About 40,000 years ago, the Cro-Magnons began sculpting human and animal figurines. These were carved into ivory, limestone, and animal teeth. This was the beginning of symbolic representation. One might ask what the significance of the outline of a hand might be? Is it a form of communication that says someone in particular was here? It is interesting that figures are bent down in various configuration so it not typical to see a full compliment of fingers. Is it some ritual magic that derives some curing power from touching a wall in a cave? No one will ever know but the creative energies of people were seen early in symbolic representations such as painted hands.