Can DNA from cave paintings tell us who the artists were?

By Robyn Adams, Senior Lecturer, School of Science & Technology, Nottingham Trent University
Jay Silverstein, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Chemistry and Forensics, Nottingham Trent University

Perhaps the most evocative windows into the minds of our ancient ancestors are the images they painted on the walls of caves – renderings known simply as rock art or cave paintings.

Rock art, which is found across the world, offers snapshots of human history, preserving representations of cultural traditions, symbolic communication and social identity. Common subjects include animals, hunting scenes and hand stencils – thought to have been made by blowing pigment over the artist’s hand.

Scientists…

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