Chapter 1: Art in the Stone Age
How did painting technique change from Paleolithic times to Neolithic times
Used brushes to apply pigment to a background of dry white plaster Careful preparation of the wall surface is in striking contrast to the direct application of pigment to irregularly shaped walls and ceilings of Old Stone Age caves
Example of anatomically exaggerated sculptures of the Old Stone Age
Venus of Willendorf
When did the first examples of what we call "art" come about?
around 40,000 t0 30,000 BCE during the Paleolithic period
When did scientists excavate the Apollo 11 Cave in Namibia
between 1969 and 1972
The bison on the ceiling seem to float above the viewers head as separate images
bison in Painted ceiling in the cave at Altamira, Spain
What cave painting depicted bison laying down
bison in Painted ceiling in the cave at Altamira, Spain
Chinese Horse Lascaux Date Medium Materials Subjects Represented Stylistic Characteristics
ca. 16,000 - 14,000 BCE
Chinese Horse Lascaux Medium/Materials
cave painting
What painting styles became common during the Neolithic times
coherent narratives became common, composite views of humans of frontal and profile view
Layout of the megalithic temple at Hagar Qim and other Neolithic Maltese temples is noteworthy for the
combination of rectilinear and curved forms, including multiple apses
What does the difference in style and technique of the Hall of Bulls suggest
created by different painters at different times
Hall of the Bulls in the cave at Lascaux, France: The differences in the style and technique (animals moving in different directions and the difference in the coloring of the animals) suggest that
different painters created the images at different times, maybe even over the course of generations
Findspot of Reclining woman, La Magdeleine
found on the wall of a corridor in La Magdeleine, France
When was Ain Ghazal occupied?
from around 7200 to 5000 BCE
What does the ivory statuette from Hohlenstein-Stadel depict
human with a feline head
What was the singular most important achievement of the Old Stone Age?
humans invented the concept of recording the world around them in pictures, Humans went beyond recognition to representation, initiated an intellectual revolution of enormous consequences
Where did humankind originate
in Africa
How did Paleolithic people record the world around them?
in pictures, often painted on or carved into the walls of caves
How was Stonehenge constructed
in several stages over a hundred years
How did prehistoric people represent beasts?
in strict profile view, showing all of the legs, the head, body, and tail this way persisted for thousands of years
When did humans first consciously manufacture pictorial images?
in the Old Stone Age
Function of Bison licking its flank, fragmentary spear-thrower, from La Madeleine, France
it was a part of a spear thrower
Medium of Head of a woman, Brassempouy
ivory
One of the oldest sculptures ever discovered
ivory statuette found in 1939 40,000 BCE Hohlenstein-Stadel Germany tusk of a woolly mammoth
early examples of corbeled vaulting
passage grave at Newgrange, Ireland
Medium and Materials of Human figure, from Ain Ghazal, Jordan
plaster painted and inlaid with bitumen White plaster built up over a core of reeds and twine, with black bitumen, a tar like substance, for the pupils of the eyes Some figures have painted clothing
The oldest African paintings were ..... objects
portable
Megalithic tombs, temples, houses, and henges of Europe are enduring testaments to the
rapidly developing intellectual powers of the Neolithic humans as well as to their capacity for heroic physical effort
Purpose of the statues found at Ain Ghazal
ritually buried
Types of stones found in Stonehenge
sarsen (a form of sandstone) "bluestones" (various volcanic rock)
stylistic characteristics of Head of a woman, Brassempouy
sculpture in the round, freestanding
characteristics of the "herd" in the Hall of Bulls in the cave at Lascaux
several different kinds of animals in various sizes moving in different directions colored silhouettes and outline drawings
How did the cave painters at Lascaux depict their animals, and why was this important?
