Terrifying Cave Paintings That Depict Something That Shouldn’t Exist

Entering what they experienced as the spirit world and documenting those experiences on cave walls. This thing that you were saying about these cave paintings that show these animals. Like whether they are a spiritual person or animal or being is hard to say. Starting off this list in our number 10 spot we have the Tassili-Najir cave paintings in Algeria. Deep in the Sahara desert, the Tassili-Najir plateau of Algeria harbors cave paintings that have mystified historians. These artworks created over 12,000 years ago showcase not only the expected depictions of animals and everyday life, but also mysterious humanoid figures with large round heads and peculiar antenna-like protrusions. For some enthusiasts of ancient astronaut theories, these strange beings hint at extraterrestrial visitors or even predictions of future human space exploration. They wonder, did our ancestors witness something beyond their understanding, or were they envisioning a destiny among the stars? On the other hand, archaeologists and anthropologists provide a more grounded interpretation. They believe these figures represent humans adorned with ceremonial masks or elaborate headdresses, reflecting the spiritual rituals and cultural richness of the ancient inhabitants. In our number 9 spot today we have the Val Cammonica petroglyphs in Italy. Nestled in the Italian Alps, Val Cammonica is home to one of the world's largest collections of prehistoric petroglyphs, boasting over 140,000 symbols and figures etched into the rock over thousands of years. Among these ancient carvings are intriguing humanoid figures that appear to have halos or rays shooting from their heads. This curious detail has fueled speculations that these artists were depicting astronauts or divine beings, perhaps even hinting at advanced knowledge or technologies far beyond their time. Some wonder if these carvings are eerie predictions of future developments or encounters with otherworldly entities. However, most scholars interpret these radiant figures as representations of spiritual power or significance, possibly depicting deities, shamans, or warriors adorned in ceremonial gear meant to signify their importance within the community. In our number 8 spot today we have the Temple of Hattor. Deep within the ancient Temple of Hattor at Dendera, Egypt, there is a set of carvings that have ignited both wonder and wild theories. These intriguing carvings show what appear to be giant light bulbs, complete with filament-like snakes inside, being supported by priests or deities. Some modern observers have jumped to the electrifying conclusion that the Egyptians not only predicted future technology, but might have actually harnessed electricity long before Thomas Edison lit up the world. Could these carvings be evidence of ancient light bulbs illuminating the pharaoh's temples? While the idea is a spark for the imagination, mainstream Egyptologists offer a different perspective. They explain that these images are deeply rooted in Egyptian mythology, depicting the lotus flower giving birth to a serpent, symbolizing the god Harsomptus and the daily cycle of creation and rebirth. The so-called bulbs are not electrical devices, but spiritual symbols brimming with religious meaning. So, while it is fun to think of ancient Egyptians tinkering with tech gadgets, the reality illuminates something perhaps even more fascinating. The rich and complex belief system that inspired some of the most enduring art in human history. 7. In our number 7 spot today we have the Wanjina Rock Art in Australia. Deep in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, the ancient Wanjina rock art mesmerizes with its haunting figures. Beings with large heads, enormous eyes, and no mouths, all enveloped by halos or cloud-like shapes. These striking images, painted by indigenous Australians thousands of years ago, have sparked all sorts of theories. Some people look at these otherworldly figures and speculate that they're depictions of ancient astronauts or predictions of future encounters with aliens. But when we delve into the rich cultural tapestry of the indigenous communities, a different story begins to unfold. The Wanjina are revered ancestral spirits linked to weather phenomena like rain and storms, embodying the very essence of creation and life. The halos and cloud-like forms symbolize their control over the elements, and the absence of mouth signifies that their power is so immense, they don't need to speak to exert it. 6. In our number 6 spot today we have the Sago Canyon Petroglyphs. In the heart of Utah's rugged landscape, Sago Canyon holds a treasure trove of ancient rock art that has puzzled and intrigued visitors for generations. Spanning over 8,000 years and created by various indigenous cultures, the canyon's sandstone walls are adorned with large, humanoid figures sporting elongated bodies, oversized eyes, and, curiously enough, antenna-like appendages protruding from their heads. These mysterious images have sparked the imaginations of theorists who speculate that they're depictions of extraterrestrial beings or even time travelers, suggesting that the artists might have been forecasting future encounters with aliens or some kind of advanced technology. On the flip side, archaeologists and experts provide a more down-to-earth explanation. They believe these figures are spiritual representations, capturing visions experienced during trance states or serving as stylized artistic expressions. The exaggerated features likely symbolize a connection to the spiritual realm rather than messages from the stars. 