纪录片《文明》 第6期 创世纪的第二个瞬间（6）

This was a doubling of the world, a life copy,

这是个复制的世界 生活的翻版

and executed with startling precision of drawing technique.

并以精密得令人惊讶的技术绘制而成

They even understood modelling,

他们甚至有立体的概念

anatomical features following the rock wall surface of the cave.

洞穴岩壁表面下的剖面结构

And there were many colours,

画中的色彩也更为丰富

not just the ubiquitous red ochre, but violets and blacks.

不仅有随处可见的红褐色 还有紫罗兰和黑色

And all those techniques

而这些技术

seem to have been there from the beginning,

似乎从文明开始就已经存在了

tens of thousands of years ago.

远在几万年前

When you think about this technique, your head just spins

要使用这项技术 你的大脑必须高速运转

because it has to have been, above all, a memory exercise.

毕竟 这是个脑力活动

They would have had to fix in their mind exact anatomical details

他们必须在脑海中构建出具体结构

and then transpose them here on the surface of the cave.

然后把它们转绘到洞穴里的岩壁上

And, yet, when all that was done,

而当这一切都实现后

they managed to preserve miraculously¹ this animal vitality².

他们设法奇迹般地保存了这种动物的生气

This is truly one of the great marvels³

这确实是人类突然开阔的思想

of the suddenly expanded human mind.

所创造的伟大奇迹之一

It was in the later years of the 19th century

直到十九世纪后期

that images like these began to be discovered.

这样的绘画才逐渐被发现

The first, and for many years the most famous,

最早 也是很长时间内最有名的壁画

were in the caves of Altamira,

是在阿尔塔米拉石洞被发现的

also in northern Spain.

也位于西班牙北部

Extraordinary paintings of bison, herds⁴ of them,

壁画上成群的野牛超凡绝伦

sleeping, lying, standing⁵.

睡着的 躺着的 站着的

1 miraculously   

ad.奇迹般地

参考例句：

• He had been miraculously saved from almost certain death. 他奇迹般地从死亡线上获救。
• A schoolboy miraculously survived a 25 000-volt electric shock. 一名男学生在遭受2.5 万伏的电击后奇迹般地活了下来。

2 vitality   

n.活力，生命力，效力

参考例句：

• He came back from his holiday bursting with vitality and good health.他度假归来之后，身强体壮，充满活力。
• He is an ambitious young man full of enthusiasm and vitality.他是个充满热情与活力的有远大抱负的青年。

3 marvels   

n.奇迹( marvel的名词复数 )；令人惊奇的事物（或事例）；不平凡的成果；成就v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The doctor's treatment has worked marvels : the patient has recovered completely. 该医生妙手回春，病人已完全康复。 来自辞典例句
• Nevertheless he revels in a catalogue of marvels. 可他还是兴致勃勃地罗列了一堆怪诞不经的事物。 来自辞典例句

4 herds   

兽群( herd的名词复数 )； 牧群； 人群； 群众

参考例句：

• Regularly at daybreak they drive their herds to the pasture. 每天天一亮他们就把牲畜赶到草场上去。
• There we saw herds of cows grazing on the pasture. 我们在那里看到一群群的牛在草地上吃草。

5 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。