showed bulls horns' from the front, not in profile, because the horns are a part of the concept of the bull
Most representative picture of the rapid and exciting transformation of human society and of art during the Neolithic period
temples found in Gobekli Tepe, Turkey
what appears to be the oldest stone temples
temples found in Gobekli Tepe, Turkey
Statues in the Old Stone Age
- Foot tall is very big for this time - Human with feline head - Sometimes they were composite (animal head/human body) - Important to the creators - Sculptors responded to the natural shape of the stone - Many statues did not have facial features - Sculptures in the round and relief sculptures - Artists usually painted stone sculptures
Subjects Represented, stylistic characteristics of Spotted horses and negative hand imprints, wall painting in the cave at Pech-Merle, France
- Horses with spots in and surrounding them (may indicate stones or signs rather than plain spots) Handprints line the paintings - One of the horses may have been inspired by the rock formation in the wall surface resembling a horse's head and neck
stylistic characteristics of Woman holding a bison horn, from Laussel, France
- Relief Sculpture - Example of open-air art in the Old Stone Age - She is holding a bison horn with 13 incised lines and her left arm draws attention to her belly, drawing attention to the pubic area (another indication this this type of Paleolithic art was homage to fertility) - Same bulbous body as the Venus of Willendorf, exaggerated breasts, abdomen, and hips - No head
Stylistic Characteristics of the Nude woman (Venus of Willendorf), from Willendorf, Austria
- Sculpture in the round, freestanding - Exaggerated and Disproportionate anatomical features, cluster of ball-like shapes to represent stomach and breasts - No facial features - Has a mass of curly hair or hat woven from plant fibers - Tiny forearms and hands rest upon enormous breasts - Outline of the pubic triangle
function and significance of Aurochs, horses, and rhinoceroses, wall painting in the Chauvet Cave, Vallon-Pont-d'Arc, France
- The date of the cave paintings are very controversial - If the murals are the oldest paintings known, they exhibit surprisingly advanced features, such as overlapping horns - Unexpected early date forced scholars to reevaluate the "stylistic development" from simple to more complex forms that historians of the Stone Age accepted for decades - The two rhinoceroses attacking each other suggested that the painter intended a narrative, another first for Paleolithic art
Subjects Represented, stylistic characteristics of Aurochs, horses, and rhinoceroses, wall painting in the Chauvet Cave, Vallon-Pont-d'Arc, France`
- The painters depicted the horns of the aurochs (extinct long-horned wild oxen) naturalistically, one behind the other, not in a twisted perspective common for Paleolithic art - Two rhinoceroses in the lower right appear to be attacking one another, suggesting the painter intended a narrative
Stylistic Characteristics of Bison licking its flank, fragmentary spear-thrower, from La Madeleine, France
- This fragment of a spear-thrower was carved, the sculptor turned the bison's head a full 180 degrees to maintain the profile view and incised the details with a stone burin - Very detailed, with the incised lines for the mane, horns, eyes, nostrils, ear, mouth, tongue, and facial hair.
Hall of the Bulls in the cave at Lascaux, France: Function and significance
-Significant for its early date and its subject -Unusually large space and easily accessible -The representation of animals has a meaning, but it is not known -Perhaps the most impressive collection of Paleolithic animals paintings
Size of Spotted horses and negative hand imprints, wall painting in the cave at Pech-Merle, France
11' 2" long
Bison licking its flank, fragmentary spear-thrower, from La Madeleine, France Date Medium Materials and Size
12,000 BCE Reindeer horn, carved with a stone burin 4 ⅛" long
Rhinoceros, wounded man, and disemboweled bison, painting in the well of the cave at Lascaux, France -Date -Size -Medium -Location in cave
16,000-14,000 BCE 3' 4 ½" long Cave painting Deep in a well shaft
Later Paleolithic Dates and achievements
20,000 - 9,000 BCE Painters cover the walls and ceilings of caves at Altamira and Lascaux with profile representations of animals. Sculptors carve images of nude women on the walls of the cave at La Magdeleine
Date of Spotted horses and negative hand imprints, wall painting in the cave at Pech-Merle, France
23,000-22,000 BCE
Date of Head of a woman, Brassempouy
25,000-20,000 BCE
Date of Woman holding a bison horn, from Laussel, France
25,000-20,000 BCE
Date of Nude woman (Venus of Willendorf), from Willendorf, Austria
28,000-25,000 BCE
Size of Human figure, from Ain Ghazal, Jordan
3' 5 3/8" high
Corbeled vault of the main chamber in the passage grave, Newgrange, Ireland Date
3,200-2,500 BCE
Date of Hagar Qim
3,200-2,500 BCE
Date of Aurochs, horses, and rhinoceroses, wall painting in the Chauvet Cave, Vallon-Pont-d'Arc, France
30,000-28,000 BCE
When did the Paleolithic period or Old Stone Age begin?
