Cognitive Archaeology Collection

Roman mosaic

Cave painting of a mammoth, artwork
Cave painting of a mammoth. Artwork of a prehistoric cave drawing from the cave of Font-de Gaume, in the Dordogne region of France. It shows a mammoth (Elephas primigenius)

Cave painting: Kondusi stick dance, Tanzania
Kondusi stick dance. Reproduction of an African painting depicting the Kondusi stick dance. The stylized figures wielding sticks wear bushy head- dresses or hair-styles

Roman mosaic, Ostia Antica
Roman mosaic in Ostia Antica, showing a bull. This mosaic was built in about 130 AD by order of the Roman emperor Hadrian

Roman fresco, Ostia Antica
Roman fresco. Fresco showing a Roman charioteer with a crown and holding a palm branch. This fresco is in the Building of the Charioteers at Ostia Antica

Cave painting of a boar, artwork
Cave painting of a boar. Artwork of a cave painting found on the roof of the Altamira Cave in northern Spain, which was inhabited during the the Upper Palaeolithic period

Ancient Egyptian cosmetics spoon. This artefact from Ancient Egypt, made in the shape of a woman, is thought to have been used to hold cosmetic ointments for women

Mammoth ivory sculptures. Female figures carved from tusks of the woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius). The woolly mammoth was a large, elephant-like mammal with a thick, hairy coat

Roman fresco, Ostia Antica
Roman fresco, in the Thermopolium at Ostia Antica. This advertising fresco is located in the Thermopolium, a 3rd century Roman tavern that sold hot drinks and food to the inhabitants of Ostia Antica

Celtic cross standing stone. Standing stones are historic monuments that are found all over the world. The Celtic cross is a symbol of Celtic Christianity

Pig sacrifice, Roman fresco. Pig about to be sacrificed by a servant and a musician, under the guidance of a genius (guardian of the family) holding a cornucopia and a patera

Uzbek rock carving
Carved rock depicting a female astronaut. This ancient artifact from Uzbekistan has led some to speculate that extraterrestrial astronauts landed on the Earth many thousands of years ago

Evolution of communications. Conceptual computer artwork illustrating progress in communications technology. Prehistoric cave art develops into a mobile phone

Nordic petroglyph. Nordic Bronze Age petroglyph on rock. Photographed in Himmelstlalund, Sweden

Model of a Cro-Magnon man doing a cave painting
Cave painting. Model of a Cro-Magnon man, a type of early modern human (Homo sapiens sapiens), doing a cave painting. It is thought that animals were painted onto the walls of the caves in which

Cave paintings, Mexico
Cave paintings, Baja California, Mexico. These paintings are found in the caves and overhangs of remote mountains. They are believed to be 5

Hawaiian petroglyph depicting humans with triangular torsos. Photographed in the Waikoloa Village, Hawaii, USA

Altamira cave painting of a bison
Cave painting of a bison in the Altamira cave, Spain. This cave contains several paintings of bisons, horses, deer and other animals that inhabited the area at the time, made using ochre

Cave painting: Kolo figures with head-dresses

Prehistoric rock art, southern Siberia
Prehistoric rock art. Archaeological drawing recording the appearance of prehistoric rock art found in Sayany, in the Krasnoiarsk region of Russia

Cro-Magnon man

Saharan rock art
Saharan rock painting. Rock art depicting human figures, one of which is sitting on a horse, surrounded by a herd of horned animals

Jarvsta rune stone. The runic inscriptions engraved on this stone date from the early Middle Ages. The runic alphabets were used to write down the Germanic languages before the Christianisation of

View of a golden Celtic necklace during excavation
Celtic necklace. View of an elaborately crafted golden Celtic necklace during its excavation from soil taken from a grave at Glauberg near Frankfurt in Germany

Nazca line seen from the ground. These lines make up the geoglyphs, or landscape drawings, found in the coastal desert of southern Peru

Megalithic menhir monument, Filitosa, Corsica, France. This upright stone is a monumental megalith, which is part of a group of monuments at the Filitosa site

