Final answer:
European cave paintings were created by Homo sapiens and Neanderthals as a part of early Paleolithic art. Recent discoveries have challenged the view that only modern humans produced such art, with Neanderthal-created paintings being found in Spain. The purpose of the paintings remains speculative, with theories including hunting magic or spiritual practices.
Step-by-step explanation:
Scientists believe that the cave paintings in Europe were created by both Homo sapiens and, as recent discoveries suggest, Neanderthals. These paintings were part of a rich tradition of Paleolithic art, stretching from 40,000 to 10,000 years ago. Cave art demonstrates early humans' ability to represent their world with a combination of naturalism and abstraction, hinting at possible religious or spiritual significance. It was once believed that these were exclusively the works of modern humans, who are known to have inhabited regions like the valley of Vèzére in southwestern France. However, the discovery of cave paintings in Spain dated to around 65,000 years ago, before Homo sapiens arrived in the area, challenged this assumption and have been attributed to Neanderthals.
Historically, European researchers initially assumed the oldest art would be found in Europe due to Eurocentric biases. Handprint analyses conducted at several cave sites by anthropologist Dean Snow suggest that many of the Paleolithic handprints were created by women. The art often features animals common to the humans' environment, and although theories abound on their purpose, ranging from hunting magic to spiritual use by shamans, the true meaning remains elusive.