5. In our number 5 spot today we have the Chauvet Cave Paintings. Tucked away in the south of France, the Chauvet Cave holds a stunning gallery of artwork that dates back around 36,000 years, making it one of the oldest known sites of human creativity. The walls are adorned with incredibly detailed and realistic paintings of animals, like lions, rhinoceroses, and horses. What's truly fascinating is the sophistication of these images. The artists used shading, perspective, and motion techniques that seem astonishingly advanced for their time. This has led some to speculate that these Paleolithic painters had knowledge of future artistic developments or even flirted with the concept of motion pictures on a very primitive level. The way they captured movement by depicting animals with multiple sets of legs creates a sequential narrative, almost like frames in animation. However, most scholars attribute this to the exceptional skill and keen observation of these early humans, who were intimately connected with the wildlife around them. The paintings likely served ritualistic purposes or communicated vital information about animal behavior and the environment. 4. Temple of Seti I Hidden in the depths of Egypt's Temple of Seti I at Abydos are hieroglyphs that have sparked both excitement and debate. Among the ancient symbols, some carvings bizarrely resemble modern-day vehicles. Think helicopters perched above doorways, submarines gliding along walls, and airplanes etched into stone. These uncanny images have led to jaw-dropping claims that the ancient Egyptians possessed knowledge of future technology or perhaps even had encounters with time travelers. Did they really have a sneak peek into inventions that wouldn't appear until thousands of years later? While the idea sets the imagination racing, historians and archaeologists offer a bit more of a grounded explanation. These so-called vehicles are actually an accidental result. Moments where scribes chiseled new hieroglyphs over older ones. Over time, the plaster covering the original carvings eroded, causing the layers to merge and form shapes that coincidentally resemble our modern machines. So while the ancient Egyptians were masters of engineering and astronomy, it's unlikely that they were sketching blueprints for helicopters and submarines. 3 Churama Rock Paintings Hidden within the caves of Chhattisgarh in India, the Churama rock paintings date back around 10,000 years. These ancient artworks depict humanoid figures with helmets and antenna-like appendages alongside disc-shaped objects hovering in the sky. Images that uncannily resemble modern-day depictions of UFOs and extraterrestrials. Such striking visuals have led some to speculate that these cave paintings are evidence of prehistoric encounters with alien visitors or even predictions of future technological advancements. Most anthropologists and archaeologists interpret these figures as representations of mythological beings or deities from local folklore, with the helmets and antenna possibly symbolizing ceremonial headgear or spiritual attributes. The floating discs might be symbolic portrayals of celestial bodies or spiritual phenomena significant to the culture of the time. 2 Nazca Lines in Peru Stretching across the barren desert of southern Peru, the Nazca lines are one of the most mysterious wonders in the world. Etched into the earth between 500 BCE and 500 CE, these massive geoglyphs depict a menagerie of animals, soaring birds, intricate monkeys, and sprawling spiders alongside complex geometric shapes. What's completely mind-boggling is that these designs are only fully visible from the air, leading some to speculate that the ancient Nazca people either had knowledge of flight or created them as signals to beings from the sky. Could they have predicted future aviation technology, or were they trying to communicate with extraterrestrials? While such theories add a thrilling layer of mystery, most researchers lean towards more terrestrial explanations. They believe the Nazca lines had ritualistic or astronomical purposes, possibly serving as giant calendars or being part of water-related ceremonies in this arid region. Crafted by removing the dark topsoil to reveal lighter ground beneath, the creation of these geoglyphs was well within the technological reach of the Nazca culture. 1 The Lascaux Shaft Scene Deep within the winding passages of France's Lascaux cave, there is a mysterious painting known as the Shaft Scene that continues to baffle and intrigue. It depicts a human figure with a bird-like head lying seemingly lifeless near a wounded bison, its entrails dramatically spilling out. Nearby, a simple bird perched on a stick adds another layer of oddity. Some modern theorists have jumped on this haunting imagery, suggesting that it foretells future events or embodies concepts that were supposedly unknown at the time, perhaps even hinting at out-of-body experiences or other dimensions. Could this be an ancient prophecy, or a primitive understanding of ideas that would only emerge thousands of years later? Most scholars, however, see it differently. They interpret the scene as a shamanistic vision or a mythological narrative reflecting