A new interdepartmental research collaboration between our Archaeology and Psychology Departments are experimenting with the online visual perceptions of Ice Age arts through their newly launched project website, Palaeo Vision: Do you see through Ice Age Eyes?
The researchers are inviting participants to directly take part in their study through the website, which has a series of experiments that will enhance one’s understanding on how it feels to see through Ice Age eyes.
The researchers have been studying the way in which people from the last Ice Age (more specifically the Upper Palaeolithic), which is roughly 16,000 years ago, engaged with their daily surroundings through the medium of art.
The arts were left behind when the people abandoned their campsite on the banks of the Rhine.
This interdisciplinary project combines the more traditional methods from prehistoric archaeology with those from the psychology of vision and action (haptics) to explore how people functioned in their living spaces in the past.
The use of visual psychological research methods to explore Ice Age art has been pioneered by Dr Lisa-Elen Meyering, first in her Durham PhD and now as the team’s postdoctoral researcher.
The researchers are joined by specialists to analyse the flat stone artefacts recovered from the campsites in Central Rhineland, Germany.
These artefacts are of particular interest to the team as they hold key information on how Ice Age people saw their world.
Using cutting-edge digital methods of analysis, the team will tease out the hands of individual artists and their psychological biases.
Our Department of Archaeology is a leading centre for the study of archaeology and is ranked 8th in the world (QS World University Rankings by subject 2022). We are an inclusive, vibrant and international community. Our students develop knowledge and gain essential and transferable skills through research-led teaching and lab-based training.
Feeling inspired? Visit our Archaeology webpages to learn more about our postgraduate and undergraduate programmes.
Our Department of Psychology prides itself on being a collegiate and welcoming department, committed to success for all who work here. Through dedicated teaching sessions, an optional placement module, external speakers and even an employability retreat – we actively prepare students for working life. We are proud to ranked in the Top 10 Psychology departments in the UK by The Complete University Guide 2022.
Feeling inspired? Visit our Psychology webpages to learn more about our postgraduate and undergraduate programmes.
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