The first chapter, "The Geometric Style," argues that geometric ornament originated, not from such technical processes as wickerwork and weaving, but rather from an "immanent artistic drive, alert and restless for action, that human beings possessed long before they invented woven protective coverings for their bodies." He supported this position through an analysis of geometric ornament in Stone Age European art, in particular objects that had recently been discovered in the Dordogne.
The first chapter, "The Geometric Style," contends that geometric ornament arose from an inherent artistic impulse rather than technical processes like wickerwork and weaving. This drive existed long before humans developed woven coverings. He substantiated his claim by examining geometric ornament in Stone Age European art, particularly artifacts recently unearthed in the Dordogne.