Re: Geometrical perspective - why is it absent in many cultures?

Your question is an interesting one on many levels, but I think you're
heading in a bit of a skewed direction.

It's best answered by a matter of art history than neurological science. 
Art history and religious history, actually.

The ability to neurologically handle perspective and accurately depict it
in drawings is pretty universal -- architectural drawings, sketches and
other mathematical/engineering endeavors pretty much cover this,
historically.  

The Western art perspective growth in art history, however, has interesting
background with the Church's "seeing is believing" movement.  Look up the
history of artist Giotto di Bondone and the birth of Renaissance linear
perspective.  http://science.jrank.org/pages/10636/Perspective-Renaissance-Style-Linear-Perspective.html
 is a good place to start.

Good luck in your quest for answers!

Marie-Helene