UVic cave art expert named 2016 National Geographic Emerging Explorer

Exploring the meaning behind the geometric symbols on cave walls launched the research career of Genevieve von Petzinger, University of Victoria PhD candidate in anthropology, and won her recognition with a 2016 National Geographic Emerging Explorer award. She is one of a group of 13 individuals from around the globe whose unconventional thinking and innovations are changing the world for the better, the National Geographic Society announced today.

“When I first started studying the geometric signs of Ice Age Europe, I really had no idea where it would lead or the wonderful response I would get from people and organizations around the world,” says von Petzinger. “Having grown up reading that iconic yellow magazine, it seems slightly surreal to have been selected as a National Geographic Emerging Explorer—it's such a wonderful recognition.”

Crawling through caves of western Europe, von Petzinger compared abstract geometric signs such as dots, lines and squiggles and found that 32 specific signs repeated across space and time—proving that ancient humans used graphic communication tens of thousands of years earlier than scholars once thought. She plans to return to cave sites in France and Portugal as well as embark on new investigations of underwater caves off the coast of Spain.

National Geographic’s Emerging Explorers Program recognizes and supports uniquely gifted and inspiring scientists, conservationists, storytellers, and innovators—explorers who are already making a difference early in their careers. To help the emerging explorers realize their potential, National Geographic awards each of them $10,000 for research and exploration.

von Petzinger is available for media interviews in both English and French.

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