Genevieve von Petzinger

Brainstormer, Educator/Teacher, Explorer, Global soul, Idea generator, Scientist, Student, World traveler, Writer/Editor

Genevieve von Petzinger is a renowned researcher and author specializing in the study of ancient symbols, particularly focusing on deciphering the world's oldest symbols. Through her work, including the publication "The First Signs: Unlocking the Mysteries of the World's Oldest Symbols," she has made significant contributions to understanding prehistoric art and early human communication systems. Genevieve's expertise lies in exploring the patterns and significance of ancient symbols, offering valuable insights into the cognitive development and societal structures of our ancestors. She is dedicated to shedding light on the origins of human symbolism and sharing her knowledge to enhance our understanding of ancient cultures and their visual communication systems.

I'm passionate about my research! I am very curious about when our ancestors started tapping into their full "human potential", and I study the earliest examples of Ice Age art looking for answers...

What does it mean to be human? What is it about our species that sets us apart from every other living creature past and present on this planet? The short answer is our creative impulse, our ability to perceive life in an abstract, symbolic manner, and our desire to communicate these ideas to others. But where did this urge come from and how long ago did it start? The "creative explosion" seems to have begun almost 100,000 years ago in Africa with jewellery and decorated portable objects. Rock art appears in several parts of the world around 40,000 years ago, and is seen to be one of the best indicators of symbolic thought. I study the geometric signs found in nearly all European Ice Age rock art sites, and I believe that the abstract nature of these symbols could be the key to figuring out where this practice was 'invented', as well as helping us to understand how information was transmitted across space and time.

Ancient DNA, Ancient rock art, Cave Art, Cognitive Evolution, Data Collection, Development of symbolic behaviour, European Ice Age Studies, Origins of mankind, Paleoanthropology, Research in Prehistoric Cultures