Are ancient cave paintings the work of children?

Researchers found that a quarter of the stencils studied were not large enough to fit adult or adolescent hands. Photo: AFP

Archaeologists have been studying cave paintings for years. Many have been searching out clues that would reveal information about the artists who created them. Now, researchers based in Europe have published their research suggesting that they were much younger than previously thought.

Veronica Fernandez-Navarro, Edgard Camaros and Diego Garate’s recent work posits the idea that children, even very young ones, could be at the origin of some of the most famous cave paintings around the world.