40,000 BCE
Early Paleolithic Dates and achievements
40,000-20,000 BCE Hunter-gatherers create the first sculptures and paintings long before the invention of writing. The works range in scale from tiny figurines, such as the Venus of Willendorf, to life-size paintings and relief sculptures, such as the painted horses in the cave at Pech-Merle
Earliest known sculptures date to
40,000-30,000 bce
Date of the human with feline head from Hohenstein, Germany
40,000-35,000 BCE
Paleolithic Art (Old Stone Age Art) ca
40,000-9,000 BCE
Later Neolithic dates and achievements
5,000-2,300 BCE Neolithic builders in Ireland and Britain erect megalithic passage graves and henges. The stone temples of Malta incorporate sophisticated curved and rectilinear forms.
Date of Human figure, from Ain Ghazal, Jordan
6,750-6,250 BCE
Early Neolithic Dates and achievements
8,000 - 5,000 BCE In Anatolia and Mesopotamia, the earliest settled communities take shape and agriculture begins. Neolithic builders erect stone towers and fortification walls at Jericho. Sculptors fashion large-scale painted plaster human figures at Ain Ghazal. Painters depict coherent narratives and employ composite views for human figures at Çatal Höyük
Neolithic Art (New Stone Age Art) ca.
8,000-2,300 BCE
Mesolithic Dates
9,000 - 8,000 BCE
Houses in Ain Ghazal
Houses of irregularly shaped stones with plastered floors and walls painted red
how was the importance of hunting reflected in Catal Hoyuk
Importance of hunting as a food source was reflected in the wall paintings of the site's older decorated rooms, where hunting scenes predominate
Jericho Skulls
Jericho skulls constitute the earliest known "portrait gallery" but the artists intention was not portraiture in the modern sense Neolithic farmers who inhabited perhaps worshipped their dead as intercessors between the living and the world beyond May have believed the dead could exert power over the living and that they had to offer sacrifices to their ancestors to receive favorable treatment Skulls probably the focus of rites in honor of those ancestors
Setting for Hall of the Bulls in the cave at Lascaux, France
Large chamber, away from the cave entrance and mysteriously dark, has good acoustics, and would have provided an excellent setting for the kinds of rituals many archeologists assume took place in front of the paintings.
Local population in Europe during Neolithic times constructed...
Local populations constructed imposing monuments employing massive rough cut stones Size (some 17 feet high) and weight (as much as 50 tons) prompted the name megaliths
Materials of the human with feline head from Hohenstein, Germany
Made out of ivory from the tusk of a wooly mammoth Experts estimate that this large figurine required about 400 hours of skilled work
Subjects depicted on irregularly shaped cave surfaces
Many bison paintings cover bulging rock surfaces Many art historians have observed that bison and cattle appear almost exclusively on convex surfaces, whereas nearly all horses and hands are painted on concave surfaces
Hagar Qim Temple
Megalithic temple is one of many constructed on Malta between 3200 and 2500 BCE Maltese Builders
differences between the Paleolithic and Neolithic art as a result of social and environmental changes
Paleolithic peoples were very nomadic, therefore, many of their artwork is small and portable, except for the cave paintings. Socially, Paleolithic people relied heavily on animals as food sources and hunting was a major part of their life, which is why hunting and animals are the main focus of Paleolithic art. In Neolithic times, people began to settle down and organize into larger civilizations. As a result of their more permanent location, Neolithic art had a lot of megalithic stones that created sites that served many different purposes
Purpose of Stonehenge
Perhaps originally a site where Neolithic peoples cremated their dead In its latest phase, it seems it may have been a kind of astronomical observatory and a remarkably accurate solar calendar Recent theory, it also served as a center of healing that attracted the sick and dying from throughout the region
One of the earliest appearances of a man in Paleolithic art as opposed to a woman
Rhinoceros, wounded man, and disemboweled bison, painting in the well of the cave at Lascaux, France
One of the most perplexing paintings at Lascaux and perhaps all Paleolithic art
Rhinoceros, wounded man, and disemboweled bison, painting in the well of the cave at Lascaux, France
Stylistic Characteristics of the human with feline head from Hohenstein, Germany
Sculpture in the round, freestanding Represents a human (gender cannot be identified) with a feline (maybe lion) head
Why were sculptures created from ivory important in the Stone Age
Sculptures created from ivory were very important to those who created them, because it was a long and arduous process to carve the figures out of the ivory
Variety of Art of Old Stone Age
Shell necklaces, human and animal forms in ivory, clay, and stone, life-sized mural paintings and sculptures in caves
function and significance of Head of a woman, Brassempouy
Significant because it depicted the facial features of a woman, something that was uncommon for art of the time
What often accompanies pictures of animals
Signs consisting of checks, dots, squares, or other arrangements of lines often accompany pictures of animals
What suggests the Nude woman (Venus of Willendorf), from Willendorf, Austria served as a fertility image?
