Not Another Religious Blog: Paleolithic Art and Religion

Upon reading Paleolithic Art and Religion and learning about Paleolithic cave drawings (of which I knew literally nothing about), I was given reinforcement on some of my pre-article notions of religion. I believe that a huge part of religion's appeal and power has to do with community and the sense of belonging. Obviously this is not the only appeal of religion, just one aspect. (I don't want to offend.) Humans like the feeling of being part of a group in which the members share a common set of beliefs. The cave drawings that were communally drawn reminded me of this tendency. Members of the community drew horses and bison in anticipation of what the young men might see in their visions. This banding together is a tradition that celebrates common experience. The caves were also communally used for sacred rites and burials. These traditions not only show the importance of community, but also the blending of religious and sociopolitical institutions.
However, religion also involves the personal quest for answers. Each person must have some kind of personal understanding of religion and/or spirituality. Most of the caves had smaller tunnels into which the young men would draw or carve their spiritual visions. They went into the tunnels in "altered states of consciousness." These altered states could involve hallucinogenics, fasting, or a trance due to drumming. The intense quiet of the caves also contributed to the altered states. Each man underwent similar rituals in order to embark on his vision quest, but all had unique experiences. The cave walls were used communally and individually for sacred religious rites.