On Display at MHA

 

The Margolin Cave

Art from the Stone Age was known as Paleolithic Art.  In Prehistoric times, people would find shelter in caves and would “decorate” the rock surfaces of these caves with carvings and paintings.  No one knows exactly why these paintings were done,  historians have come up with some Theories about them.  One theory is that the paintings served as some form of magic.  For example, the “hunting” pictures often depicted the animals already pierced with spears.  The hunters believed that if they drew the animals on the wall, then they captured his spirit. If they pierced the animal’s sprit on the wall with a spear, then the animal’s spirit would die and the real animal would put up little resistance when, the caveman went to hunt it.  Of course, we know this is not true.  However, a primitive man going out to hunt would probably have a lot more confidence if he thought the animal wouldn’t put up much of a fight.  Since the paintings were created deep within the caves, away from bad weather and future generations, many of them are still well preserved.  There are also many small carved objects and stone paintings found within these caves.  All though primitive, these renderings of everyday life are full of energy and clearly depict the images that they are trying to portray.  The 6th - 8th grade art students created some cave drawings of their own depicting paleolithic life.  You can visit our Margolin Cave in the hallway just oustside the Junior High wing.