Post by jonsdigs on Oct 18, 2006 8:43:24 GMT -5
Daytripping in the darkness of caves -- speleologist to give program
Burr Williams<br>MRT Correspondent
Midland Reporter-Telegram
10/18/2006
What is it about caves? When I am daytripping around with folks, I often hear "Look at that cave -- let's go explore it.
I wonder what is in it?" There seems to be an instinctual pull in humans to go investigate? Is it something deep in our subconscious -- a shared "memory" of a time where caves were the best homes for us? No matter what age of the person I am with, the majority of them have been drawn to caves.
Personally, I prefer overhangs. The dark recesses of caves spook me. When I am camping in rugged backcountry, I look for the places where cliffs loom over a hollowed out space, where I can get out of inclement weather. I usually find that I am not the first to find such places. In front of overhangs are often the plants useful to hunter-gatherers. Food and medicinal plants often dominate the area around an overhang.
Unless a cave has a large anteroom at the entrance, I have not found such proliferation of useful plants in front of caves. This makes me wonder if caves were ever considered "home" for hunter-gatherers. As demonstrated by the famous cave paintings of France and those other locations, caves were more of a place for "religion." Caves were places where cultural "mysteries" were taught.
Full Article:
www.mywesttexas.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17342689&BRD=2288&PAG=461&dept_id=475590&rfi=6
Burr Williams<br>MRT Correspondent
Midland Reporter-Telegram
10/18/2006
What is it about caves? When I am daytripping around with folks, I often hear "Look at that cave -- let's go explore it.
I wonder what is in it?" There seems to be an instinctual pull in humans to go investigate? Is it something deep in our subconscious -- a shared "memory" of a time where caves were the best homes for us? No matter what age of the person I am with, the majority of them have been drawn to caves.
Personally, I prefer overhangs. The dark recesses of caves spook me. When I am camping in rugged backcountry, I look for the places where cliffs loom over a hollowed out space, where I can get out of inclement weather. I usually find that I am not the first to find such places. In front of overhangs are often the plants useful to hunter-gatherers. Food and medicinal plants often dominate the area around an overhang.
Unless a cave has a large anteroom at the entrance, I have not found such proliferation of useful plants in front of caves. This makes me wonder if caves were ever considered "home" for hunter-gatherers. As demonstrated by the famous cave paintings of France and those other locations, caves were more of a place for "religion." Caves were places where cultural "mysteries" were taught.
Full Article:
www.mywesttexas.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17342689&BRD=2288&PAG=461&dept_id=475590&rfi=6