The discovery of ancient human DNA on cave walls in Spain and Portugal has opened a new window into the past, allowing researchers to recover the identities of ancient artists from thousands of years ago. This groundbreaking study, published in the journal Nature Communications, examined ancient DNA preserved within pigment samples extracted from 24 rock art panels in 11 caves across Spain and Portugal. The team, led by Alba Bossoms Mesa from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, is part of a larger multinational project called First-Art, which includes archaeologists, geologists, scientists, and cultural heritage specialists. The findings prove that DNA can survive for millennia within the paint applied to rock walls, offering a new avenue for understanding prehistoric communities beyond the reliance on human bones, sediment, teeth, and faunal remains.
The research focused on simple marks and hand stencils found in various caves, with only a limited amount of samples containing human DNA. However, the scientists suggest that the methods developed in Spain and Portugal could provide more insight into the artists of South American cave art, such as the Cueva de las Manos in Argentina, which contains hundreds of handprints dating back to 13,000 and 9,500 years ago. This discovery highlights the potential of archaeogenetics in recovering the histories of people, pandemics, and migration, as well as providing new insights into the artists of prehistoric, ancient, and medieval times.
The symbiotic relationship between science and visual art is evident in the study of ancient pigments and the understanding of kiln thermodynamics necessary for ceramicists. Monica Green, a specialist in the history of science and ancient DNA, emphasizes the importance of this field in revolutionizing our understanding of mass migrations and pandemics. The potential of aDNA analysis in art history is further illustrated by the analysis of linen strands of the Shroud of Turin and the artworks of Leonardo da Vinci.
While there are limits to what archaeogenetic data can reveal, the microscopic clues found in artworks are providing unprecedented insights into prehistoric, ancient, and medieval artists, as well as forgeries. Artworks are not just visual messages but biological archives that offer access to our past. This discovery paves the way for a deeper understanding of ancient cultures and the artists who created these timeless masterpieces.
