The Athena engraving had simply enchanted me. Seeing it the first time,  breathtakingly ancient, complex, and brilliantly drawn, I had a  strange feeling - being on the verge of seeing something special.  I heard tiny whispers from my subconsciousness, but I couldn't  make them out... I promised myself another look at the image, eventually.
   


Half a year later, I was reading the "Clam Plate Orgy" by the author of best-selling "Subliminal Seduction" Wilson Bryan Key. In chapter 3 - Perceptual Engineering in Fine Art - he traces subliminal techniques of the ad-industry to works of earlier artists, down to the 1300's A.D. As soon as I had read  this, my inner voice exclaimed:

" I know Stone Age art using such techniques!"

I must confess that I first saw the engraving in Däniken's much villified "Chariots of the Gods"... To many this is an utterly negative reference. But, look at the difference in our respective depths of approach.  Däniken devotes a paragraph or two to it, and passes on to some other two-paragraph 'proof' of ancient astronauts  In contrast, I've put a lot of time and effort into exploring this engraving, and it has given me back enlightement on certain aspects of our prehistory, and their continuation into the present day. My belief and confidence in the great wisdom, science, and powers of the this engraving's creators are categorical, and unshakable.  I have learned so much science from it, it's almost magical. How could I deny or misjudge this knowledge?

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My early independent diagnosis had correctly determined that the Engraving is a collection  of a number of super-imposed images. From that point, my findings diverged radically from the consensus.

Image Characteristics

The images are mandalas, meaning that there is no one main up, or down direction in them. As the image turns - some figures always assume proper orientation to a fixed viewpoint.

b)     Nucleus   

In the La Marche images, one can usually distinguish a circular, or elliptical nucleus. Repeated motif of a nucleus suggests that it was made a deliberate, and systematic part of the layout. It was perceived as the center of the image. - This may seem like a natural conclusion, but it should be noted that the scientific opinion remains quite oblivious to this fact.

c)     Symmetry  

The picture's elements tend to balance around axes of symmetry.

d)     Componentability and Order versus Chaos   

My point here is that it is easily shown how particular sub-images share vital lines with each other. If one figure is removed other figures will disappear, too. Ergo - no Chaos, no tangled agglomerations of images, as alleged by the blindly judgemental experts, who should really know better than that.

e)    Subliminal Contents  

Some sub-images, which would normally be readily recognizable when by themselves - seem effectively hidden in the context of the whole image, made virtually subliminal. Such artistic savvy bespeaks academic training.

f)   Fantastic Nature of some Sub-Images   

Some people like Stephane Lwoff, or myself, have an eye for picking out fantastic imagery from the engravings of La Marche - in my case -  pyramids, mechanical craft, castles on hilltops, hybrid creatures, and equestrians, robots, even a rifleman, alien looking beings,  to mention just a few thought provoking items.

g)   X- Ray Transparency  

Some images have a quality of transparency - ( this is general consensus ).

h)   Geometric Style - Cubism   

Various areas enclosed by lines can be rendered in contrasting colors. Subsequently, the entire picture strikes us as Cubism, or some other abstract art from geometrically savvied modern masters. By following a given line we often find that it belongs to several geometrical forms, circle-arcs, triangles, etc.

i)   Organized flow of elements   

Good Go or Chess players see and think in terms of the whole board rather than just isolated sections of it like the "fish". When applied to the engravings, this type of vision tends to perceive an organized flow of elements - and a balanced layout. Such observations are irreconcilable with notions that the images are chaotic agglomerations.

j)   Euclidean Geometry   

This report shows two ancient designs to be based on scientific mathematics,  and surely, other works should have the same hermetic character .

(April 2003 - Indeed, I have discovered another such design - widely known as 'Abydos Helicopter'!)

 hypothesis

Art, or Mathematics can be used like a language. The combination of both in prehistoric works presents an unfathomed potential. Because we are extracting information of exact nature from the research material now, we should carry on with it for as long as possible, and see where it all leads.
We have strong reasons for measured optimism - the main purpose of the Ancients' work seems outward-oriented, i.e., meant to challenge the viewer's intellect, engage it in a game of logical detection, and reward it with knowledge. Once vaulted in the ground, the drawings become adressed "to whomever it may concern" - they become a time capsule.

We may also speculate on the nature of the drawings's creators. Their choice of the medium and the method (Art & Mathematics), and the longevity of their continent spanning influence (12 millenia if the Nasca Monkey is 2 millenia old) makes them seem positively powerful. I have the greatest respect for them, and also great expectations.
I should also mention the lack of any violence from the La Marche images.  One and a half-thousand Paleolithic drawings - and there is not  a single instance of a hunting scene. This speaks volumes.