Yes, no

Whenever I read about a spectacular museum exhibit, ancient of course, artifacts involve scenes of warfare and prayer to the gods. Animals, precious metals and gemstones also figure heavily in the art. Altimara, Spain’s Stone Age cave drawings involved a huge bison-like animal. An Egyptian helmet required 33 boars’ tusks in its creation. The headdress of an Egyptian queen utilized gold, glass, turquoise and carnelian. Imagining life in the civilizations from which these masterpieces derive is impossible. But taking away an understanding of basic human needs is not difficult. In the beginning, there were wars and gods. There was man and man among the animals. Man, god, war and animals, like spokes of a wheel, continually revolve together. Modern technologies have changed warfare, religious observances, metallurgy and veterinary medicine, but the basics of human endeavor have not changed. We need God, war, animal companions and creative expression. Inexplicable, yes. Deniable, no.