The Mind in the Cave — the Cave in the Mind: Altered Consciousness in the Upper Paleolithic
David J. Lewis‐Williams, Jean Clottes
Anthropology of Consciousness March 1, 1998 DOI: 10.1525/ac.1998.9.1.13 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Altered states of consciousness |
| Key points | Argues that some Franco-Cantabrian Upper Paleolithic cave art was intimately associated with shamanic practices, and that deep caves and altered states of consciousness contributed to a subterranean spirit-world used for vision quests. |
Abstract
This brief overview argues that the evidence of the images themselves, as well as their contexts, suggests that some Franco‐Cantabrian Upper Paleolithic cave art was, at least in part, intimately associated with various shamanic practices. Universal features of altered states of consciousness and the deep caves combined to create notions of a subterranean spirit‐world that became, amongst other ritual areas, the location of vision quests.