Dendera zodiac from the Temple of Hathor. The Temple of Hathor in Dendera, Egypt, was built during the reigns of the last Ptolemies and the Emperor Augustus (first century BC)

Nazca lines. Aerial photograph of a geoglyph, or landscape drawing, in the coastal desert of southern Peru. The white lines of this geoglyph represent a hummingbird with its beak extending to upper

Cave painting of a bison, artwork
Cave painting of a bison. Artwork of a cave painting found on the roof of the Altamira Cave in northern Spain, which was inhabited during the the Upper Palaeolithic period

Rock engraving of reindeer, artwork
Rock engraving of reindeer. Artwork of a prehistoric engraving found on a piece of schist rock. It is thought to be from the Abri de Laugerie Bas

Cave painting of horse and hind, artwork
Cave painting of a horse and a hind. Artwork of a cave painting found on the roof of the Altamira Cave in northern Spain, which was inhabited during the the Upper Palaeolithic period

Forge of Hephaistos, Roman fresco. Hephaistos (Vulcan) is seated at his forge, hammering metal on an anvil as he forges armour for use by heroes. He is assisted by a pair of Cyclops

Bacchus and Vesuvius, Roman fresco. Bacchus (Dionysus, centre left), wearing a cloak of grapes, stands beside a conical mountain covered in vines

Battle wounds of Aeneas, Roman fresco. Aeneas (centre) has been wounded in battle. He leans upon his spear and rests his left hand on the shoulder of his little son Ascanius, who weeps bitterly

Food and glass dishes, Roman fresco
Roman fresco, from the House of Red Deers (Casa dei Cervi), Herculaneum, 45-79 AD. This detail of part of the fresco shows assorted foods, a glass dish and a glass vessel

Peaches and a glass jug, Roman fresco
Roman fresco of peaches and a glass jug, from the House of Red Deers (Casa dei Cervi), Herculaneum, 45-79 AD. This fresco is displayed in the Archaeological Museum of Naples, Italy

Rabbit and figs, Roman fresco
Roman fresco of a rabbit and four figs. This fresco, from Herculaneum, is displayed in the Archaeological Museum of Naples, Italy

Bread and figs, Roman fresco
Roman fresco showing a loaf of round Roman bread with two figs in the background. This fresco, from Pompeii, is displayed in the Archaeological Museum of Naples, Italy

Cockerel and grapes, Roman fresco
Roman fresco showing a cockerel pecking at a bunch of grapes. This fresco, from Pompeii, is displayed in the Archaeological Museum of Naples, Italy

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Cognitive archaeology takes us on a captivating journey through time, unraveling the mysteries of ancient civilizations and their cognitive processes. From cave paintings depicting majestic mammoths to intricate Roman mosaics, these artistic expressions offer glimpses into the minds of our ancestors. In Tanzania's Kondusi stick dance cave painting, we witness the early human fascination with movement and rhythm, showcasing their cognitive understanding of music and dance. Meanwhile, in Ostia Antica's Roman frescoes and mosaics, we delve into their sophisticated visual perception and storytelling abilities. The diverse range of subjects depicted in these artworks showcases the breadth of human cognition. A boar painted on a cave wall reminds us of our ancestors' hunting skills and knowledge about animal behavior. Mammoth ivory sculptures demonstrate an advanced level of craftsmanship combined with an understanding of anatomy. Beyond artistry, it also explores other aspects of ancient cultures. An Ancient Egyptian cosmetics spoon reveals their knowledge and use of beauty rituals while a Nordic petroglyph hints at communication systems that predate written language. As we trace the evolution of communications through time, from Uzbek rock carvings to modern-day technology advancements, we gain insights into how humans have developed complex ways to convey information across generations. Cognitive archaeology allows us to bridge gaps between past civilizations and our present world by deciphering symbols left behind by those who came before us, and is through this interdisciplinary field that we can piece together fragments from history's puzzle to better understand humanity's collective cognitive development over millennia.