One of the intriguing questions considered by anthropologists concerns the purpose our early ancestors had in first creating images of the world around them. βββββ βββββ ββββββ βββ βββββββββββββββ ββββ βββββββββ ββββ ββ βββ βββββββββββββ β ββββββ βββ ββββββββββ βββ ββββββββββββ ββ ββββββ βββ βββ ββββββββ βββ ββββββββ βββββ ββββββββ ββ ββββββββββββββββ ββββ βββ
Phenomenon Β·Aurignacian cave paintings
Question: What was the purpose of the cave paintings?
OP Hypothesis 1 Β·It was art; it was luxury meant for enjoyment
Evidence: paintings are astonishingly well-executed; suggests creators were professional artists; suggests that Aurignacian culture was wealthy enough to support an artistic class.
Argument for Hypothesis 2 Β·Superstitious beliefs were common; paintings outline vital organs in red; evidence of ceremonies around the paintings
Passage Style
Critique or debate
Phenomenon-hypothesis
3.
The author would be most ββββββ ββ βββββ ββββ βββββ βββ ββ βββ βββββββββ βββββββββββ
Question Type
Authorβs perspective
Implied
We canβt predict the answer to this question, so letβs rely on process of elimination.
Although some anthropologists believe Aurignacians had a more secure life than Neanderthals, itβs not clear that the author agrees with this hypothesis. In addition, the author never compares Aurignaciansβ security to βmostβ other hunter-gatherer cultures.
b
Skill in art βββ βββββββββ ββ ββββββββ ββ βββββββββββ βββββββ
Not supported. The only mention of shamans is that some paintings depicted shamans. We have no idea what was required to become a shaman.
Although the author shows signs of agreement with the anthropologistsβ explanation in P3, that explanation concerns a particular group of 25,000-year-old cave paintings. We have no evidence the author thinks that explanation β which posits that the cave paintings are made at least partially for religious/hunting purposes β extends to all art made by prehistoric hunter-gatherers.
d
All art created ββ βββ ββββββββββββ βββ ββββββββ ββ βββββ βββββββ βββββ ββββ βββββ βββββββ
Although the author shows signs of agreement with the anthropologistsβ explanation in P3, that explanation concerns a particular group of 25,000-year-old cave paintings. We have no evidence the author thinks that explanation β which posits that the cave paintings are made at least partially for religious/hunting purposes β extends to all art made by Aurignacians.
Supported by theselines. The author mentions evidence of ceremonies performed before the paintings were made to support the theory that the paintings were used to gain power over the Aurignaciansβ prey. This suggests the ceremonies were part of the Aurignaciansβ power-granting process.
Difficulty
71% of people who answer get this correct
This is a moderately difficult question.
It is significantly harder than the average question in this passage.
CURVE
Score of students with a 50% chance of getting this right
25%130
148
75%166
Analysis
Authorβs perspective
Implied
Critique or debate
Phenomenon-hypothesis
Science
Answer Popularity
PopularityAvg. score
a
13%
161
b
1%
159
c
14%
160
d
1%
155
e
71%
164
Question history
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