Paleolithic cave symbols may be world's earliest writing: lunar calendar hypothesis

A new study published in the Cambridge Archaeological Journal proposes that sequences of non-figurative symbols found in European Paleolithic caves represent a form of proto-writing, specifically a lunar calendar tracking animal reproductive cycles. The research, led by London furniture restorer Ben Bacon in collaboration with archaeologists from Durham University and University College London, analyzed marks such as dots, lines, and a Y-shaped symbol appearing alongside animal paintings in over 800 sequences across France and Spain. The study argues that these symbols, never exceeding 13 marks, correspond to lunar months and were used to predict animal migrations and births for hunting. The Y-shaped symbol, resembling open legs, is interpreted as marking births. The research builds on a 2010 study by a Canadian team that examined 146 French caves and identified around 20 recurring signs. The database compiled by Bacon's team includes sequences from bison, mammoth, antelope, birds, fish, and rhinoceros depictions. The authors invite debate on whether this constitutes a 'phenological/meteorological calendar' and suggests a higher cognitive level for Paleolithic humans.