X-rays have revolutionized the study of ancient cave art by enabling researchers to analyze these delicate images from antiquity without causing damage. Techniques like X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) allow scientists to examine the chemical composition and crystalline structure of pigments used in the artwork. This helps uncover details about the materials and methods employed by ancient artists, offering insights into their culture and technology. For instance, the artists of Chauvet (of approximately 33,000 to 30,000 BCE) and Lascaux caves (of approximately 33,000 to 30,000 BCE), in what is now France, used mineral-based pigments to create their stunning images. Common materials included:

• Charcoal for black tones.

• Iron oxides like hematite for reds and browns.

• Manganese oxides for black pigments.

• Goethite for yellow hues.

These pigments were often mixed with water, animal fat, or plant juices to create paints. Tools like brushes made from animal fur, moss, or hollow bones were used for application, and techniques like blowing pigments through tubes created shading effects

Additionally, advanced X-ray scanners have been developed to study cave art in remarkable detail, aiding in its preservation by identifying vulnerabilities and preventing deterioration. These non-invasive methods ensure that the integrity of these priceless artifacts is maintained while revealing their hidden secrets.

Cro-Magnon (early Homo sapiens) and Neanderthal cave art show intriguing differences and similarities. Cro-Magnon art, dating from roughly 40,000-10,000 years ago, features sophisticated polychromatic paintings with dynamic animal scenes, handprints, and occasional human figures, particularly in sites like Lascaux and Altamira. Neanderthal art, while more limited and abstract, includes geometric engravings, hand stencils, and possibly some simple animal representations, challenging earlier beliefs that Neanderthals lacked symbolic capabilities.  Some caves contain engravings or paintings that appear to interact with the natural contours of the rock, with the shapes of outcrops or undulations in the stone incorporated into the depictions of the animals suggested by the natural rock. I have wondered whether more sophisticated early artists may also have strategically positioned their art relating it to other aspects of cave topography, correlating certain animal species with specific cave formations. Bulls, bison, and horses—animals potentially associated with masculine traits due to their strength and vitality—might, for instance, appear near phallic-shaped rock formations, while deer, ibex, bear and felines—possibly linked to feminine characteristics through associations with fertility and nurturing—might have been positioned near yonic-shaped areas, suggesting an integration of symbolic thinking connecting animal imagery, gender concepts, and cave geology in prehistoric spiritual practices.

One would really have to restrain one's imagination to not see phallic-looking formations amongst the speleothems above.
Similarly, one can't unsee the similarity to yonic imagery in these rock formations.
The somewhat stylized vulva drawn on the stalagtite seen in the left and, enlarged, central images above are part of the Lion Panel, located in Chauvet Cave’s End Chamber. The image bears a marked similarity to the Venus of Laussel, a prehistoric limestone bas-relief estimated to be around 25,000 years old from the Upper Paleolithic period-- roughly ten thousand years after the images of Chauvet Cave were painted. The carved Venus of Laussel, holding a horn-shaped object, is thought to symbolize fertility or abundance, reflecting what were likely important symbolic and artistic expressions of human societies. The horn may represent an association of bison or aurochs with principles of feminine fecundity and fertility. Or maybe this is just an example of Paleolithic porn.
Bears, bison, and felines— were possibly linked to feminine characteristics through associations with fertility and nurturing— and might have been inspired by nearby yonic-shaped areas.

This is my first attempt at getting a scene out of an image generator (maybe Copilot, but I'm not sure at this point) of a cavewoman chastizing her two young children for painting on the walls of a cave. I have no idea why the generator opted to portray the kids' drawings on paper (which, basically, defused the caption I'd intended) and how Mom wound up with the fancy metal-collared torches. So I opted, as my first-pick pic, at top, to isolate the figures from a 3D version and use them against a backdrop of Chauvet Cave. Finally, I know that these illustrations have nothing to with the Cretaceous Period-- see the essay for episode 11-- you can complain in the comments section of a donation ;-)