the rich spiritual life and storytelling traditions of paleolithic humans. The bird-headed man might represent a shaman in a trance or a symbolic journey between worlds. Starting us off with number 10 is the Altamira Cave Paintings. These cave paintings are located near Santillana del Mar which is in the northern part of Spain. Funnily enough the paintings were discovered by accident by a hunter named Modesto Cubillas in 1868 but werent giving much mind until 1879. These paintings shocked everyone and i mean everyone. Why? Because it was so well preserved specialists seriously doubted their authenticity. The paintings were done around 35,600 years ago yet their colours and details were so vibrant it was quite suspicious. It was only at the start of the 20th century that they were accepted as authentic. These paintings are single handedly the biggest pieces of evidence of Magdalenian culture and most depict charcoal and okra, pictures of horses, handprints and bisons. Theyre so impressive that Picasso himself said after Altamira, all is decadence. Coming in at number 9 are the Aliens. These pictographs were found in the Wanamera Gorge in Australia again my apologies if i said that wrong. These paintings date back to approximately 3000 BC and they depict the aboriginal Wanjinas which is a type of religious deity or supreme spirit that were the creators of land and people. But the way theyve depicted them is super weird. They literally look like white versions of the alien emojis on our phones. White faces with no mouth and large black holes for eyes and they also have this sort of halo around them. The other black figures drawn amongst them look like what can only be described as closely resembling dementors from Harry Potter. Some interpretations of these paintings say that extraterrestrial beings visited earth tens of thousands of years ago and had direct contact with these people. Some aboriginals believe they even played a role in creation which could explain why they drew the Wanjinas looking like aliens. At number 8 we have the Chauvet Cave. This one is located in the south of France and only really gained notoriety in 1994 after 3 speleologists discovered its walls were covered in paleolithic artwork and that it also contained the fossilised remains of various animals many of which had become extinct by then. So thats a lot of useful scientific and historical knowledge in that cave already and we havent even specifically talked about the art yet. The cave shocked people for many reasons it was ridiculously large and the quantity and quality of the artwork found was quote on quote spectacular. Its literally been named a cave that has some of the best preserved figurative cave paintings in the world. Which is insane since most of the art there is 30 to 32 thousand years old. The paintings had animals in there that had never appeared in previous ice age paintings as well as many other animals that had. Surprisingly it had no paintings of full human figures just one figure that seemed to be a vulva attached to an unfinished pair of legs. As of now its one of the most significant prehistoric art sites on earth and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Filling our number 7 slot is Laas Geel. These are the cave formations found in the rural parts of Hargeisa in Somaliland. Even though the cave was known to locals of that area for ages, the caves only gained international attention in 2002 when an archaeological survey was undertaken by French researchers and they were shocked to find this cave undocumented. The cave contains very vivid paintings which are some of the earliest known cave paintings in the Horn of Africa. The rock art was created between 9000 and 3000 BC and its so well preserved till this day because of the granite overhangs. The artwork features cattle in ceremonial robes with humans and the necks of the cattle are embellished with plastron which is basically the flat part of a turtle shell. They also include other animals like dogs and giraffes. The colours on these paintings are so vivid i would believe if someone told me they literally painted them a month ago rather than thousands of years ago. Now at number 6 are the Psychedelics. Tassili Naja is a national park located in southeast Algeria. And of course these caves also became part of UNESCOs World Heritage Sites list in 1982. Most of the art in there dates back 12,000 years and there are more engravings than there are paintings. There are 15,000 engravings in the cave and they consist of mostly large animals like crocodiles and antelopes and it even has humans dancing and hunting. But they also include something called fungoid rock art. Back in 1989 psychedelics researcher Giorgio Sammarini claimed that the paintings that look like fungoids were proof that people inhabiting the Sahara Desert had taken psychedelics. Theres one bit of artwork that depicts various masked figures in a line dressed as dancers surrounded by festoons. Each dancer has a mushroom like object in their hand with lines coming out of the mushroom and connecting to the dancers head. Its obviously open to interpretation on what the picture means but i think you can see why Giorgio took away from it what he did. And believe it or not psychedelics aside the caves also house alien depictions. Flying saucer like figures in the sky and people that look like humans but have one eye and just have very alien like features. The pictures