A hypothesis founded by David Lewis-Williams and broadly focused on ethnographic observations of contemporary cultures of hunter-gatherers is that paleolithic shamans produced the paintings.
Cave art is usually known as having, often both, a symbolic or religious feature. The precise meanings of the images are unclear, although some scholars suggest that they may have been produced in the context of shamanic traditions and rituals.
A theory, developed by David Lewis-Williams and broadly based on ethnographic studies of contemporary hunter-gatherer societies, is that the paintings were made by paleolithic shamans.
Cave art is generally considered to have a symbolic or religious function, sometimes both. The exact meanings of the images remain unknown, but some experts think they may have been created within the framework of shamanic beliefs and practices
