Paleoanthropologist Genevieve von Petzinger describes cave art and its symbolism. The possibility of Neanderthal art and DNA analysis is explored. The importance of representing women's stories in museums is discussed. Two music collectors share the joy of preserving records and finding rare finds. The challenges of finding records and preserving modern music are explored. The concept of humans as a geological force and preserving language are discussed.
Artifacts created by early humans, such as handprints and geometric signs, suggest a form of purposeful communication and visual language in our ancient past.
Museums should focus on representing the diversity and everyday experiences of women, rather than just highlighting extraordinary women, to create a more inclusive narrative of human history.
Deep dives
Paleoanthropologist discovers ancient handprints in Spanish cave
Paleoanthropologist Genevieve von Petzinger recounts her exploration of a 30,000-year-old cave in the mountainous region of Aragon, Spain, where she discovered red negative handprints created by early humans. The handprints, made by spraying paint out of their mouths, were purposeful and deliberate, suggesting a form of communication or marking of presence. This discovery raises questions about the significance of art for our ancestors and the role it played in their lives.
Abstract markings in ancient paintings may have been a form of communication
Genevieve von Petzinger's research on ancient cave paintings reveals the presence of geometric signs, such as lines, rectangles, triangles, ovals, and circles, repeated across different caves in Europe. These signs, which are believed to be symbols, appear consistently across vast distances and time periods, suggesting a common origin and potentially the existence of one of the oldest systems of communication in the world. This challenges the notion that early humans only created art for aesthetic purposes and highlights the importance of visual language in our ancient past.
The importance of representing underrepresented stories in museums
Ariana Curtis, curator of Latinx Studies at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, discusses the significance of accurately representing women's history and underrepresented stories in museums. She emphasizes the need to move beyond highlighting extraordinary women and instead focus on showcasing the diversity and everyday experiences of women from different backgrounds and identities. By including these stories, museums can create a more inclusive and representative narrative of human history.
Preserving forgotten records and reissuing lost music
Music curator Alexis Sharpentier shares his passion for preserving and reissuing forgotten records from around the world. He searches for rare albums that have been overlooked and tracks down the artists to share their music again. Through his work, he aims to give these records a second chance and contribute to the preservation of music history. His project highlights the importance of preserving both physical records and digital music for future generations.
Original broadcast date: November 4, 2022. For millennia, humans have created artifacts of their lives — from art, to books, to music. This hour, we explore ideas about capturing the ephemeral human experience for future generations to find. Guests include paleoanthropologist Genevieve von Petzinger, museum curator Ariana Curtis, music curator Alexis Charpentier and artist Katie Paterson.
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