are quite creepy im not gonna lie but these caves seem to have it all. Coming in at number 5 is the prehistoric Sistine Chapel. Yes im not kidding you thats what some people have nicknamed the Lascaux Caves. Located in the southwestern part of France, there are a lot of caves in France on this list. The caves have in them more than 600 paintings mostly of big mammals in the area, humans and abstract signs. The art inside the cave is meticulously split into those 3 categories. The paintings were the product of a huge combined effort spanning many generations, the earliest painting was done 17,000 years ago. However theres one painting called the Crossed Bison that grabbed everyones attention. The crossed hind legs of the animal create the illusion that one bison is closer to the viewer than the other. The fact that paleolithic cave painters had that skill and primitive form of perspective is evidence that they were advanced for their time. Funnily enough the entrance of the cave was found by an 18 year old walking his dog and his dog fell into a hole which ended up being the tunnel. The boy came back with 3 friends thinking the tunnel was an entrance into the Lascaux Manor but then they found the paintings. By 1995 the cave had 1200 daily visitors but that created a preservation problem because lichens and crystals began to develop. And on top of that they started having a huge fungus problem as well so theyve convened many times to see how they can preserve the cave. At number 4 are the X-Ray Paintings. The Kakadu National Park is a protected area in the northern part of Australia and the place is massive. Im talking the size of the country Slovenia massive. Its also home to one of the earths biggest concentrations of rock artwork. Some are nearly 20,000 years old and they provide an insight into aboriginal life like nothing else has before. The park has 2 main galleries Burunku, Burunkai and Uber. For these people the act of painting was more important than the painting itself and so they cover all the paintings with newer ones. The art shows the objects they use everyday, the things they do and the animals they hunt. Some paintings can only be done by the person with the right knowledge so someone who had no magic knowledge could not do a sorcery painting for example. They paint animals in order to place them in touch with the spirit of that animal which would hopefully ensure them a successful hunt. But the painters didnt just draw the animals they drew their organs and their bones as well which is the first time discoverers had found depictions like that and hence they were called X-Ray Paintings. Filling our number 3 slot are the Underwater Paintings. This ones about the Karski Cave located near Maasai, France. The cave was by a man named Henry Karski back in 1985 but the public only found out about it 6 years later when 3 divers actually got lost and died in the cave. But if you wanted to find the cave today you would just have to go through a 175m long tunnel which is all well and good except the entrance to that is 37m under sea level. That puts a bit of a spanner in the works i think. Sadly 4 fifths of the caves art was permanently submerged underwater and hence destroyed but 150 pieces of cave art are still intact. Art like hand stencils date back to 27,000 years BP and the newer art of different animals and signs dates back to 19,000 years BP. People were stunned at the fact the art was a underwater and b it was partially intact. In circumstances like that the art would usually be lost so it was miraculous that it hadnt been and thats why it deserves the number 3 slot i think. Now at number 2 are the Magura Cave Paintings. This cave is located in northwest region of Bulgaria, all the paintings were done from bat poo and are done on stone. This is probably the most extensive series of cave paintings ever found and they cover a range of epics, the Neolithic, some other ones that i cant pronounce im not gonna try and even the start of the early bronze age. There are more than 700 drawings in the cave and they fall into 4 groups, zoomorphic, symbolic, anthropomorphic and geometric figures. The figures are mostly stick figures and not extremely detailed but its very easy to grasp what theyre trying to depict. The cave was formed nearly 15 million years ago and youd have to walk a good 1.6 miles to cover the whole thing. It has one main gallery that includes 6 halls and the largest one being the art core thats 69ft high and 420ft long. This cave is filled with quote on quote art and is bigger than nearly all art galleries in the world. No wonder people were shook i would be too. And finally at number 1 is the Cave of Hands also known as Cueva de las Manos. These caves are located in Argentina and are insanely famous for the numerous numerous hands painted inside the caves. The art dates back to 13,000 to 9,000 years ago and obviously a lot of different groups of people occupied the caves during that time. I mean some of the earliest artwork has been carbon dated to 7300 BC. All the hands inside the cave are stenciled and most of them are left hands indicating that the people probably used their right hand to hold the spraying pipe or they sprayed the back of their right hand with their left. It made sense trust me. Either way the cave was filled with hands, there was also artwork of full human beings, geometric shapes, hunting scenes etc. They used mineral pigments to