The Paleolithic rock shelter at Segonyol 3 in the Paris Basin contains a miniature representation of the surrounding landscape, according to a team of archaeologists from the University of Adelaide and Paris Mines Paris PSL.
The Segonyol 3 Rock Shelter has been known since the 1980s for its artistic carvings of two horses in Upper Paleolithic style on either side of a female pubic statue.
In 2017, archaeologists discovered that Paleolithic people manipulated sandstone to reflect the female figure, opening cracks that allowed water to seep into the sandstone, resulting in runoff at the base of the pelvic triangle. I discovered something.
A new study shows that some of the sandstone shelter floors were shaped and adapted by Paleolithic peoples about 13,000 years ago, and modeled to reflect the area’s natural water flow and topographic features. It suggests that it has been converted.
“What we have described is not a map of distance, direction, and travel time as we understand it today, but a three-dimensional map that depicts features of the landscape, such as outflows and confluences from uplands to streams and rivers. It’s a miniature of the original. Dr Anthony Milnes, an archaeologist at the University of Adelaide, said:
“Perception of the direction of water flow and landscape features may have been more important to Paleolithic people than modern concepts such as distance and time.”
“Our study shows that anthropogenic changes to the hydraulic behavior in and around the shelter have extended to modeling natural water flow in the landscape of areas surrounding rock shelters. “
“These are exceptional discoveries that clearly demonstrate the mental, imaginative and engineering abilities of our distant ancestors.”
Thanks to extensive research into the origins of the Fontainebleau sandstone, the authors recognized several minute morphological features that could not have formed naturally and suggest that they were modified by early humans. Masu.
“Our research showed that Paleolithic humans carved sandstone to facilitate specific flow channels for infiltrating and directing rainwater, something previously recognized by archaeologists.” said Dr. Medard Tilly of Paris Mines – PSL.
“Perhaps this metal fitting has a deeper mythical meaning related to water.”
“The two hydraulic installations, the sexual sculpture and the miniature landscape, are located 2-3 meters apart from each other and certainly convey the deep meaning of the concepts of life and nature that are never accessible to us.”
Researchers discovered the existence of three-dimensional modeling by looking closely at fine-scale geomorphological features.
“This brand new discovery provides a better understanding and insight into the capabilities of these early humans,” said Dr. Tilly.
Prior to this discovery, the oldest known three-dimensional maps were understood to be large portable rock slabs carved by Bronze Age people some 3,000 years ago.
The map depicts the local river network and embankments, and reflects the concept of more modern maps used for navigation.
“Collaboration across disciplines, such as archaeology, geology and geomorphology, is vitally important in science,” Dr Milnes said.
“We believe that the most productive research results are at the boundaries between disciplines.”
“It is important to reevaluate field studies and conduct frequent site visits,” Dr. Tilley said.
“It is clear from our ongoing projects that insights and interpretations do not emerge immediately, but through new observations and interdisciplinary discussions.”
This finding is reported in the following article: paper in Oxford Archeology Journal.
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Medard Tilly and Anthony Mills. 2025. Paleolithic map carved to show the flow of water to the shelters of the Paris Basin. Oxford Archeology Journal 44 (1): 2-26;doi: 10.1111/ojoa.12316
Source: www.sci.news