The exaggerated female anatomy, the outlined pubic triangle, and the forearms resting over her breasts
The existence of the major settlement at Jericho and its advanced state by 7000 BCE, suggests that
The existence of the major settlement at Jericho and its advanced state by 7000 BCE, suggests that the development started long before
7000 BCE Jericho
the site was abandoned and inhabited my farmers Rectangular mud brick houses on stone foundations with plastered and painted floors and walls Several excavated buildings have contained statuettes or animals and women that seem to have served as shrines
Huge megaliths forming the vaulted passage and the dome are held in place by their
weight without mortar
What did the excavations at Gobekli Tepe in southern Turkey find?
what appears to be the oldest stone temples Dating back to around 9000 BCE With animal reliefs and t shaped pillars
Date of Reclining woman, La Magdeleine
12,000 BCE
Size and scale of the Nude woman (Venus of Willendorf), from Willendorf, Austria
4.25 inches high
Species depicted in Stone Age Art
Bulls and horses were the most common depicted species, as well as woolly mammoth, and ibex
Maltese Builders
Erected their temples by piling carefully cut stone blocks in courses Builders employed a post and lintel system for doorways Two upright stones support a horizontal block
Transition from Paleolithic to Neolithic
Ice Age during the Paleolithic ended --Food gatherers Transitional Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age) --Intensified food gathering and taming of the dogs Neolithic (New Stone Age) dawned ---Agriculture and livestock became major food sources First occured in Anatolia and Mesopotamia
If animals were painted lying down, what view were they in
If animal was lying down, view point was from above to maintain strict profile view
The earliest art, humankind consists almost exclusively of
women
Experts estimate that this large figurine required about 400 hours of skilled work
the human with feline head from Hohenstein, Germany
Found in 1939 in fragments
the human with feline head from Hohenstein, Germany
One of the oldest sculptures ever discovered
the human with feline head from Hohenstein, Germany
By the end of the fourth millenium, Neolithic civilization spread to
the most remote parts of Europe --Including far north, Skara Brae in the Orkney Islands --Far south as malta
Why did Old Stone Age painters and sculptors frequently and skillfully used the naturally irregular surfaces of caves
to give the illusion of real presence to their forms
Surviving texts from Mesopotamia and Egypt enable historians to
to name the figures and describe their role in religion in mythology
Medium, Materials, and Size of Aurochs, horses, and rhinoceroses, wall painting in the Chauvet Cave, Vallon-Pont-d'Arc, France
wall paintings
most commonly depicted species of Paleolithic art
bulls and horses
Date of Painted ceiling in the cave at Altamira, Spain
13,000-11,000 BCE
What was the sizes of the the statues found at Ain Ghazal?
As much as 3 feet tall
Clay Statue Creation Process
Brought in clay, used both hands to shape the animal, smooth surfaces with spatula like tool, and fingers to shape details like eyes and mouth
Subjects represented - bison in Painted ceiling in the cave at Altamira, Spain
Bison -In profile, either standing or curled up on the ground (they are either dead or possibly giving birth). -To maintain the profile when the bison are curled up on the ground, the painter adopted a viewpoint from above the animal -The bison are outlined in black and seemed to be filled in with red ocher -The bison do not stand on a common ground line nor do they share a common orientation, suggesting that this is not a "group" of bison -The bison on the ceiling seem to float above the viewers head as separate images
This fragment of a spear-thrower was carved, the sculptor turned the bison's head a full 180 degrees to maintain the profile view and incised the details with a stone burin
Bison licking its flank, fragmentary spear-thrower, from La Madeleine, France
Site of flourishing Neolithic culture on the central Anatolian plain between 6500 and 5700 BCE
Catal Hoyuk
One of the first cave paintings to depict a narrative
Chauvet Cave Aurochs, horses, and rhinoceroses, wall painting
Medium for Statues in the Old Stone Age
Clay, ivory, antlers
One of the earliest examples of corbeled vaulting
Corbeled vault of the main chamber in the passage grave, Newgrange, Ireland
Date of the statues found at Ain Ghazal?
