Introducing Cave Art Introducing Cave Art Mrs. BarbierMrs. Barbier

AVI-10AVI-10

Painting a Picture: What Painting a Picture: What Prehistoric Times Were LikePrehistoric Times Were Like

40,000 – 35,000 was a time that marked the last ice 40,000 – 35,000 was a time that marked the last ice ageage

After the BIG thaw the resulting After the BIG thaw the resulting environment was a Eurasia with environment was a Eurasia with land covered by herds of land covered by herds of reindeer & other large herbivores roaming plains and reindeer & other large herbivores roaming plains and

valleys (preyed on by lions and tigers)valleys (preyed on by lions and tigers) The humans were The humans were huntershunters and used the natural and used the natural

environment for protection from the elements- environment for protection from the elements- CAVESCAVES!!

Before this time there were only artifacts of human Before this time there were only artifacts of human existence in the form of existence in the form of toolstools..

Then around 40,000 years ago there was a major Then around 40,000 years ago there was a major cultural transformation- people began to paint, carve, cultural transformation- people began to paint, carve, sculpt, and engrave.sculpt, and engrave.

Three Main CategoriesThree Main Categories

Prehistoric Art can be divided into three Prehistoric Art can be divided into three main categories:main categories:– Paleolithic Period Paleolithic Period (c.2,500,000 - 10,000 BCE)(c.2,500,000 - 10,000 BCE)

– Mesolithic Period Mesolithic Period (Approx. 10,000 - 4,000 BCE, Europe) (Approx. 10,000 - 4,000 BCE, Europe)

– Neolithic Period Neolithic Period (Approx. 4,000-2,000 BCE)(Approx. 4,000-2,000 BCE)

* The Paleolithic Period can also be divided up into three * The Paleolithic Period can also be divided up into three (3) sub-sections: the Lower Paleolithic, the Middle (3) sub-sections: the Lower Paleolithic, the Middle Paleolithic, and the Upper Paleolithic.Paleolithic, and the Upper Paleolithic.

Paleolithic ArtPaleolithic Art

The Paleolithic man lived solely by The Paleolithic man lived solely by hunting wild animals, fishing, and hunting wild animals, fishing, and collecting berries, fruits and nuts. collecting berries, fruits and nuts.

Stone tools were the instruments by which Stone tools were the instruments by which early Man developed and progressed.early Man developed and progressed.

Mesolithic PeriodMesolithic Period

The Mesolithic period is a The Mesolithic period is a transitional era between the ice-transitional era between the ice-affected hunter-gatherer culture of affected hunter-gatherer culture of the Upper Paleolithic, and the the Upper Paleolithic, and the farming culture of the Neolithic. farming culture of the Neolithic.

Neolithic PeriodNeolithic Period

Change in lifestyle across EuropeChange in lifestyle across Europe

People began to settle down (farming and People began to settle down (farming and rearing animals) rearing animals)

villages, towns and cities were establishedvillages, towns and cities were established Population increased due Population increased due

to the improvement in food to the improvement in food supply and environmental supply and environmental controlcontrol

Cave Art or Prehistoric Art on a Cave Art or Prehistoric Art on a Time LineTime Line

35,000 years ago35,000 years ago= end of last ice age = end of last ice age Paleolithic culturePaleolithic culture = = VERY primitive lifestyle more focused on survivalVERY primitive lifestyle more focused on survival

so artifacts left behind scrapers, bone etc- ANY art so artifacts left behind scrapers, bone etc- ANY art was very basic hand-held statuetteswas very basic hand-held statuettes

27,000-20,000 years ago27,000-20,000 years ago= were more sophisticated = were more sophisticated tools (flint blades) and resultantly more complex artistic tools (flint blades) and resultantly more complex artistic creations such as female statues and relief (scraped designs creations such as female statues and relief (scraped designs

into the rock surfaces etc)into the rock surfaces etc)

15,000 – 9000 years ago15,000 – 9000 years ago= peak of the Paleolithic era where = peak of the Paleolithic era where culture was advancing and hunting rituals inspired cave culture was advancing and hunting rituals inspired cave paintings on walls/ ceilingspaintings on walls/ ceilings

