Anthropology – From Aesthetics to Meaning

Art and Language: The co-evolution of symbols and the human brain

November 12, 2020November 12, 2020 msaadah1223Leave a comment

I’ve mentioned it a few times before throughout my blog: art was not the only thing that evolved over time. The artistic and symbolic nature of human beings speaks significantly on the evolution of human behavior and the human brain. Rather than being two separate instances, art and the brain may have in fact co-evolved; building upon one another hand in hand. Creating symbolic art is a cognitive ability, plain and simple, and accounts for a sort of ‘symbolic origins’ of the Homo sapien.

I think therefore I am by Mischa West on SoundCloud - Hear the world's sounds — “I Think Therefore I Am” by unknown artist

With this in mind, we can consider symbolic thought to have evolved by means of natural selection! It is worth noting that this capacity doesn’t depend on the skill of painting or creating art. In fact, professors Camilo Cela-Conde and Francisco J Ayala discuss the possibility that this cognitive level may not even be exclusive to Homo sapiens. Even Neanderthals with their etched shells may have displayed a cognitive process relying on art and symbols, although it is near impossible to argue with full certainty that their had this exact capacity.

Ultimately, there is a definite relationship between the production of symbols and the human brain, shown by neural correlations and archaeological evidence found throughout the Upper Paleolithic; as explored in their article “Art and Brain Coevolution”.

Language

Language and art are definitely interconnected in this case, as both require some form of a complex cognitive process of symbolic communication. Charles Darwin, father of modern evolutionary theory, defined language as an “instinct to acquire an art”. In other words, language is far from a fixed behavior, but represents a capacity for symbolic creativity.

In Darwin’s Descent of Man, he discusses how language and art may have evolved in what he describes as “sexual selection”. Ultimately, language an art are for humans what a peacock tail is for the bird; a means of attracting mates through displaying attractive traits. Darwin did receive some criticism for the claim that language and art could be explained in evolutionary means, as many believed it to be too complex. While it is true that language may not have come about as a means of attracting mates, there is an important evolutionary relationship between language and the brain.

Len Cartoons: Peacocking — *Peacocking* by lencartoons

Professor Terrence Deacon explores this phenomenon and more in his book The Symbolic Species: the Co-Evolution of Language and the Human Brain. Deacon takes a step back from the traditional dialogue and explains that the symbolic nature of human beings (including language and art) did in fact co-evolve alongside the brain. He explains that language structures were selected for learnability and ease of use while brain function were selected for the special learning and production demands of language. What defines this as co-evolution is the fact that symbolic systems evolved rapidly while the brains evolved slowly.

“The word became flesh”

The Dissenter interview with Professor Terrence Deacon on Consciousness, Semiotics, Symbolism, and Language

Deacon explains that humans have a tendency towards a symbolic niche that seeks deeper meanings, beyond what’s just physical. This is what makes us unique as a species. Our nature and evolution is not only physical, but symbolic as well. In John 1:14 the Bible says that “The Word become flesh and made His dwelling among us”. In a way, this quote speaks to the co-evolution of art/symbolism and the brain. The symbolic “word” is not just language, but all forms of symbolic art and communicative means. As the “word” becomes “flesh” we see a conjunction of the physical world and the symbolic world; an extra dimension that encompasses emotion, communication, and expression via language and art. Hence, what defines Homo sapiens as a species like no other is not our ability to build cities, form social structures, or even speak, but is instead our role as a “symbolic species”.

Early Forms of Symbolism: How human art can be much more than pretty pictures or sculptures

November 6, 2020November 12, 2020 msaadah1223Leave a comment

What makes human beings especially unqiue is our ability to communicate symbolically. Before language, all we had to communicate ideas with was art; in the forms of paintings, figurines, engravings, and more. As we dive into the idea of symbolic communication, we can come to understand that art is so much more than pretty pictures or figures; but is also a means of how early humans exchanged ideas, facilitated social interactions, and formed complex social structures. Science journalist Michael Balter reflected on early finds of Homo art, noting that they represent far more than aesthetic appreciation, but also “the cognitive ability to communicate meaning.”

New Yorker Cartoon of cavemen by Frank Cotham

Ok… So what does this mean exactly? Well, in short, it means that somewhere down the line of our own evolution, art also evolved and developed meaning.

When did this start to become a trend?