Datable to about 6500 BCE
House 1, Skara Brae
Date: ca. 3,100 - 2,500 BCE Materials & construction method: Stone laid on top of each other Function & significance: Shows how Neolithic civilization had spread even to remote parts of Europe, even north like Skara Brae
Chinese Horse Lascaux Subjects Represented
Depicts a running horse
Chinese Horse Lascaux Stylistic Characteristics
Depicts a running horse Engorged belly may indicate that it was pregnant Surrounded by what may be arrows or traps Outlined in black and partially filled in with brown pigment
What marks the beginning of large scape sculptures in Mesopotamia
Human figure, from Ain Ghazal, Jordan
Layout of Stonehenge
Final henge consists of concentric post and lintel circles Huge sarsen megaliths form the outer ring (almost 100 feet in diameter) Inside is a ring of bluestones and this ring encircles a horseshoe of trilithons (three-stone constructions) Five lintel topped pairs of the largest sarsens, each weighing 45 to 50 tons Standing apart to the east is the "heel stone" would have marked the point where the sun rose at the summer solstice
Central subjects of Neolithic paintings
Human themes and concerns and action scenes with humans dominating animals
function and significance of Spotted horses and negative hand imprints, wall painting in the cave at Pech-Merle, France
Furnish some insight into the reasons Paleolithic people chose subjects for specific places in a cave
How did Old Stone Age painters paint
Ground up charcoal and red and yellow ocher into powder, combined them with water and then used their fingers, or brushes from reeds, bristles, or twigs, or they may have used blowpipes of reed or hollow bone to spray pigments on out of reach surfaces. They would draw using charcoal and/or yellow and red ocher, unground.
How did the artists paint ceiling in the cave at Altamira, Spain?
Ground up charcoal and red and yellow ocher into powder, combined them with water and then used their fingers, or brushes from reeds, bristles, or twigs, or they may have used blowpipes of reed or hollow bone to spray pigments on out of reach surfaces. They would draw using charcoal and/or yellow and red ocher, unground.
Style of Deer Hunt Mural at Catal Hoyuk
Group of hunters, an organized hunting parts not a series of individual figures, is a rhythmic repetition of basic shapes
Level of architecture and sculptural sophistication seen on this isolated island at so early a date is extraordinary
Hagar Qim
Main chamber of the caves at Lascaux, what painting was there and what are the characteristics of the space?
Hall of the Bulls unusually large space easily accessible
What is perhaps the most impressive collection of Paleolithic animal paintings
Hall of the Bulls at the cave in Lascaux, France
What is mountain is thought to be depicted in the first landscape?
Hasan Dag
Statue made in the Old Stone Age that depicted female facial features
Head of a woman, Brassempouy
Henge is almost exclusive to
Henge, arrangement of megalithic stones in a circle often surrounded by a ditch is almost exclusively limited to Britain
What was important in Neolithic society
Honoring the dead was important in Neolithic society Passage graves in Newgrange, Ireland and similar graves in England, France, Spain, and Scandinavia attest to this
Function and Significance of Painted ceiling in the cave at Altamira, Spain
Incorporated animals depicted in different viewpoints to ensure the clear depiction of the animal was as complete and informative as possible
Site of a small village as early as the ninth millennium BCE, and the village went through a spectacular development around 8,000 BCE
Jericho
Who had the first known stone fortification to protect against nomads and what were the charactertistics
Jericho By 7500 BCE a wide rock-cut ditch and a 5 foot thick wall surrounded the town Set into the circuit wall (height of almost 13 feet) was a 30 foot tall tower constructed of roughly shaped stones laid without mortar Almost 33 feet in diameter at the base Inner stairway leading to its summit Tremendous technological achievement
Composite creatures with animal heads and human bodies (or vice versa) are common in the art of
Mesopotamia and Egypt
one of the earliest relief sculptures
Laussel Woman
What is extraordinary of the temples at Hagar Qim
Level of architecture and sculptural sophistication seen on this isolated island at so early a date is extraordinary
Medium and Materials of Nude woman (Venus of Willendorf), from Willendorf, Austria
Limestone Traces of red ocher is found, suggesting it was painted
one of the oldest funerary monuments in Europe
Newgrange, Ireland date back to as early as 3200 BCE
Majority of statues represent
Majority of statues represent animals or human, but humans were almost always women
Handprints of Old Stone Age
Most handprints are negative (outline of the hand) while some are positive (full hand), these may served as signatures of cult or community members, but do serve a meaning
What did the temples found in Gobekli Tepe, Turkey show?
