The Creative Explosion: An Inquiry into the Origins of Art and Religion

Why did people suddenly begin drawing animals, human figures, and abstract signs on the walls of caves during the upper Paleolithic period? And how is the appearance of cave paintings and engravings related to changes in social organization and community life among the Cro-Magnon? These are among the questions John E. Pfeiffer asks in 'The Creative Explosion', a book based on years of research and a close analysis of the work of many distinguished scientists. Profusely illustrated, this book provides a fascinating , provocative, and accessible account and interpretation of the earliest recorded human art.