Photo: Archaeologists Liam M. Brady, John J. Bradley, Amanda Kearney, Daryl Wesley
Was this ancient rock art created using beeswax stencils?
Here’s a tip for making detailed art that lasts. I’m talking about 500 years and counting. A team of archaeologists now believes the secret of certain cave paintings is beeswax.
Sarah Cascone writes at Artnet News, “Archaeologists in Australia believe they have identified a previously undocumented beeswax stenciling technique used by ancient artists to create cave paintings.
“Most rock art stencils are large in scale. Artists would place their hand or other objects on the wall and spray liquid pigment, creating a full-size negative image. But the artworks at a Limmen National Park site called Yilbilinji, in the Gulf of Carpentaria region of northern Australia, are much smaller. There are 17 tiny stenciled paintings at the site, some depicting human figures and animals, such as kangaroos and turtles, others of boomerangs and geometric designs.
“Studying the 500-year-old rock art there, a team from Australia’s Flinders University and Monash University, have come up with a new theory about how Aboriginal artists created the miniature and small-scale stenciled motifs.
“The team was able to replicate the mysterious miniature art using tiny models sculpted from beeswax, publishing their findings last month in the journal Antiquity. Representatives of the local Indigenous Marra people assisted with the experiment, which only used materials that are native to the region.
“The researchers believe that the Yilbilinji artwork may have served a spiritual purpose in religious rituals. On the other hand, the artwork is placed low to the ground, suggesting it may have been made by children.” More at Artnet, here.
Don’t you wonder how future archaeologists will interpret artifacts dug up from our own culture? Will their theories be as far apart as “It’s for a solemn religious ceremony,” “No, it’s for a child’s game”?
Suzanne's Mom's Blog 
I wondered how the art lasted so long. It’s the bees.
Another reason to keep them going strong.
Thanks for this and your other wonderful and interesting postings. You may be interested in this interview with Canadian journalist Sally Armstrong who talked in a CBC interview about women and girls role in cave paintings. I love her question about the little girl who was painting in the uninhabited cave..”Who was holding her light?”. Again and again, women need to hold each other’s light. Looking everywhere for that interview. https://22163.mc.tritondigital.com/CBC_IDEAS_P/media-session/653a07a4-3fdc-471a-9930-052856c40a65/ideas-al7EfUWI-20191114.mp3. Fascinating and wholly relevant. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-for-nov-11-2019-1.5355337/there-s-never-been-a-better-time-to-be-a-woman-says-activist-sally-armstrong-1.5355836
But the new power, they say, is like a current. You upload it, you share it. And the more surge it has, the better it is. It’s inclusive. It’s all over the place.
Hoping you are all staying well! Sending lots of love, Claire p.s. add my gmail address to your blog? I don’t always see my aol.
This is great! Thanks so much. And thanks for the link you sent by email, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/10/131008-women-handprints-oldest-neolithic-cave-art/. Great stuff! BTW, I don’t think I can add your email; I think you need to. Let me know if WordPress doesn’t let you provide a new email.
The technology is amazing and perfect for the job. Which modern paintings will last that long? 🙂
I know. When you think how the colors have faded on Rothkos …
Good point!
From Deb at https://abearsthimble2.wordpress.com: “This is interesting! I know bees wax is great for many things, didn’t know this though… what a mighty little insect. 🐝 “
As I read about use of beeswax in cave painting, I thought about how it’s also used in batik art and Ukrainian Easter eggs. Who knew that artists employed it so many years ago!