Illuminating Art: Using Digital Techniques to Re-Evaluate the Upper Palaeolithic Cave Art of...
Channel: Recording Archaeology
Date: 2023-04-12

Izzy Wisher (Durham University/Aarhus University), Lisa-Elen Meyering (Durham University), & Barbara Oosterwijk (Durham University)

There is an increasing awareness that traditional methods of recording parietal art, such as 2D 
images or plan drawings, are insufficient for appreciating the complexity of the art. Such 
methods arguably do not capture important contextual information, such as the placement of 
depictions within a cave or the integration of natural topographic features of cave walls within 
the depictions themselves. As a result, digital techniques are becoming well-established 
methods in the interpretation and recording of parietal rock art. They hold great potential for 
answering new questions about the art, illuminating deeper insights into its making, use, and 
experiential aspects. We utilised a suite of digital techniques to re-evaluate the unique Upper 
Palaeolithic cave art of Creswell Crags: the only example of Upper Palaeolithic parietal art in 
the UK. The art of Creswell Crags was initially discovered in 2003, but has received little 
academic attention since. Recent developments in digital imaging methods provided the 
opportunity to reveal new depictions within the site, evaluate the placement of depictions and 
utilisation of natural topographic features of the cave, and provide in-depth insights into aspects 
of the art’s making. This paper presents the first results of our study, and reflects on how digital 
techniques can further our understandings of cave art sites beyond the insights afforded by 
traditional methods.