Mammoth Art Competition

Ted Holden has recently, and for a long time prior :-), been making the claim that ancient art tells us something was dramatically different about the gravity conditions experienced by mammoths and other large animals in "antediluvian" times, prior to a historically recent "catastrophe". An example is the "galloping mammoth" at Ted's WWW page. Ted's claims about this image hinge on the accuracy of ancient art. As a comparison, here is a different rendition of a mammoth from ancient art:

Mammoth engraving

This illustration is from p.317 of:

Praslov, N.D., 1984. Chapter 29: Paleolithic cultures in the Late Pleistocene. IN: Velichko, A.A. (ed.), Late Quaternary Environments of the Soviet Union. University of Minnesota Press: Mineapolis, p.313-318.

Which cites:

Bader, O.N. and Flint, V.Ye., 1977. Engravings on a mammoth tusk from Berelekh. IN: Vereshchagin, N.K., (ed.), The mammoth fauna of the Russian Plain and eastern Siberia. Institute of Zoology, Trudy 72, Leningrad, p.68-72.

As the original source.

The competition

Count me as skeptical about the precision of ancient art. It may be accurate, but it may also be highly stylized to the point of being misleading. I think this image is a good example. Ancient art seems like poor evidence to be used uncritically. Furthermore, Ted's "galloping mammoth" seems to have much of its legs and trunk broken off, particularly if the rendition here is accurate :-)

As a demonstration of the diversity of potential depictions and interpretations of art and therefore the caution with which interpretations should be regarded, I invite interpretations of the image presented above using the techniques apparently advocated by Ted. By this I mean the same techniques he uses to decide that the prehistoric art image of a "galloping mammoth", which is "impossible in today's gravity" must indicate they were living in much reduced gravity conditions.

Are you convinced this is the explanation? What else could it be? This is your chance to tell people what this art really means, or to emphatically agree with Ted. Your choice.

Send me email with your suggestions, and I will collect them here. Try to keep them relatively short. Only profane interpretations will be rejected :-), humour is encouraged, and if you wish to remain anonymous, let me know.

Suggested interpretation of the mammoth tusk art

Your suggestion could be here!

Andrew MacRae