What did the prehistoric paintings in European caves mean to the people who created them?

We don't know

Explanation:

Cave painting of the prehistoric times was the artwork engraved on the walls, ceilings and large stone of the caves. Caves in the district of Maros, Indonesia, and the Franco-Cantabrian region are the oldest surviving cave paintings that belong to the upper paleolithic period around 44,000 years ago. They mostly include hand stencils and geometrical shapes. The purpose of these paintings are still debatable.