Paleolithic Pareidolia

May 26, 2024 7:29 AM

"The influence of pareidolia has often been anecdotally observed in examples of Upper Palaeolithic cave art, where topographic features of cave walls were incorporated into images. As part of a wider investigation into the visual psychology of the earliest known art, we explored three hypotheses relating to pareidolia in cases of Late Upper Palaeolithic art in Las Monedas and La Pasiega Caves (Cantabria, Spain)." [SLPDF] Pareidolia previously, back in '03.

CITATION

Wisher, I., Pettitt, P., & Kentridge, R. (2024). Conversations with caves: The role of pareidolia in the Upper Palaeolithic figurative art of Las Monedas and La Pasiega (Cantabria, Spain). Cambridge Archaeological Journal, 34(2), 315-338.

ABSTRACT

The influence of pareidolia has often been anecdotally observed in examples of Upper Palaeolithic cave art, where topographic features of cave walls were incorporated into images. As part of a wider investigation into the visual psychology of the earliest known art, we explored three hypotheses relating to pareidolia in cases of Late Upper Palaeolithic art in Las Monedas and La Pasiega Caves (Cantabria, Spain). Deploying current research methods from visual psychology, our results support the notion that topography of cave walls played a strong role in the placement of figurative images— indicative of pareidolia influencing art making—although played a lesser role in determining whether the resulting images were relatively simple or complex. Our results also suggested that lighting conditions played little or no role in determining the form or placement of images, contrary to what has been previously assumed. We hypothesize that three ways of artist–cave interaction (‘conversations’) were at work in our sample caves and suggest a developmental scheme for these. We propose that these ‘conversations’ with caves and their surfaces may have broader implications for how we conceive of the emergence and development of art in the Palaeolithic.

posted by cupcakeninja (17 comments total)

pareidolia plays a perceptible role in consciousnesses’ origin, in Jaynes’ theory; previously: here, here
posted by HearHere at 7:42 AM on May 26 [3 favorites]

Just to make sure I understand the principle at work here: We see a thing that looks like a thing, so we make the thing look more like the thing the thing looks like?
posted by Faint of Butt at 8:16 AM on May 26 [6 favorites]

Wiki:

Pareidolia is the tendency for perception to impose a meaningful interpretation on a nebulous stimulus, usually visual, so that one detects an object, pattern, or meaning where there is none. Pareidolia is a type of apophenia.

Common examples include perceived images of animals, faces, or objects in cloud formations; seeing faces in inanimate objects; or lunar pareidolia like the Man in the Moon or the Moon rabbit. The concept of pareidolia may extend to include hidden messages in recorded music played in reverse or at higher- or lower-than-normal speeds, and hearing voices (mainly indistinct) or music in random noise, such as that produced by air conditioners or by fans.

posted by snuffleupagus at 8:33 AM on May 26

Faint of Butt,

There is a guy here in San Francisco who takes photos of sidewalks, especially where the concrete is messed up in some way, and then creates drawings or paintings based on the sidewalk. He posts the photos and the drawings together online to show the process. The cracks, trash, bumps, holes, etc of the sidewalk are his inspiration as he sees something more. 21st century Paleolithic art?
posted by njohnson23 at 8:34 AM on May 26 [9 favorites]

: - O
posted by lalochezia at 8:36 AM on May 26 [4 favorites]

Faint of Butt, I am not a psychologist, neurologist, etc., but I think that's the idea here, yes. The person looks at the cave wall, sees patterns in the topology of the rock, changes in coloration and texture, etc. Whether it would look "like" a given thing is subjective, and part of why different people look at an object, pattern, etc. and perceive different things in various circumstances. (In an extreme example, if the person has seen human faces in the past, but not a vase, they might look at Rubin's vase and not necessarily identify the "vase" as anything, even when pointed out to them.) The brain interprets the patterns in the context of the things that the person already is familiar with--a natural circle looks like the sun or an eye or whatever--and then the person modifies the cave wall, taking advantage of natural features in/on it to make it more closely resemble the image that the person sees.

To me, this paper is interesting for a bunch of reasons, including the pareidolia bit. Also the intelligence necessary to use a naturally variegated surface to create an image that's still effective millennia later. Working around the limitations of your medium and/or surface is an inherent part of the process for every artist, but I particularly admire people who can think in this way/dimension.
posted by cupcakeninja at 8:37 AM on May 26 [3 favorites]

I remember reading recently - maybe even here - that the reason AI is catching on isn't because it is learning to "be human", but rather because it is getting better at triggering in more peiple the human impulse to anthromorphize things.

This seems baked into the human mind and I am really curious why.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:57 AM on May 26 [5 favorites]

A chance to link my favorite piece of truly ancient pareidolia, the Makapansgat cobble - possibly a three million year old example of an ancestor seeing a face in a rock!
posted by DSime at 9:12 AM on May 26 [9 favorites]

It would have been darker than hell in many of these caves, and firelight and torch light generally have pronounced and chaotic flicker.

Such flicker is notorious for generating imagery (not to mention seizures and seizure like states) as well as illusions of motion.

And in fact, chaotic brain states may be a common feature of dreams and dissociative states.
posted by jamjam at 9:56 AM on May 26 [3 favorites]

Pardon the tangent, but I’m trying to puzzle out how pareidolia is pronounced. I find conflicting info. Emphasis on the second syllable?
posted by moonmoth at 10:52 AM on May 26 [2 favorites]

When we were naked and wandering through the forests and savannas, our enemies whether predators or people all had faces. It was a critical survival tool to recognize those faces before they recognized ours. Mistaking the shadows on the leaves as a face may make you suddenly alert but no problem being wrong. Not seeing the tiger peering at you through the bush could be a disaster. I suffer from this pareidolia thing all the time. I see people and animals in carpeting, stains, etc. Early mornings and at night, I would see people waiting at the bus stop up ahead, but getting closer they turn into trash cans and shadows. I don’t find this to be a problem, more as surrealistic self-entertainment. I tell people that I see ghosts.
posted by njohnson23 at 11:37 AM on May 26 [5 favorites]

why Empress,

pattern recognition is practical. see William Gibson. pareidolia may be an artifact/relate to this.

respectfully
posted by HearHere at 11:54 AM on May 26

Thanks for this. I have been doing a personal deep dive into Paleolithic art and culture (insofar as we know it) lately. See also the Venus of Berekhat Ram.
posted by Countess Elena at 11:56 AM on May 26 [1 favorite]

Oooh. This falls within my area of interest. Thanks.
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 12:22 PM on May 26 [4 favorites]

There is a guy here in San Francisco who takes photos of sidewalks, especially where the concrete is messed up in some way, and then creates drawings or paintings based on the sidewalk.

That's Doctor Popular. His latest #SidewalkFriends is here.
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 1:17 PM on May 26 [3 favorites]

moonmoth: Merriam-Webster's website has a cute little audio widget next to the word; click it to hear the pronunciation. It's actually a complicated word to intuit the pronunciation of, because the actual stress is on the first and third syllables, but it ends up with more emphasis on the second syllable than you'd normally hear in that pattern in order to avoid shortening the "ei" diphthong.

A basic approximation, below, uses caps to indicate the primary stress and small caps to indicate secondary stress:

ᴘᴀʀ-ɪ-DOL-ee-ah
posted by adrienneleigh at 2:44 PM on May 26 [4 favorites]

(As an aside, the word is related to Greek "eidolon", and hence to English "idol").
posted by adrienneleigh at 2:48 PM on May 26 [2 favorites]