Most representative picture of the rapid and exciting transformation of human society and of art during the Neolithic period
houses in Jericho around 8000 BCE
Mud-brick houses sat on oval stone foundations and had roods of branches covered with earth
What age brought the birth of large scale sculptures
Neolithic New Stone Age
Jericho death beliefs and traditions
Neolithic farmers who inhabited perhaps worshipped their dead as intercessors between the living and the world beyond May have believed the dead could exert power over the living and that they had to offer sacrifices to their ancestors to receive favorable treatment Skulls probably the focus of rites in honor of those ancestors
How did Neolithic Technology spread
Neolithic technology spread gradually from Anatolia and Mesopotamia to Europe, where it continued longer in remote places - like Stonehenge in England
Site of the oldest megalithic structures and one of the most impressive
Newgrange, Ireland
Background of Painted ceiling in the cave at Altamira, Spain
No setting, no background, no indication of where the bison are, how they relate to one another, and the significance of them
One of the oldest and most famous Paleolithic female images
Nude woman (Venus of Willendorf), from Willendorf, Austria
Most important era in the history of art
Old Stone Age, Paleolithic Period
Where were the oldest settled communities
Oldest settled communities were in the foothills of Antilebanon, Taurus, and Zagros mountains in present day Syria, Turkey, Iraq, and Iran
What was found in the Apollo 11 cave?
seven fragments of painted stone plaques, including four or five recognizable images of animals one plaque depicts a striped beast approximate date of the charcoal is 23,000 BCE
function and significance of Woman holding a bison horn, from Laussel, France
One of the earliest relief sculptures found When discovered, it was part of a great stone block of 149 cubic feet, it stood in the open air in front of a Paleolithic rock shelter
Function and Significance of Rhinoceros, wounded man, and disemboweled bison, painting in the well of the cave at Lascaux, France
One of the most perplexing paintings at Lascaux and perhaps all Paleolithic art One of the earliest appearances of a man in Paleolithic art as opposed to a woman The position of the man at a tilt is ambiguous. It is unknown whether the man is wounded, dead, unharmed. Does the depiction of what is presumed to be a staff belong to the man, did he use it to wound the bison, is the bison wounded or does the outline of something hanging from his belly indicate something else? Which animal knocked the man down, if he is down on the ground? Are these images even related?
Function and significance of the Nude woman (Venus of Willendorf), from Willendorf, Austria
One of the oldest and most famous Paleolithic female images Exaggerated female anatomy suggests this figurine served as fertility images The lack of feet and its small size suggests that it was meant to be portable
Function and Significance of the human with feline head from Hohenstein, Germany
One of the oldest sculptures ever discovered Not something that the artist could see and recreate, but he had to imagine it in his head and then create that image into a physical statue Testifies to a very early date of for the development of the human brain Foot tall is very big for this time - Human with feline head
What art originated in the Neolithic times
Originated: -weaving -metalworking -pottery -counting and recording with clay tokens
Medium and size of Woman holding a bison horn, from Laussel, France. How did the artist make it?
Painted Limestone Used a stone chisel to cut into the surface of a relatively flat rock Painted using red ocher 1' 6" high
How were the humans depicted in the Deer Hunt Mural at Catal Hoyuk?
Painter took care to distinguish important descriptive details (bows, arrows, and garments) Heads have clearly defined noses, mouths, chin, and hair -Composite View of Humans All heads placed in profile for the same reason Paleolithic painters chose profile view for animals Painted torso from the front, profile for head, legs, and arms Composite view describes what a human body is as opposed to how it appears from a particular viewpoint
New kind of civilization in the Neolithic period
People started to settle, domesticate plants and animals, went from hunters to farmers
Where is Stonehenge
Salisbury Plain in Southern England
In most cases, how do art historians determine species?
species is almost always uncertain
Oldest funerary grave in Europe takes the form of
Takes the form of a passage grave
Subjects depicted in the statues found at Ain Ghazal
rarely sculptors indicated gender
Stylistic characteristics of Reclining woman, La Magdeleine
relief sculpture
How were the statues found at Ain Ghazal created?
