Paleolithic cave painters were probably high

A new paper theorizes that some of the themes and motifs in Paleolithic cave paintings might be due to the artist being incredibly high at the time. Apparently the researchers found a number of points of reference between Paleolithic paintings and the experiences reported by modern-day humans on hallucinogenic drugs (including peyote). 

Could this be why the animals in the paintings seem to float by like clouds? Were hallucinogenic drugs (most likely derived from plants and mushrooms) part of everyday life in the Paleolithic era, or at the very least, part of their religious rituals? Hard to say, but it adds depth to our consideration of the artworks they left behind.

Image courtesy Flickr/Jomilo75