We present Proof of Provenance (PoP), a verification system that establishes cryptographic evidence of human creative direction through decision-chain analysis. Unlike existing provenance systems that operate on artifacts (C2PA), timestamps (OpenTimestamps), or motor signals (keystroke dynamics), PoP operates at the decision level — verifying that a sequence of creative choices exhibits temporal, structural, and semantic characteristics consistent with genuine human cognitive work. The system introduces Cognitive Rhythm Analysis (CRA), a method that computes a composite provenance score from three independently established metrics: the coefficient of variation of inter-decision temporal intervals, a revision cluster ratio measuring burst-and-reflection patterns, and a semantic diversity index computed as the normalized Shannon entropy of decision-type labels. We formalize a causal evidence trail as a directed acyclic graph linking observations, insights, and decisions with typed edges. Transferable provenance packages with scope manifests and cryptographic commitments enable selective disclosure while preserving verifiable completeness. We prove a temporal cost floor: any adversary producing a fabricated chain must invest wall-clock waiting time scaling linearly with chain length. A comprehensive prior art survey across 20+ systems confirms that no existing system combines process verification, cognitive rhythm scoring, causal evidence trails, anti-fabrication detection, transferable provenance packages, and distribution lifecycle verification. A reference implementation comprising 693 tests validates the full verification stack. Patent Support: Patent 2 — Decision-Chain Provenance (26 claims, 6 independent). USPTO App# 64/022,416, filed March 30, 2026.
P. Jeremiah Hundley (Tue,) studied this question.