White plaster built up over a core of reeds and twine Black bitumen for the pupils of the eyes some have painted clothing
One of the earliest relief sculptures found
Woman holding a bison horn, from Laussel, France
What can artists learn by studying the Lascaux paintings and others like them?
a great deal about the working methods and conceptual principles of the worlds first artists
What does the ivory statuette from Hohlenstein-Stadel testify to?
a very early date for the development of the human brain the sculptor had to copy the statue from his imagination
Most famous cave painting
cave at Lascaux
Vast majority of Stone Age sculptures depict
either animals or humans
Where was the Chinese Horse Lascaux featured
featured in the Axial Gallery at the Lascaux caves
First Landscape
found at Catal Hoyuk Depicts a town with a volcano erupting in the back May represent a recurring phenomenon rather than a specific event Earliest preserved representation of nature without either humans or animals
function and significance of Reclining woman, La Magdeleine
most interesting depiction of nude women inside caves of the Old Stone Age
Scene of Rhinoceros, wounded man, and disemboweled bison, painting in the well of the cave at Lascaux, France
--At the left, and moving to the left, is a rhinoceros with two rows of three dots under its tail --At the right, a left-facing bison with less realistic proportions (probably the work of a different painter than the rhinoceros) (Bowels are hanging from the right side of the underbelly in a heavy coil, shows the bristling rage) --Between the two beasts, a man with a bird face (possibly representing a mask) with outstretched hands and only four fingers --The man is depicted at an angle, and with far less care than the two beasts (Has a prominent penis to ensure the viewer knew it's a male, position is ambiguous) --To the lower right of the man, is a spear with a bird on top of it
What scene is depicted in the first landscape?
--Foreground interpreted as a town with rectangular houses neatly laid out in rows --Behind the town appears to be a mountain with two peaks --Dots and line coming from the higher of the two cones may represent a volcano erupting --May represent a recurring phenomenon rather than a specific event
by 8000 BCE, what was the settlement in Jericho
-8000 BCE inhabitants established a new Neolithic settlement covering about 10 acres -Mud-brick houses sat on oval stone foundations and had roods of branches covered with earth -First known stone fortifications to protect against nomads
Restored view of Çatal Höyük, ca. 6000-5900 BCE Description
A water source is right outside of the buildings, the buildings appear to be several stories high with ladders to access the upper levels Has windows Seems to be made out of mud and maybe stone, with earthen roofs
Where was the earliest evidence of human recognition of pictorial images in the natural environment
Africa
How were women depicted in early stone age art
Almost always showed women nude, even though humans of that age are thought to have worn clothes anatomically exaggerated while others are depicted far more slender
Inside megalithic temple at Hagar Qim
Altars (identified it as a religious shrine) Several stone statues of headless nude women One standing and others seated
Where did the Neolithic Age first occur?
Anatolia and Mesopotamia
Civilization at Catal Hoyuk
Animal husbandry was well established but hunting played an important part in the early Neolithic economy
Function and Significance of Catal Hoyuk
Animal husbandry was well established, hunting continued to play an important part in the early Neolithic capital The importance of hunting as a food source is reflected in the wall paintings of the site's older decorated rooms, where hunting scenes predominate.
What is unique about the passage grave at Newgrange, Ireland
At winter solstice, the sun illuminates the passageway and burial chamber
Composite art in the Stone Age
Art depicting a cross between human and animal in the Stone Age has no indication of what the makers had in mind
Subjects represented, stylistic characteristics: Rhinoceros, wounded man, and disemboweled bison, painting in the well of the cave at Lascaux, France
At the left, and moving to the left, is a rhinoceros Two rows of three dots under its tail At the right, a left-facing bison with less realistic proportions (probably the work of a different painter than the rhinoceros) Bowels are hanging from the right side of the underbelly in a heavy coil, shows the bristling rage Between the two beasts, a man with a bird face (possibly representing a mask) with outstretched hands and only four fingers The man is depicted at an angle, and with far less care than the two beasts Has a prominent penis to ensure the viewer knew it's a male Position is ambiguous To the lower right of the man, is a spear with a bird on top of it
How did people around 7000 BCE in Jericho bury their dead?
Buried their dead beneath the floors of their houses with the craniums detached from their skeletons and their features reconstructed with plaster Subtly molded with inlaid seashells for eyes and painted hair Appearance is strikingly lifelike Jericho skulls constitute the earliest known "portrait gallery" but the artists intention was not portraiture in the modern sense Served ritualistic purposes
Why did the Bison licking its flank, fragmentary spear-thrower, from La Madeleine, France depict the animal the way it did?
