I agree, the designs are very interesting. I teach a class in human evolution, and these images can be seen quite often in paleolithic art. One of the current theories to explain the ubiquity of these designs is that they are an intermediate step between abstraction and figurative images seen during shamanic trances. The process has been described by contemporary Siberian shamans and can be found in several traditions. During a trance, random dots first appear which then begin to coalesce, usually in circles and spirals. The dots eventually organize themselves into recognizable forms, usually animal shapes. These forms are seen worldwide and through all time periods where shamanic art is produced. It appears to have something to do with how the brain organizes images while in a trance state.
Here are some examples from Chuvet cave in France circa 32,000BP.
Thanks,
Josh
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