscape and vulva birthing source, the two together would be reminiscent of the 'triangular female' figurines, the life-giver and earth-shaping creatrix.
  • Koonalda Cave, Australia, c. >20,000 BP; concentric circles, arcs, and grids. This is incipient UP-style Panaramittee symbolism.
  • Gum Tree Valley, Australia, probably 20,000 BP, associated with 'core and scraper tradition' tools; ghost or demon-like simple figures, copulating couples, animals, and arcs, eggs, cupules, circles, concentric circles, lines, and grids. This is incipient UP-style Panaramittee symbolism.

I propose the existence of a worldwide Middle Paleolithic marking system or protolanguage (MPmrk). Middle Paleolithic symbolists appear to draw on some of the Early Paleolithic marking motifs:

• Cupule - presencing, self-awareness, pulsating re-awakening to presence of life
• Meander undulating line - flowing, undulating movement of life
• Radiance - EP divergent line form [DLM] simplified into symbol of radiating energy
• Stroke 'cut' mark (Type A iterative stroke mark), amplified in Micoquian as 'arrow' or 'dart'
• Arc, multiple arcs - signifying recursion, return, cycling, re-birth

and innovate four new motifs

• MP geometric forms (circle, spheroid, disk, triangle, lozenge, pentagon, hexagon) - which signify the 'shape' of the heart, mind, cosmos, sacred power places, crystal healing power; shape of the aesthetically beautiful life-essence. Especially spheroid, perhaps signifying 'the egg', the source of 'new, emergent, unfolding life, development'. At El Guettar, combined with color symbolism, red and black poles, can signify the source of unfolding as dual or dual-dual, fourfold: red as 'blood, life, menses, fertility, life-force, liberation' plus 'wound, danger, terror, rage, trauma''; black as 'fertility, potentiality, creative chaos of night, waiting' plus 'grief, death, finitude, transiency of individual life'. Compare the Orphic creation, the cosmic egg from which emerges Phanes (='open to sight', clear, manifest, visible', who is Eros, the First-Born, both female and male).
• Sequence of long parallel, cross-object lines (Type B iterative stroke marks), possibly derived from thong-cutting (A. Marshack) - which, I suggest, after the New Guinea ritual dibat whose knotting around a stone object makes it sacred, empowers it with the 'singing seeds of life', ancestral spirit (O. W. Hampton 1999), may signify something like 'unfolding, empowerment with spirit-soul, and its protection'. Cutting across the entire surface of the object is like giving it a string necklace, giving it life-power and protective power; it makes the whole enspirited.
• Cross - a cutting across that recuperates a crack or broken line, signifying reparation of a breaking of law, custom, taboo; reconciliation, restoration of wholeness, healing, health
• Zigzag - lightning, communication or power connection between upper world and this world, heaven and earth

Note that the proposed thematics for these four graphemes are mutually interrelated, each entailing the other three.

Over time MP symbolists paired aggregated and otherwise combined these motifs in more and more complex forms, and eventually adding motifs, such as 'X' and 'chevron', which become key graphemes structuring the European Upper Paleolithic 'geometric signs' system, as I suggest elsewhere (See publications), signifying 'bifurcation' and 'channeled flow' respectively.

The MP markings may have had ritual efficacy and reflected a sophisticated understanding bearing such abstract ideas as 'presencing of the landscape'; 'venerating creativity, singing shapes, descending from the ancestors'; 'strengthening soul-spirit-force against demonic possession'; 'finitude, touching the animal'; 'self-presencing contemplation of the divine'; and 'manifesting the crystal rainbow of abundant life-energy' (See publications)

Mental Model or Template of Mind: 'Abstract Idea Modeling'. Protolanguage intelligence capacity. Expanded L-brain Broca-Wernike area, i.e., 'linguistic controller.' If L-brain protolanguage, then R-brain metaphor, analogy, narrative likely. Drawing on Piaget theory of child development of intelligence, Middle Paleolithic technology implies full 'concrete operations' [Wynn, T. (1989). The Evolution of Spatial Intelligence; (1996) The evolution of tools and symbolic behavior. In A. Lock and C. Peters (eds.), Handbook of Symbolic Evolution].