ABSTRACT
The importance of adopting a contextual approach to the study of human cave use applies at many scales of analysis, not just in the case of the juxtaposition of different activities. For example, our appreciation of the wonders of cave art is greatly enhanced by attempts to reconstruct the circumstances under which these images may have been viewed originally, taking account of light, shade, and viewpoint and acknowledging a potential role for other sensory stimuli such as sound. Taking a somewhat broader view, in the realm of ritual behaviour caves are not the only natural features imbued with special significance and many societies attribute ideological meaning to a range of natural features such as rocks, trees, streams, waterfalls, and chasms. Ritual cave use needs to be considered within this wider context if it is to be understood.
