the connection between prehistoric hand print cave paintings and early shamanic use of psychedelic mushrooms

cave paintings from ‘cueva de las manos’ (cave of the hands), in southern argentina, made around 11,000-7,000 BCE

hand prints are a common motif across prehistoric cave art, and they can be found all around the world. although it is unclear what these prints resemble, some believe they served a shamanic purpose.

an algerian cave painting on the tassili-n-ajjer plateau in the sahara desert, around 9,000-6,000 BCE

the painting features a shamanic figure with mushrooms sprouting from his body, and also includes hand prints.

you can read more about hand prints in cave art here.