Investigating the past Studying History involves investigating what happened in the past and why. People who study history are a lot like detectives conducting an investigation. They ask questions, study evidence for clues, and form hypothesis.

Investigating the past On September 12, 1940 four teenagers found cave paintings in Lascaux, France. Scholars would study these type of cave paintings. Scholars who study human society are called social scientists.

Investigating the past Many social scientists help us study the past. The “history detectives” are archaeologists, historians, and geographers.

Investigating the past Archaeologists study the past by examining objects that people have left behind. An artifact is anything made or used by humans, such as clothing, tools, weapons, and coins.

Investigating the past Historians are recorders of the past. Historians focus on the last few hundred years when people began leaving written records. To find out these answers historians study artifacts and documents, which include diaries and letters to discover these answers

Investigating the past Geographers study the natural features on earth, such as water, landforms, plants, and animals. Geographers also look at human made features such as towns, roads, bridges, and dams.

Investigating the past Cave paintings like those at Lascaux, France provide clues to what life was like before writing was invented. The paintings were large in size and taller than a person’s height, therefore social scientists theorized that prehistoric artists built scaffolding, or planks raised above to produce these paintings.

Investigating the past The paintings of humans are rare in cave art. The paintings depict a scene where animals are much more realistic than humans. Many social scientists think that the paintings were a ritual before the hunt.

Investigating the past The Cave paintings at Lascaux were created 17,00 years ago and show many prehistoric animals such as bulls, bison, and horses. Scientists hypothesize that the artists were trying to capture the “magical powers of certain animals or that they were creating art to honor or influence their gods.

Investigating the past Cave paintings in Argentina, South America show a circular shape, a sticklike animal, and several handprints. Many scientists believed that the handprints were a way to sign their paintings. The handprints found were very small and scientists have theorized that people were probably smaller than they are today.

Investigating the past The prehistoric spear thrower was found in France and made from a reindeer antler bone 18,000 years ago. The spear thrower had a detailed leaping horse on the front. The carving may have been a good luck charm or identifying his name or clan.

Investigating the past Clay sculptures of two bison were another artifact found in France. They were made about 10,000 to 14,000 years ago. Scientists believe that it represented a specific clan or a ritual.

Investigating the past The prehistoric materials and tools cave artists used were colored minerals, grindstone, and a sculptors pick, and engraving tool.

Investigating the past Scientists studied the tools used and believed that the cave artists made paints by grinding colors into powder. They probably mixed the powder with animal fat or vegetable oil to create different colors. They also believe that they may have used brushes made of moss, fur, or human hair.