make the images like iron oxides to get the reds and purples, manganese oxide to make black and so on. The site became a UNESCO world heritage site back in 1999 and people were glad. Its not every day you stumble upon a cave thats filled with sprayed hands dating to 7300 BC. Just thinking about how much history took place in that cave and all the different people those hands could have belonged to and what their lives would have been like. Kicking off the list at number 10, Cueva de las Manos. Kicking off this list were gonna head to Patagonia, the southern part of Argentina and it holds some pretty haunting pieces of art from 13,000 years ago. Its also referred to as the cave of hands which can either be really beautiful or absolutely terrifying. Either way you look at it. Depends. I don't know a pile of hands for some reason I don't feel at ease looking at this. Whoever got the hands on the top part hats off to you. That is pure commitment right there. The bone pipes that were used to spray the paint at the wall, well those bone fragments were aged to around 9 to 13,000 years ago. There's something primal about drawing your hands. Like I remember doing this exact project in grade 3. Hands are beautiful, everyone's got unique different shaped hands. I would do this and then I'd write my name Taylor right in the middle. I still can't write. Number 9, Lascaux cave murals. These paleolithic drawings are from 17,000 BC. Haunting to look at to think that humans could draw this well that many moons ago. And I'm still over here drawing suns in the corner of my work. Come on. I gotta step it up. The Lascaux cave murals are now a world heritage site. In the 40s you could visit the cave yourself but thanks to carbon dioxide levels from visitors and your breath it was closed later in 1963. Yet the art was literally fading away with every breath that we took. Not only is this one of the oldest pieces of art ever but these paintings resemble the origin of spirituality. Markings in caves like this from ages ago come long before many religious books. Yet a lot of paintings tend to have demons in them. Like biblical demons. Perhaps these drawings were inspired from hallucinations, I mean hopefully. But many believe it's the first account of a demon interacting with a human being on our planet. How lovely is that. And in turn thousands of years ago we had to record what happened. With the only thing we had which was, evidently, cave art. Number 8, Romanelli cave art. Located in Italy. This was actually discovered just over 100 years ago so it's actually quite recent. We love new, old art. Hiding this entire time on Italy's southeast coast, only 7 meters above the Adriatic sea which explains why nobody ever found it this entire time. Well luckily mother nature has our back. She's sending us clues. There's actually a collapse that happened inside of the cave which created, well, more difficulties in the search in the long run but it actually helped. Through excavation of the cave researchers have found deposits of animal bones, human bones, and of course, art. What a loaded discovery. Got a little bit of everything. That's a lot of loot. They found what's called a bovid which is some geometric patterns which are made using moon milk. It's the soft white material found in limestone and it seems to be a bird, I guess, which is pretty amazing considering how few of these we see in the ancient art world. This art is great but next to bones? It sounds like this wasn't really a passion project. It sounds like some poor soul was stuck in that cave and had to make a bird to avoid going insane. Animal bones suggest they had something to eat along the way so I'm just saying they had time to create this masterpiece. Also what a horrible scenario. Number 7, Lascaux. Lascaux is a complex of caves and different rock shelters located in northwestern Somalia. These caves and shelters contain some of the earliest known art pieces in the Horn of Africa which is amazing considering the history of humans and Africa in general and how far back we go. That's where it all began and these prehistoric cave paintings show cows in ceremonial robes. And there's also some humans. There's also some domesticated dogs and of course, since it's Africa, a giraffe is also hanging in. Whatever's going on, it's beautiful and I want to be part of it. I have FOMO. The paintings are extremely well preserved. They're beautiful. Again, I just want to know what's going on if I'm being honest. Looks like a good time here. Or a really bad time. Never know. Number 6, Forbidden Friends. Lascaux cave paintings date back to some 17,000 years ago and a lot of the art seen on the walls of the cave is art that depicts animals. There's about 900 of them. This thing is fully loaded. Over 600 are pretty identifiable. In it we see cattle, bison, some wild cats, bears, birds, but no reindeer. Which is odd. This is where the mystery comes into play. What happened here? Did they just forget about this one specific animal out of 900 although they ate reindeer meat daily? It took a long time to realize but our best guess now is that these works of art, these animals, are ones they never caught. Yeah, the forbidden Pokemon. The ones they didn't catch at all. Animals they would dream about, if anything. They could never hunt or catch them because, well, especially at this time, they were way too fast, too large, and too strong. Plus, this is a time before