Depicts the bison with its head turned and licking its flank, probably because the horn was not large enough to encompass the entire head
Why is the date of Aurochs, horses, and rhinoceroses, wall painting in the Chauvet Cave, Vallon-Pont-d'Arc, France controversial
Radiocarbon dating of the charcoal in the black pigments showed that these wall paintings were thousands of years older than any previously discovered If the murals are the oldest paintings known, they exhibit surprisingly advanced features, such as overlapping horns
The most interesting depiction of nude women inside caves of the Old Stone Age
Reclining woman, La Magdeleine
Houses in Jericho around 7000 BCE
Rectangular mud brick houses on stone foundations with plastered and painted floors and walls Several excavated buildings have contained statuettes or animals and women that seem to have served as shrines
The appearance of what was invented in Neolithic times
Regular appearance of humans in murals at Catal Hoyuk and similar Neolithic examples Humans were not only singly but in large, coherent groups with a wide variety of poses, subjects, and settings
Catal Hoyuk was the site of
Site of flourishing Neolithic culture on the central Anatolian plain between 6500 and 5700 BCE
What was the comparison of the statues found at Ain Ghazal to those in the Paleolithic times
Size and sophisticated technique make these statuettes and busts tower of Paleolithic figurines
Size of Painted ceiling in the cave at Altamira, Spain
Standing bison 5' 2 ½" long
Variety of the statues found at Ain Ghazal
Statuettes, busts, some with two heads
Most famous megalithic monument in Europe
Stonehenge
Roles of Human Figures in Paleolithic Art
The exact roles of human figures cannot be determined because there is a lack of written information about the civilizations of the time and their intentions
What set the Deer Hunt Mural at Catal Hoyuk apart?
Style and concept set it apart from walls paintings the hunters of the Paleolithic period produced
Stylistic characteristics and function and significance of Human figure, from Ain Ghazal, Jordan
Stylistic characteristics: Plaster statuettes and busts Appear to have been ritually buried Function & significance: The dozens of large painted plaster statuettes (some with two heads and with details added in paint or inlaid with bitumen) found at Ain Ghazal are the earliest large-scale sculptures known Mark the beginning of large scale sculptures in Mesopotamia
Alters and several stone statues of headless nude women - one standing and the others seated - were also found
Temple at Hagar Qim
Remarkable sophisticated for its date, especially in the way the Neolithic builders incorporated both rectilinear and curved forms
Temple at Hagar Qim
The layout is especially noteworthy for the combination of rectilinear and curved forms, including multiple apses (semicircular recesses)
Temple at Hagar Qim
The stone fortifications at Jericho built around 7500 BCE testify to what?
Testimony to the Neolithic builders' ability to organize a significant workforce
Process of Carving Ivory
The ivory must first be cut from the dead animal but cutting into the tusk where it joined the head, then cut to the desired size and rub it with sandstone into its final shape. Finally, the carver used a sharp stone blade to shape the body, limbs, and head, and a stone burin (a pointed engraving tool) to incise (scratch or engrave) lines into the surfaces.
Why do art historians think Nude woman (Venus of Willendorf), from Willendorf, Austria was meant to be portable?
The lack of feet and its small size suggests that it was meant to be portable
Characteristics of the passage graves at Newgrange, Ireland
Tomb with a long stone corridor leading to a burial chamber beneath a great tumulus Primitive dome over the main chamber Some mounds found here contain more than one passage grave Huge megaliths forming the vaulted passage and the dome are held in place by their own weight without mortar Incised spirals and other motifs decorate the walls
Size of the passage grave at Newgrange, Ireland
Tomb with a long stone corridor leading to a burial chamber beneath a great tumulus 280 feet in diameter and 44 feet tall Passageway is 62 feet long
one of the largest Paleolithic sculptures ever known
Two Bison reliefs in the cav at Le Tuc D'Audoubert
What was an important find at Ain Ghazal
Two caches containing three dozen plaster statues
Function of Cave Paintings
Unknown - no written records to use Maybe: - Bring beasts under control - Rituals and dances may be performed in front of murals to improve luck of hunters - Teaching tools to instruct young hunters (character of various species or target practice) - Assure survival of herd not destruction (but problem is these animals were not staples of diet) - Certain species represented deities, some animals associated with women and others with men *Meanings are unlikely universal*
Oldest and best known painted caves are
located in southern France and northern Spain Oldest paintings may be Chauvet Cave with date of 30,000 to 28,000 BCE but this is controversial
Why are the works of the earliest artists significant?
not just for their existence, but for their variety
What kind of art did Stone Age people employ?
open air art
