The image of "Cavemen" is the result of many bad B movies, story lines and Gico commercials.
Most certainly rockshelters were used. These were overhangs where
shelters of skin and wood could be built. One such site, clearly showed
how a shelter was built against a wall and what materials were used
inside and out.
Caves did have some religious significance. However, the paintings and
rites were done deep within the ground and not out where people would
live.
Consider the occurrence of caves. It takes a karst formation to have
caves and few are the size as the stereotypical displays of
Neanderthals or Early Modern Humans. If a cave wasn't handy, what would
they do for shelter? Brush shelters or branches with skins often
served. However, they have rotted away and little is left. Caves are
much more noticable and have preserved the traces.
The term "caveman" was coined at the same time of the Neanderthal
discoveries. The species was presented as troglodytes, dim witted and
pretty much filling the caveman stereotype. The press was bad enough
that the damage as never been corrected.
Most certainly rockshelters were used. These were overhangs where
shelters of skin and wood could be built. One such site, clearly showed
how a shelter was built against a wall and what materials were used
inside and out.
Caves did have some religious significance. However, the paintings and
rites were done deep within the ground and not out where people would
live.
Consider the occurrence of caves. It takes a karst formation to have
caves and few are the size as the stereotypical displays of
Neanderthals or Early Modern Humans. If a cave wasn't handy, what would
they do for shelter? Brush shelters or branches with skins often
served. However, they have rotted away and little is left. Caves are
much more noticable and have preserved the traces.
The term "caveman" was coined at the same time of the Neanderthal
discoveries. The species was presented as troglodytes, dim witted and
pretty much filling the caveman stereotype. The press was bad enough
that the damage as never been corrected.
