Path to Success – Test 5

Hello everyone and welcome as part of this series of lectures on the development of early humans. Today we’re looking at rock art, the paintings, and drawings produced by prehistoric peoples as they spread across the continents. If you’ve been lucky enough to look at a piece of rock art close up, you’ll know it’s an experience that makes you wonder about the passage of time and our own history. But rock art also has a practical value for researchers, and let’s start by considering why that is. Firstly, it provides vital information about the way that people evolved – information not always easily obtainable from excavated artifacts alone.

(Q31) Secondly, rock art tells us about (= provides evidence about) migration [Thứ hai, nghệ thuật trên đá cho chúng ta biết về việc di cư]: where people came from, and where perhaps they went next. Rock art is found all over the world, and this in itself is not surprising. But what is rather amazing, you might think, is how similar some images are, whether you’re looking at a rock face in South Africa or standing inside a cave in Spain. Let me give you an example. When our ancestors drew humans, they would often draw them as stick figures. (Q32) But if they drew a face, then the eyes were almost always very prominent, very open and wide (= large) [Nhưng nếu họ vẽ một khuôn mặt, thì đôi mắt hầu như luôn rất nổi bật, mở rộng và to]. And of course, animals are very common in rock art. (Q33) But one animal, which is very interesting to researchers, is the lizard because whenever you see a prehistoric painting of one, it’s depicted either in profile or looking down on it from above (= drawn from the side or from above) [Nhưng có một loài động vật rất thú vị đối với các nhà nghiên cứu, đó là thằn lằn bởi vì bất cứ khi nào bạn nhìn thấy một bức tranh thời tiền sử về một con thằn lằn, nó sẽ được mô tả nghiêng hoặc nhìn từ trên cao xuống). And these drawings are produced by people of totally different cultural backgrounds. Amazing, but how can this be the case that similar artistic styles exist in such distant locations?

(Q34) In the past, archaeologists believed that trade must have brought people together and that it gave them the opportunity to observe each other’s culture, including art styles (= similar artistic styles). But this didn’t prove to be the case (= unlikely) [Trong quá khứ, các nhà khảo cổ tin rằng thương mại hẳn đã mang mọi người lại với nhau và nó cho họ cơ hội quan sát văn hóa của nhau, bao gồm cả phong cách nghệ thuật. Nhưng điều này đã không được chứng minh là đúng]. Recently researchers have come up with a new theory. They believe that (Q35) the brains of our ancestors evolved to notice certain images before others, and this was important, actually essential because, in an environment full of constant danger, it was necessary for survival [bộ não của tổ tiên chúng ta đã tiến hóa để ghi nhận một số hình ảnh trước những hình ảnh khác, và điều này rất quan trọng, thực sự cần thiết bởi vì trong một môi trường đầy nguy hiểm thường trực, nó cần thiết để sinh tồn]. So, the need to quickly recognize things that could be helpful or harmful could have had a great influence on rock art and explain why some images are more common across cultures than others. (Q36) Later on, there would have been other reasons why communities produced art – certainly for spiritual and social purposes (= reasons) and no doubt for political ones, too [Sau này, sẽ có những lý do khác khiến các cộng đồng sản xuất nghệ thuật – đương nhiên là vì mục đích xã hội, tinh thần và chắc chắn là vì mục đích chính trị nữa], as different tribes looked for allies and struggled against their enemies.

Well, as I said before, you confined rock art all over the world, but I’d like to focus now on the rock art of the Aboriginal people of Australia, the images that survive in this part of the world span at least 20,000 years. In fact, the Aborigines were still practicing this art form in the late 18th century, when the Europeans began to arrive and certain images point to the contact between them (= 

contact with Europeans). (Q37/Q38) For example, the Aborigines began to draw (= images drawn by Aboriginal) ships, which they would have seen along the coast [Ví dụ, thổ dân bắt đầu vẽ những con tàu mà họ có thể nhìn thấy dọc theo bờ biển]. It’s hard for us to imagine what they must have thought when these first began to appear. (Q37/Q38) Another image that is evidence of European arrival (= contact with Europeans) is that of horses [Một hình ảnh khác là bằng chứng về sự xuất hiện của người châu Âu là hình ảnh những con ngựa], an animal that would have been very alien to the Australian landscape. It isn’t actually known how many sites there are across Australia where rock art can be found, but unfortunately, we do know that much of the art is being lost to us. Erosion, of course, is one of the key reasons for its destruction. But human activity is also increasingly responsible. (Q39/Q40) Since the 19 sixties, industry alone has destroyed (= main threats) around an estimated 10,000 pieces of art [Kể từ những năm 1960, ước tính cho rằng chỉ riêng ngành công nghiệp đã phá hủy khoảng 10.000 tác phẩm nghệ thuật]. At this rate in 50 years, half of all Australian rock art could have disappeared for good. Vandalism is, sadly another factor. (Q39/Q40) And although most people, I believe, would wish to preserve this art, I’m afraid that tourism is another reason why the art is disappearing (= main threats) [Và mặc dù tôi tin rằng hầu hết mọi người đều mong muốn bảo tồn nghệ thuật này, nhưng e rằng du lịch là một lý do khác khiến nghệ thuật này đang biến mất]. In some cases, the art is damaged…

Well, as I said before, you can find rock art all over the world,but Id like to focus now on the rock art of the Aboriginalpeople of Australia. The images that survive in this part of theworld span at least 20,000 years. In fact, the Aborigines werestill practising this art form in the late 18th century, when the Europeans began to arrive, and certain images point to thecontact between them. For example, the Aborigines began todraw ships which they would have seen along the coast – it’s hard for us to imagine what they must have thought when these first began to appear. Another image that is evidence of European arrival is that of horses; an animal that would have been very alien to the Australian landscape. Um, it isn’tactually known how many sites there are across Australiawhere rock art can be found – but unfortunately we do knowthat much of the art is being lost to us. Erosion, of course, isone of the key reasons for its destruction, but human activityis also increasingly responsible. Since the 1960s, industryalone has destroyed around an estimated 10,000 pieces of art.At this rate, in 50 years, half of all Australian rock art couldhave disappeared for good. Vandalism is sadly another factor. And although most people, I believe, would wish to preservethis art, I’m afraid that tourism is another reason why the artis disappearing. In some cases, the art is damaged when …