Just like the origin of art, the origin of symbolism is a highly contested subjected – maybe even more so. This is really because anthropologists have to make two separate arguments at the same time: “This artifact is art” and “this artifact is symbolic”. Rock drawings found in Blombos Cave, dating back to over 70,000 years ago, may in fact be the earliest sign of Human expression. So how do we know that it’s symbolic? Well, it is definitely art! The patterns on the rocks were actually found elsewhere on the same archaeological level. So it was basically a fad that was done with intent; not just meaningless scratches. But what about its symbolic aspect? How could we possibly know the meaning behind these hatched drawings. At the very least, we know that there is some symbolic or expressive element behind this; since there are actually different styles of the pattern drawn elsewhere. Unfortunately, this isn’t enough evidence for some anthropologists such as Richard Klein to accept this as symbolic art since there isn’t any concrete evidence pertaining to its symbolic element. Similar to our contemporary understanding of interpretive art, the meaning behind this ‘pre-modern’ art is a puzzle to be solved.

Photo of rock drawing from Blombos Cave by Craig Foster

We do see a consensus that human expression and symbolic art is at the very least an Upper Paleolithic phenomenon, where we see figurines such as the notorious Venus Figurines.

A Venus-what?

You heard me! A Venus ‘figurine’. They are statuettes of women carved especially round, dating back to 40,000 years at the earliest. They are found all over the place, wherever there are signs of early human activity.

Photograph of ‘Venus of Willendorf” (28,000 – 25,000 BC) by Helmut Fohringer

But what could this figurine even mean!? There are ongoing debates as to what it once represented, yet it is the anthropological consensus that its origins are rooted in symbolism and ritual practice.

There are many explanations for why these prehistoric species carved these venus figurines. The emphasis on large hips and breasts leads us to believe that these artifacts fell under the theme of fertility and reproduction. It could have been seen as magical or religious; primitive peoples could have used it to ‘increase’ their community’s fertility rate.

The figurines could also be a signal of what those primitive communities valued at the time; in this case they value fertility and reproduction above all else, which explains the emphasis of certain features (steatopygia and hypertrophy of the breasts).

It could also be a case of self representation with a possible pronographic element; literally depicting what women of that period looked like.

Whichever explanation was true, it helped that community conceive and build social networks; defining their identity through material culture that embodies what they believe, appreciate, and value.

So what?

Well! These art forms show us that early humans did in fact have the ability to communicate and express their thoughts symbolically (i.e engaging in symbolic behavior). Taking an imaginary visual and communicating that through art. Although these Homo sapiens were not using words, they were still communicating and speaking their thoughts. This is an incredible feat as we still accomplish this everyday through the use of language and literal speech.

Just what the heck is ‘art’ anyways?

November 3, 2020November 12, 2020 msaadah1223Leave a comment

Poetry, cave drawings, figurines, even engravings on tools! The list of art can go on and on, as long as Homo sapeins have walked this earth. In fact, some archaeologists and anthropologists consider the sheer notion of art to be not only a prehistoric tradition, but a pre-human one at that!

Excavations in Indonesia uncovered etched shells buried with the bones of Homo erectus, a possible human ancestor, dating back to around 500,000 years ago; over twice as old as the modern Homo Sapien. Archaeologists Colin Renfre, at the University of Cambidge, remarked on this major discovery: “The earliest abstract decoration in the world is really big news.”

Despite this major discovery, there is an ongoing debate as to whether or not these marked shells can even be classified as art! This gives rise to many different theories as to when exactly art first came to be. There is definitely a mystery to prehistoric art, yet that mysterious quality instills an incredible sense of beauty.

Similar to our contemporary discussions of whether or not a song, movie, or painting is worthy of being grouped into lavish category of “art”, anthropologists and archaeologists are busy debating whether or not a marking on a shell has any aesthetic or artistic meaning. This begs probably the most important archaeological question of all time: Just what the heck is ‘art’ anyways?

'I'm telling you Thog, we're living in a golden age for culture.' — Guy and Rodd by Universal Uclick via CartoonStock.com

According to most anthropologists centered towards prehistoric art, it is really the intention that defines whether or not something can be classified as art. It is really the aesthetic sense or knack that characterizes and defines this category. In other words, a simple scratch on a shell isn’t really enough to say that something is art. There needs to be some indication that the individual scratching the shell was thinking “Hey! This looks pretty.” With that in mind, art is defined by a preference for aesthetic.

Regardless of how old art may actually be, anthropologists can say with some certainty that the earliest form of human art is at least 100,000 years old. What were these forms of art you may be wondering? Paintings! Markings on rocks made with red ocher; a red powder that can make some dope finger paintings.

Hands painted onto a cave wall in Argentina by Javier Etcheverry

But paintings aren’t the only form of prehistoric human art. In fact, as we reach the Upper Paleolithic, we see not only art, but figurines and other engravings as well! As you can see, prehistoric art becomes more diverse and complex as time goes on (go figure). Art isn’t just pretty drawings or sculptures, but is more importantly a means of exploring the evolution of human thought and behavior; which I am very excited to explore throughout this blog!