certain weapons or tools were ever available. Yeah, more than fair. I would much rather draw a bison than have to tackle one. We're good. Number 5, The Cave of El Castillo. A.K.A. The Cave of the Castle. This is a stone age rock shelter located in Spain and it holds some of the oldest cave paintings that we have ever found, period. The most notable of all the art found here is referred to as the Gallery of Hands, which is a panel of abstract signs and hand stencil rock art that has been dated to around 40,000 years ago. So, again, so old. This cave holds over 100 different images such as several rock engravings of deer, again, animals, as well as other animals that would have been seen in the area like bison, goats, horses, or rocks which are now an extinct species. There are even images found in this cave of dogs, which is extremely rare in prehistoric cave art. We love dogs. In art or if it was homo sapiens after all this. And to be honest, it can go either way. There's a fine line and art is just the only divider of that line. Number 4, Uber. As a lanky guy such as myself, this next work of art, this hits close to home for sure. Located in the Kakadu National Park, Northern Australia, this area was quite ideal when it came to shelter. The large overhanging rocks, I mean, if you're okay with giant spiders, you're at least staying dry every day. Early humans chose the specific spots for their art and it totally makes sense. Some of the art here is said to be 20,000 years old, featuring many different animals, like catfish, turtles, possum, wallabies, Tasmanian tigers, oh my, this thing was loaded. Along with the extensive amount of rock art that can be found here, there's also art that was found painted on skeletons of animals in the area as well, which sure, on paper sounds beautiful and all, but now that we're way past it, we can look back and say, hey, I didn't want to see that. Seeing this unfold in real time would be quite stressful. Just a dude painting a fresh pile of bones, I'd be like, hey, really good stuff, super early, but I'm going to go throw up. Love it. We love art. Number three, Gorham's Cave. Neanderthal rock engravings dating back to 37,000 years ago. Let's do it. Found in Gorham's Cave, Gibraltar, the biggest question here as far as cave art goes, did Neanderthals do this or was this modern man? That's always the question. Whodunit. The thing with art is that it's so subjective. Are these scratches art? Is this animal art? Is this even an animal to begin with? What is this? Is it a circle with, what is it? In total, there's eight tiny rock engravings found. They were discovered by a team of scientists back in July, 2012. They were tucked away on a ledge in the far back part of the cave, so they were hiding. Were these etched into the walls before the time of modern man? So far, we're leaning towards Neanderthal, again. Being one of the earliest types of art in the world, yeah, it's plausible. This was definitely a Neanderthal. It feels so bad because the art isn't that good, so they're like, I don't know if they did it. It's like, I think they did. I think they knew quite a bit. They knew how to hunt mammoths. I can't do that. None of us can do it. Number two, ruined cave art. This painting is the oldest known painting in India, which is a feat in itself, and it was found on the walls of Sittinavasal Cave. It was originally believed that this painting was first created in the first century BCE. The painting depicts things like human figures, fish, elephants, birds, different floral patterns, recognizable things. The haunting part here is that another artist ended up drawing over the original ancient artwork, which, I mean, on one hand, if you did that today, if you spray painted over somebody's art outside, that's bad juju. That's like the worst of the worst. You're upsetting a lot of people, and you're for sure in danger. Imagine that in the ancient form. That takes so much time and effort to ruin somebody's work. These paintings have been severely vandalized, and a lot of the areas are permanently now in bad shape. Yeah, leave ancient art alone. Do you want to get cursed? This is definitely how you get cursed. Don't touch it. Look, don't touch. Number one, Altamira Cave. And last but not least, we're heading over to Spain for our last painting on today's list. This one has us scratching our heads still because, obviously, it's quite old. This is prehistoric art. This is the oldest of the oldest. This time, we have charcoal drawings and polychrome paintings that show some contemporary fauna and human, again, hands. The fascinating part here is that these are prehistoric. They're the first European cave paintings with a prehistoric origin. That is massive. It was thought for a long time that prehistoric humans weren't capable of abstract thought. Yet, here we are on YouTube. I'm like, ah, we're getting better. Handprints. Yet again, that's for sure abstract. It's said the earliest of these paintings here can date back to the upper Paleolithic period, which is 36,000 years ago. That's quite old. There's a lot of interest in the people coming from space, you know? Yes. And I know you're interested. Oh, I'm very interested in that. How much did they tell you about that? A lot. Really? What did they tell you? Ancient rock art featuring images of what looks like UFOs, entities with antennae and space helmets. Are these just images from the imaginations of our early