In archaeology, the term entoptic phenomena relates to visual experiences derived from within the eye or brain (as opposed to externally, as in normal vision). In this respect they differ slightly from the medical definition, which defines entoptic phenomena as only applying to sources within the eye, not the brain. To avoid this confusion, the term subjective visual phenomena is sometimes used. ''Entoptic'' was chosen by author

David Lewis-Williams James David Lewis-Williams (born 1934) is a South African archaeologist. He is best known for his research on southern African San (Bushmen) rock art, of which it can be said that he found a 'Rosetta Stone'. He is the founder and previous direct ...

due to its origin from

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

meaning "coming from within".Lewis-Williams 2002, p. 127. There has been a great deal of work trying to find evidence of motifs and compositions derived from entoptic phenomena in

prehistoric art In the history of art, prehistoric art is all art produced in preliterate, prehistorical cultures beginning somewhere in very late geological history, and generally continuing until that culture either develops writing or other methods of rec ...

, especially

rock art In archaeology, rock art is human-made markings placed on natural surfaces, typically vertical stone surfaces. A high proportion of surviving historic and prehistoric rock art is found in caves or partly enclosed rock shelters; this type also ...

and

megalithic art Megalithic art refers to art either painted or carved onto megaliths in prehistoric Europe. Elizabeth Shee Twohig has coined the term Megalithic art in her study of The Megalithic Art of Western Europe. Her original definition of Megalithic a ...

. The justification of this research is that entoptic phenomena normally occur during states of altered consciousness, the practice of which may affect our views of ancient religious and social practice. The importance of looking outside traditional methods of research for interpreting

prehistoric Prehistory, also known as pre-literary history, is the period of human history between the use of the first stone tools by hominins 3.3 million years ago and the beginning of recorded history with the invention of writing systems. The use of ...

cultures is made more so due to the lack of abundant data which makes current cultural studies viable. "Art and the ability to comprehend it are more dependent on kinds of mental imagery and the ability to manipulate mental images than on intelligence."

David Lewis-Williams's system

Stage 1

Experiences include

geometric Geometry (; ) is, with arithmetic, one of the oldest branches of mathematics. It is concerned with properties of space such as the distance, shape, size, and relative position of figures. A mathematician who works in the field of geometry is ca ...

visual patterns such as dots, zagging lines, as well as grid patterns which are all common shapes which are universally understood by the human condition.Lewis-Williams 2002, p. 121. These patterns and shapes can be seen without aid of

psychotropic A psychoactive drug, psychopharmaceutical, psychoactive agent or psychotropic drug is a chemical substance, that changes functions of the nervous system, and results in alterations in perception, mood, consciousness, cognition or behavior. Th ...

substances but under their influence the heightened effects precipitate modes of altered consciousness. Entoptic experiences differ from

hallucination A hallucination is a perception in the absence of an external stimulus that has the qualities of a real perception. Hallucinations are vivid, substantial, and are perceived to be located in external objective space. Hallucination is a combinatio ...

s in that they are a purely visual phenomenon, while hallucinations represent experience of culturally occurring themes as well as physical coming from the five senses.

Stage 2

Entoptic Phenomena are interpreted in ways that can be understood, matched to objects or ideas that may be familiar in day-to-day life and may also be attributed to the individuals state such as hunger, sexual arousal, or anxiety and fear.Lewis-Williams 2002, p. 128. Placing objects in reality from base shapes seen under influence from psychotropics which link to

somatic Somatic may refer to: * Somatic (biology), referring to the cells of the body in contrast to the germ line cells ** Somatic cell, a non-gametic cell in a multicellular organism * Somatic nervous system, the portion of the vertebrate nervous sys ...

physical responses lead now to full hallucinations. The relation between the first stage entoptic image and later stage full hallucinations are not mutually exclusive, both may be present.

Stage 3

Stage 3 images become iconic, relating to themes from the subjects life and become linked to powerful emotional experiences.Lewis-Williams 2002, p. 129. Metaphor and simile give way to the belief that objects are exactly what they appear to be "subject losing insight into the differences between literal and analogical meanings" These stages may not always be sequential, and all stages may not be experienced depending on the subject and of course the type of psychotropic being used. Lewis-Williams notes that altered states are and their resulting impact on human

consciousness Consciousness, at its simplest, is sentience and awareness of internal and external existence. However, the lack of definitions has led to millennia of analyses, explanations and debates by philosophers, theologians, linguisticians, and scien ...

is often marginalized within state, scientific, and religious realms. "The contemporary Western emphasis on the supreme value of intelligence has tended to suppress certain forms of consciousness and to regard them as irrational, marginal, aberrant or even pathological and thereby to eliminate them from investigations of the deep past." As with any well rounded approach to cultural or historical study, all aspects of the human condition must be explored, especially when such exploration takes us outside of our usual cultural perspective.

Notes

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