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The Sorcerer (cave art)
Encyclopedia
The Sorcerer is one name for an enigmatic cave painting
found in the cavern known as 'The Sanctuary' at Trois-Frères
, Ariège
, France
, made around 13,000 BC. The figure's significance is unknown, but it is usually interpreted as some kind of great spirit or master of the animals. The unusual nature of The Sanctuary’s decoration may also reflect the practice of magical ceremonies in the chamber. In his sketches of the cave art, Henri Breuil
drew a horned humanoid torso and the publication of this drawing in the 1920's influenced many subsequent theories about the figure. However, Breuil's sketch has also come under criticism in recent years. A single prominent human figure is unusual in the cave paintings of the Upper Paleolithic
, where the great majority of representations are of animals.
asserted that the cave painting represented a shaman or magician — an interpretation which gives the image its name — and described the image he drew in these terms. Margaret Murray
having seen the published drawing called Breuil's image 'the first depiction of a deity on earth', an idea which Breuil and others later adopted.
His views held sway in the field for much of the 20th century, but they have since been largely superseded.
Breuil's image has been commonly interpreted as a shaman performing a ritual to ensure good hunting.
theorized that Breuil was fitting the evidence to support his hunting-magic theory of cave-art, citing that "the figure drawn by Breuil is not the same as the one actually painted on the cave wall." Hutton's theory led him to conclude that reliance on Breuil's initial sketch resulted in many later scholars erroneously claiming that "The Sorcerer" was evidence that the concept of a Horned God
dated back to Paleolithic times. Likewise, Peter Ucko
concluded that inaccuracies in the drawing were caused by Breuil's working in dim gas-light, in awkward circumstances, and that he had mistaken cracks in the rock surface for man-made marks. However, these views have also been questioned, noting that "The Sorcerer" is composed of both charcoal drawings and etching within the stone itself. Details, such as etching, are often difficult to view from photographs due to their size and the quality of the light source. Particularly celebrated prehistorian Jean Clottes
asserts that Breuil's sketch is accurate ('I have seen it myself perhaps 20 times over the years').
in the creation of the Lord Weird Slough Feg, sorcerer, god, and early antagonist of the ongoing comic book title Slaine
.
The Forest Spirit in Studio Ghibli
's Princess Mononoke
bears a strong resemblance to the Sorceror.
The novel The Story of B
by Daniel Quinn
includes an interpretation of the painting as an expression of late Paleolithic animism, a symbol for the human sense of identity with other animal life.
Cave painting
Cave paintings are paintings on cave walls and ceilings, and the term is used especially for those dating to prehistoric times. The earliest European cave paintings date to the Aurignacian, some 32,000 years ago. The purpose of the paleolithic cave paintings is not known...
found in the cavern known as 'The Sanctuary' at Trois-Frères
Trois-Frères
The Cave of the Trois-Frères is a cave in southwestern France famous for its cave paintings. It is located in Montesquieu-Avantès, in the Ariège département....
, Ariège
Ariège
Ariège is a department in southwestern France named after the Ariège River.- History :Ariège is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from the counties of Foix and Couserans....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, made around 13,000 BC. The figure's significance is unknown, but it is usually interpreted as some kind of great spirit or master of the animals. The unusual nature of The Sanctuary’s decoration may also reflect the practice of magical ceremonies in the chamber. In his sketches of the cave art, Henri Breuil
Henri Breuil
Henri Édouard Prosper Breuil , often referred to as Abbé Breuil, was a French Catholic priest, archaeologist, anthropologist, ethnologist and geologist...
drew a horned humanoid torso and the publication of this drawing in the 1920's influenced many subsequent theories about the figure. However, Breuil's sketch has also come under criticism in recent years. A single prominent human figure is unusual in the cave paintings of the Upper Paleolithic
Art of the Upper Paleolithic
The art of the Upper Paleolithic is the oldest undisputed prehistoric art, originating in the Aurignacian archaeological culture of Europe and the Levant some 40,000 years ago, and continues to the Mesolithic about 12,000 years ago...
, where the great majority of representations are of animals.
Breuil's drawing
Henri BreuilHenri Breuil
Henri Édouard Prosper Breuil , often referred to as Abbé Breuil, was a French Catholic priest, archaeologist, anthropologist, ethnologist and geologist...
asserted that the cave painting represented a shaman or magician — an interpretation which gives the image its name — and described the image he drew in these terms. Margaret Murray
Margaret Murray
Margaret Alice Murray was a prominent British Egyptologist and anthropologist. Primarily known for her work in Egyptology, which was "the core of her academic career," she is also known for her propagation of the Witch-cult hypothesis, the theory that the witch trials in the Early Modern period of...
having seen the published drawing called Breuil's image 'the first depiction of a deity on earth', an idea which Breuil and others later adopted.