ancestors or were they documenting things they actually saw? And if so, where did these strange entities come from? These are ancient cave drawings that seem to show alien visitors. What you're looking at here is rock art found in Segoe Canyon in Utah. Some of this stuff looks very interesting. These petroglyphs, some more than 8,000 years old, feature these mysterious figures with large hollow eyes and often no arms or legs. Some even look like they have antennas. To fans of the ancient astronaut theory, this looks like possible evidence that extraterrestrials came to Earth long, long ago. One of the most famous images is known as the Barrier Canyon Holy Man. This one is very eerie. I mean, just what is this thing that the smaller, dark figures are surrounding? Is it meant to be a god or could it be a depiction of something they really saw? Something from another world? Well, researcher Polly Shafsma thinks that these figures were probably created as part of shamanic rituals, not encounters with aliens. That the figures with strange eyes and legless bodies might represent spirit beings or supernatural entities that shamans, spiritual leaders of the time, claimed to have contacted during trance-like states. According to Shafsma, shamans often believed they could travel to other realms using hallucinogens to connect with these divine beings for guidance. What exactly are these figures wearing on their heads? Some say they look a lot like helmets. These figures are part of the Valcamonica petroglyphs in Italy. They're often mentioned when the concept of ancient alien astronauts is brought up. You know, because isn't everyone talking about this stuff all the time? These petroglyphs, which date back over 10,000 years, show a variety of different images. Some of them are pretty standard stuff, animals, symbols, god-like entities. But some of them, especially the two astronaut-looking guys, look way more sci-fi than anything you could expect from ancient humans. So did these ancient humans record encounters with extraterrestrials or are we just seeing what we want to see? At the end of the day, we can never really know for sure unless we somehow manage to invent time travel, which I really hope we do. In the tribal Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, India, a set of ancient rock paintings were rediscovered in 2014 and they're pretty crazy looking. Discovered near the town of Charama, the paintings date back about 10,000 years. And archaeologist J.R. Bhagat was immediately fascinated by how much of them seemed to look like aliens and UFOs. And I definitely see it. Some seem to show humanoid figures with antennae descending from the sky. Others seem to be flying in disc-shaped crafts with the three legs coming out from the bottom. In a few images, the figures are shown wearing what appear to be space suits. Now, Bhagat was pretty much full on with the alien stuff. He actually made it pretty clear that he thought there was a very good chance these paintings represented ancient humans' encounters with extraterrestrials, or at least their imagination of alien beings from out in the stars. Locals from the area also have legends of ancient beings known as the Rohela people, which translates to the small-sized ones. And they have stories of these entities landing in flying machines, abducting villagers and taking them away, never to be seen again. Could these rock paintings be depicting those very same sky visitors? Or are these images just products of the artist's imaginations? They want you cave paintings of the Kimberley region in Australia have fascinated people for centuries. These paintings show figures with these large black eyes, white faces, and no mouths. Often surrounded by halos are what sort of look like helmets. They're unlike anything we'd expect to see in Aboriginal art, which has led to this theory that these could be depictions of alien beings. Now, the Wanjina are considered powerful spirit beings in Australian Aboriginal culture, believed to have come from the sky during the dream time. They're said to have created the land and its people before disappearing into the earth or returning back to the stars. But it's really hard to look at these images here and not see your stereotypical alien, isn't it? Why are they painted this way? Could these ancient beings really have been extraterrestrial visitors? In the heart of the Sahara, there's a place called the Tassili Nager, a massive sandstone plateau in southern Algeria. First of all, the landscape just looks otherworldly. It looks like another planet, which makes some of the rock art even stranger. The rock art, which includes about 15,000 paintings and carvings, is considered one of the richest archaeological sites in the entire world. The most famous part of the Tassili rock art is from what's called the round head period, which dates back around six to 8,000 years. And these images, they're definitely out there. The figures painted on the rocks have big round heads, no real facial features, and some even have strange, almost alien looking features like this one here with the elongated head. Another famous image known as the God of Safar almost looks like a humanoid wearing some sort of strange suit. And some of the other figures look like they're wearing diving helmets or spacesuits. Of course, others argue that these could just be representations of ritualistic masks or ceremonial dresses from ancient