Mesolithic shadow play? Exploring the performative attributes of a zoomorphic wild reindeer (<i>Rangifer tarandus</i>) antler artefact from Finland

Lassila, Katri; Ahola, Marja

doi:10.1080/1751696x.2022.2098047

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Thus, the nocturnal selective landscape is also relevant to the evolution of other forms of performing arts and performative entertainment using voice, such as humor, drama, and storytelling ( Putilov, 2014 ; Wiessner, 2014 ; Lauer, 2022 ), including those forms focused on night-time horror/thriller stories ( Clasen, 2012 ). Because of the firelight, visual arts by the fire ( Needham et al, 2022 ) or in places with extraordinary acoustic properties ( Waller, 2002 ; Reznikoff, 2008 ), including ‘shadow play’ storytelling ( Ahola and Lassila, 2022 ) and fire-walking rituals ( Xygalatas, 2015 ), are expected to be included in the scope of the Nocturnal Evolution of Human Musicality and Performativity Theory . This multimodal inclusive theoretical extension of the nocturnal theory might also help explain and integrate aspects of the proposed adaptive functions for visual arts ( Power, 1999 ; Coe, 2003 ), literary arts and fiction ( Gottschall, 2012 ; Smith et al, 2017 ; Dubourg and Baumard, 2022 ), language ( Dunbar, 2004 ; Masataka, 2009 ; Dunbar and Gowlett, 2014 ), religiosity ( Bulbulia, 2004 ; Sterelny, 2018 ), and popular culture ( Salmon, 2018 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In traditional society, there is the highest frequency of storytelling in the evening (81% vs. 6% of day conversations) with background music around the campfire ( Wiessner, 2014 ). Even some recent prehistoric findings support the nocturnal theory, such as some esthetically engraved plaquettes from 23 to 14 ka ago, which were likely appreciated by early humans close to the night-time firelight ( Needham et al, 2022 ), and possible ‘shadow play’ storytelling 6.8–5.2 ka ago ( Ahola and Lassila, 2022 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nocturnal selective pressures on the evolution of human musicality as a missing piece of the adaptationist puzzle

Varella

2023

Front. Psychol.

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Human musicality exhibits the necessary hallmarks for biological adaptations. Evolutionary explanations focus on recurrent adaptive problems that human musicality possibly solved in ancestral environments, such as mate selection and competition, social bonding/cohesion and social grooming, perceptual and motor skill development, conflict reduction, safe time-passing, transgenerational communication, mood regulation and synchronization, and credible signaling of coalition and territorial/predator defense. Although not mutually exclusive, these different hypotheses are still not conceptually integrated nor clearly derived from independent principles. I propose The Nocturnal Evolution of Human Musicality and Performativity Theory in which the night-time is the missing piece of the adaptationist puzzle of human musicality and performing arts. The expansion of nocturnal activities throughout human evolution, which is tied to tree-to-ground sleep transition and habitual use of fire, might help (i) explain the evolution of musicality from independent principles, (ii) explain various seemingly unrelated music features and functions, and (iii) integrate many ancestral adaptive values proposed. The expansion into the nocturnal niche posed recurrent ancestral adaptive challenges/opportunities: lack of luminosity, regrouping to cook before sleep, imminent dangerousness, low temperatures, peak tiredness, and concealment of identity. These crucial night-time features might have selected evening-oriented individuals who were prone to acoustic communication, more alert and imaginative, gregarious, risk-taking and novelty-seeking, prone to anxiety modulation, hedonistic, promiscuous, and disinhibited. Those night-time selected dispositions may have converged and enhanced protomusicality into human musicality by facilitating it to assume many survival- and reproduction-enhancing roles (social cohesion and coordination, signaling of coalitions, territorial defense, antipredatorial defense, knowledge transference, safe passage of time, children lullabies, and sexual selection) that are correspondent to the co-occurring night-time adaptive challenges/opportunities. The nocturnal dynamic may help explain musical features (sound, loudness, repetitiveness, call and response, song, elaboration/virtuosity, and duetting/chorusing). Across vertebrates, acoustic communication mostly occurs in nocturnal species. The eveningness chronotype is common among musicians and composers. Adolescents, who are the most evening-oriented humans, enjoy more music. Contemporary tribal nocturnal activities around the campfire involve eating, singing/dancing, storytelling, and rituals. I discuss the nocturnal integration of musicality’s many roles and conclude that musicality is probably a multifunctional mental adaptation that evolved along with the night-time adaptive landscape.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nocturnal selective pressures on the evolution of human musicality as a missing piece of the adaptationist puzzle

Varella

2023

Front. Psychol.

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“…Shadow play, an ancient form of storytelling and entertainment, has evolved and found new applications in the modern world of animation. Work 7 explores the concept of shadow play in the context of prehistoric storytelling practices. By examining a zoomorphic wild reindeer antler artifact from Finland, the authors suggest that Mesolithic storytelling might have been entangled with ritual practices and accompanied by performances resembling traditional shadow theatre.…”

Section: Historical Overview Of Animationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution and innovations in animation: A comprehensive review and future directions

Wang,

Zhong

2023

Concurrency and Computation

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SummaryIn this article, we offer an in‐depth exploration of the history, advancements, and innovations in the field of animation. From the roots of traditional hand‐drawn animation to the contemporary realm of computer‐generated imagery, the article outlines the progression of techniques and technologies that have revolutionized the industry. This study meticulously examines the transformative impact of emerging trends such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence on the development and application of animation. A significant focus is placed on the societal implications of animation, investigating its pervasive influence in fields as diverse as education, advertising, and entertainment. The use of animation as a pedagogical tool, a marketing strategy, and a medium for storytelling has not only redefined these sectors but has also reshaped audience expectations and experiences. In forecasting the future of animation, the article identifies and analyzes potential technologies and trends poised to push the boundaries of the field. This includes examining challenges such as the ethical considerations of AI and the technical constraints of VR and AR. By providing a comprehensive overview of past developments and future possibilities, this review contributes to the ongoing discourse on the continually evolving landscape of animation.

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A computational linguistic methodology for assessing semiotic structure in prehistoric art and the meaning of southern Scandinavian Mesolithic ornamentation

Herskind,

Riede

2024

Journal of Archaeological Science

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Mesolithic shadow play? Exploring the performative attributes of a zoomorphic wild reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) antler artefact from Finland

Cited by 6 publications

References 30 publications

Nocturnal selective pressures on the evolution of human musicality as a missing piece of the adaptationist puzzle

Nocturnal selective pressures on the evolution of human musicality as a missing piece of the adaptationist puzzle

Evolution and innovations in animation: A comprehensive review and future directions

A computational linguistic methodology for assessing semiotic structure in prehistoric art and the meaning of southern Scandinavian Mesolithic ornamentation

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