When examining the philosophical foundations of prehistoric symbolism, we can adopt two analytical paradigms. On one hand, there is “reductive hermeneutics”; on the other, “hermeneutics that establish symbolic meaning”. Each of these paradigms is accompanied by a distinct set of conceptual tools. Reductive hermeneutics focus on the semantic aspects of symbols, seeking to demystify their meanings through approaches such as structuralism and historical materialism. These methods analyze symbols both synchronically (within a given time) and historically (across time). Conversely, establishing hermeneutics engage with the non-semantic dimensions of symbols, re-mythologizing their meanings by drawing on methodologies such as phenomenology. This paradigm explores the essence of the sacred in a diachronic, or temporally unfolding, manner. The chapter argues that these two hermeneutic approaches are not mutually exclusive but rather complementary. They work together in the interpretive process—what Danuta Minta-Tworzowska refers to as a “dialogue of paradigms” between past cultures and the present.