His views held sway in the field for much of the 20th century, but they have since been largely superseded.
Breuil's image has been commonly interpreted as a shaman performing a ritual to ensure good hunting.
Critique
Certain modern scholars question the validity of Breuil's sketch, claiming that modern photographs do not depict the famous antlers. Ronald HuttonRonald Hutton
Ronald Hutton is an English historian who specializes in the study of Early Modern Britain, British folklore, pre-Christian religion and contemporary Paganism. A reader in the subject at the University of Bristol, Hutton has published fourteen books and has appeared on British television and radio...
theorized that Breuil was fitting the evidence to support his hunting-magic theory of cave-art, citing that "the figure drawn by Breuil is not the same as the one actually painted on the cave wall." Hutton's theory led him to conclude that reliance on Breuil's initial sketch resulted in many later scholars erroneously claiming that "The Sorcerer" was evidence that the concept of a Horned God
Horned God
The Horned God is one of the two primary deities found in some European pagan religions. He is often given various names and epithets, and represents the male part of the religion's duotheistic theological system, the other part being the female Triple Goddess. In common Wiccan belief, he is...
dated back to Paleolithic times. Likewise, Peter Ucko
Peter Ucko
Peter John Ucko FRAI FSA was an influential English archaeologist, noted for being the Professor Emeritus of Comparative Archaeology and also the former Executive Director of University College London's Institute of Archaeology. He was also noted for his organisation of the first World...
concluded that inaccuracies in the drawing were caused by Breuil's working in dim gas-light, in awkward circumstances, and that he had mistaken cracks in the rock surface for man-made marks. However, these views have also been questioned, noting that "The Sorcerer" is composed of both charcoal drawings and etching within the stone itself. Details, such as etching, are often difficult to view from photographs due to their size and the quality of the light source. Particularly celebrated prehistorian Jean Clottes
Jean Clottes
Jean Clottes is a prominent French prehistorian. He was born in the French Pyrénées in 1933 and began to study archaeology in 1959, while teaching high school. He initially focused on Neolithic dolmens, which were the topic of his 1975 Ph.D. thesis at the University of Toulouse...
asserts that Breuil's sketch is accurate ('I have seen it myself perhaps 20 times over the years').
Continuing Influence
The general assessment has placed the figure as central to an understanding of cave art: as S.G.F. Brandon expressed it in 1959, "it seems to be generally agreed that this picture of the 'Dancing Sorcerer' was a cult object of great significance to the community which used the cave."Popular culture
Breuil's interpretation of the drawing as a shaman strongly influenced writer Pat MillsPat Mills
Pat Mills, nicknamed 'the godfather of British comics', is a comics writer and editor who, along with John Wagner, revitalised British boys comics in the 1970s, and has remained a leading light in British comics ever since....
in the creation of the Lord Weird Slough Feg, sorcerer, god, and early antagonist of the ongoing comic book title Slaine
Sláine (comics)
Sláine is a comic hero from the pages of 2000 AD - one of Britain's most popular comic books.Sláine is a barbarian fantasy adventure series based on Celtic myths and stories which first appeared in 1983, written by Pat Mills and initially drawn by his then wife, Angela Kincaid. Most of the early...
.
The Forest Spirit in Studio Ghibli
Studio Ghibli
is a Japanese animation and film studio founded in June 1985. The company's logo features the character Totoro from Hayao Miyazaki's film My Neighbor Totoro...
's Princess Mononoke
Princess Mononoke
is a 1997 epic Japanese animated historical fantasy feature film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli. is not a name, but a general term in the Japanese language for a spirit or monster...
bears a strong resemblance to the Sorceror.
The novel The Story of B
The Story of B
The Story of B is a 1996 novel written by Daniel Quinn and published by Bantam Publishing. It chronicles a young priest's movement away from his religion and toward the teachings of a mysterious preacher named B, expanding upon many of the philosophical ideas introduced in Quinn's 1992 novel Ishmael...
by Daniel Quinn
Daniel Quinn
Daniel Quinn is an American writer described as an environmentalist. He is best known for his book Ishmael , which won the Turner Tomorrow Fellowship Award in 1991....
includes an interpretation of the painting as an expression of late Paleolithic animism, a symbol for the human sense of identity with other animal life.
