Final answer:
Rock and cave art from the Upper Paleolithic period in Europe mostly depicts large animals, reflecting the animals that were hunted, though not necessarily those eaten. The art shows sophisticated intellectual abilities and might have held symbolic or religious significance for the creators.
Step-by-step explanation:
The cave and rock art of Europe during the Upper Paleolithic period (40,000 to 10,000 years ago) primarily depicts large wild animals such as bison, horses, aurochs, and deer, which reflect the species that were contemporary to the artists and often the subject of their hunting activities, though not necessarily the animals they most commonly ate. For instance, in the Lascaux caves in France, while reindeer bones were predominantly found, they are absent in the cave paintings where equine species prevail. The absence of prey species in bone deposits corresponding to their prevalence in cave art suggests that the art may have held additional meanings beyond mere depictions of daily life, potentially indicating symbolic significance or religious purposes.
The cave art is characterized by animals rendered in profile, and the human hand tracings found in some sites like the Chauvet and Lascaux caves communicate the early humans' ability to symbolize and convey experiences. These findings, coupled with the lack of corresponding bone deposits for some animals depicted, suggest the art may have held deep significance for Paleolithic peoples, potentially for unknown religious ceremonies or as an expression of their worldviews. Despite limited understanding of the artists' thoughts and intentions, it is evident that such artwork signifies sophisticated intellectual and symbolic capacities of humans even tens of thousands of years ago.