times. Whatever they are though, these paintings give us an incredible look into the life in the Sahara thousands of years ago. The Kaknos stone is a massive 42 foot by 26 foot stone in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, covered in strange grooved spirals, geometric shapes, and over 90 mysterious cup and ring carvings. The markings are believed to date back around 5,000 years, making the stone one of the finest examples of Bronze Age rock art in Europe. It was discovered by Reverend James Harvey in 1887. What makes the Kaknos stone so intriguing is not just the sheer number of carvings on it, but some of the odd features like the pre-Christian cross, two pairs of carved footprints, each with only four toes. Why only four toes? Could this be a symbol or could it mean some kind of otherworldly influence? In the 60s, the stone was repeatedly damaged by vandals. So in 1964, archaeologists decided to cover it up to protect it. The stone was buried for decades, but about eight years ago it started being unearthed again. And this unearthing, of course, brought a lot of attention to the mysterious carvings once again. Some theorists, especially those into the ancient astronaut idea, think these carvings could be evidence of alien visitors from the past. The weird shapes, the footprints, is it just ancient art or could it be something more? In the Talimpaya National Park in Argentina, there's a mysterious collection of ancient petroglyphs carved into some of the rock faces. The petroglyphs date back thousands of years, with some estimates putting them around 2,000 to 3,000 years old. I mean, does this not look a bit like a person in a spacesuit to you? I mean, it's very rudimentary, but I could see it. Some of the figures also have large, round heads with long, thin bodies and arms. Others have bizarre elongated faces or oversized eyes. It could just be stylistic, of course, but it's easy to see why some people say these might be representations of ancient encounters with something from beyond. The Judicula Rock is this massive boulder in the mountains of North Carolina, full of some of the most intriguing sets of petroglyphs in the United States. The rock itself is covered in over 1,500 symbols, including cut marks, spirals, tracks, and what some believe to be winged shapes and claw-like imprints. But what do these designs actually mean? Some think the petroglyphs may represent a map of the surrounding landscape, showing hunting trails, rivers, and landmarks that were important to the Cherokee people. The Cherokee also have their own legends connected to the rock, including stories of Judicula, a mythical creature described as this slant-eyed master of game. The rock is considered spiritually significant to the Cherokee, and it was part of an old trail connecting sacred sites. With more than 1,500 carvings, Judicula Rock holds more petroglyphs than any other site east of the Mississippi. Its true meaning is still a bit of a mystery, but it is clear that the ancient site was extremely important, culturally and spiritually. So we're going to go back to Segoe Canyon for a moment to talk more specifically about the rock art created by the Fremont people. Segoe County is a bit of a time capsule, with rock art from four different periods, Archaic, Fremont, Ute, and even some Anglo-American additions from the late 1800s. The Fremont style dates back around 600-1250 CE. It features these human-like figures that are pecked directly into the rock, and they're very strange-looking figures. To me, some of them almost look like your classic 1950s-style robots. Very boxy bodies, what almost looks like antennas sticking out of their heads, details that look kind of like buttons and knobs on their bodies. Again, could these figures represent something more than just ancient people? Could they be alien visitors or their technology? By the time the Ute style started coming about around 1300 to the mid-1800s, the art had evolved to include more realistic depictions of animals, shields, and warriors, more standard stuff. And then, of course, we see the addition of graffiti by settlers and miners in the 19th century. In the hills of Galicia, Spain, there's a fascinating collection of ancient rock art known as the Galician Spirals, found on rocks scattered across the region that date back thousands of years, with some estimates putting them at over 4,000 years old. Spirals are pretty interesting because of their unusual-ish design. They're typically circular or spiral shapes, sometimes intertwined with other patterns like zigzags or concentric rings. Spirals are often interpreted as symbolic representations of ancient religious or spiritual beliefs at the time. Some researchers think they could be connected to the sun, cycles of nature, or fertility. But what's interesting is how these shapes resemble motifs found in other ancient cultures, from Europe to South America. Some people believe these spirals might actually depict something more extraordinary, like alien encounters. The idea is that the spirals, with their complex swirling shapes, could be taken from symbols on alien visitors' spacecraft. And, you know, I could see that because of how similar these are across the world, as this stuff humans were seeing everywhere. I mean, they had no contact with each other at the time. Or it could just be something we intrinsically draw. We just like doing those shapes. You know, take your pick.