Echoes in the Dark
Neolithic cave dwellers may have associated cave echoes with the spirit world. David Hendy listens to evidence deep underground next to paintings of bison and birds.
What do caves tell us about the mind and beliefs of Neolithic people? With no scientific explanation to hand for the phenomenon of the echo, it was natural to assume it was a spirit voice.
Certain echoes sounded like the galloping hooves of beasts; others like the fluttering wings of birds. These echoes appeared to come from the rocks themselves. They moved, they were uncanny - all this hinting at a 'spirit world' within.
Professor David Hendy from the University of Sussex visits the caves of Arcy-sur-Cure in Burgundy with musicologist Iegor Reznikoff to listen to evidence deep underground next to paintings of bison and birds.
A 30-part series made in collaboration with the British Library Sound Archive.
Producer: Matt Thompson
A Rockethouse production for 91热爆 Radio 4 first broadcast in 2013.
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"It's as if the cave is alive"
Duration: 02:01
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The singing cave
Duration: 01:05
Broadcasts
Mon 18 Mar 2013 13:4591热爆 Radio 4- Mon 19 Oct 2015 14:1591热爆 Radio 4 Extra
- Tue 20 Oct 2015 02:1591热爆 Radio 4 Extra
- Mon 20 May 2019 14:1591热爆 Radio 4 Extra
- Tue 21 May 2019 02:1591热爆 Radio 4 Extra
Noise retold by Matthew Herbert
The head of the New Radiophonic Workshop retells the Noise series using only the sounds.