Down the time line we see this culture as a civilization basis Down the time line we see this culture as a civilization basis for Egyptian art (2700 – 1070 BCE) and then Greek and for Egyptian art (2700 – 1070 BCE) and then Greek and Roman art (700- 300 BCE)Roman art (700- 300 BCE)

So, why all of a sudden art?So, why all of a sudden art? There were 3 lines of There were 3 lines of

reasoning behind why, reasoning behind why, 40,000 years ago, art began 40,000 years ago, art began to appear:to appear:

1)1) Neurological mutationNeurological mutation (the (the cave people’s brains were cave people’s brains were capable of more complex capable of more complex ideas/ modes of expression)ideas/ modes of expression)

2)2) PreservationPreservation- the more - the more recent, the better preserved recent, the better preserved the artifacts were so they the artifacts were so they survived !survived !

3)3) Language DevelopmentLanguage Development- - speculation on that the speculation on that the people were beginning to people were beginning to articulate verbal articulate verbal communication and communication and therefore the visual therefore the visual representation camerepresentation came

What Did Their Art Mean?What Did Their Art Mean? Tribes were creating Tribes were creating

sculptures and paintings sculptures and paintings almost as a spiritual almost as a spiritual commemoration for commemoration for their survival- their survival- specifically:specifically:

a)a) To ensure To ensure fertilityfertility (so (so tribe would not die off)tribe would not die off)

b)b) To To heal the sick or heal the sick or prevent injuryprevent injury (again, so (again, so tribe would not die off)tribe would not die off)

c)c) To promote the To promote the abundance and healthabundance and health of the herds that they of the herds that they hunted for food etc hunted for food etc

Significant Example #1Significant Example #1 Name of art: Venus of Tan TanName of art: Venus of Tan Tan Date: 200,000-500,000 BCEDate: 200,000-500,000 BCE Medium: moderately Medium: moderately

metamorphosed quartzite metamorphosed quartzite Significant Items:Significant Items:

– 6 cm in length6 cm in length– 20 minute specks of bright red 20 minute specks of bright red

on the surface (we are unsure on the surface (we are unsure as to whether it is natural as to whether it is natural occurrence or manually occurrence or manually applied)applied)

Significant Example #2Significant Example #2 Name of art: Name of art: HorseHorse Location: Location: Lascaux, FrLascaux, Fr Date: Date: 28,000 BCE28,000 BCE Medium: Medium: Mammoth IvoryMammoth Ivory Significant Items:Significant Items:

- 2.5 inches (TINY!)- 2.5 inches (TINY!)

- a good example of earliest forms of art made- basic - a good example of earliest forms of art made- basic record of what was in their environmentrecord of what was in their environment

- Simple but show accuracy (i.e. ‘v’ to show tip of an - Simple but show accuracy (i.e. ‘v’ to show tip of an arrowhead)arrowhead)

- arrow signifies success of hunt- arrow signifies success of hunt

Significant Example #3Significant Example #3 Name of art: Name of art: Venus of Venus of

WillendorfWillendorf Date: Date: 25,000-20,000 BCE25,000-20,000 BCE Medium: Medium: stonestone Significant Items:Significant Items: - small again 4 3/8 inches- small again 4 3/8 inches - natural indent of belly - natural indent of belly

button used in creation of button used in creation of figurefigure

- Female figure - Female figure exemplifies the round exemplifies the round shape of a woman that is shape of a woman that is pregnant and therefore pregnant and therefore signifies fertilitysignifies fertility

Significant Example #4Significant Example #4 Name of Art: StonehengeName of Art: Stonehenge Location: Salisbury PlainLocation: Salisbury Plain Date: c. 3100-1550 BCEDate: c. 3100-1550 BCE Medium:Medium: Significant Items:Significant Items:

– Post and lintel systemPost and lintel system

Significant Example #5Significant Example #5 Name of art: Name of art: Cave Cave

PaintingsPaintings Location: Location: Lascaux, FrLascaux, Fr Date: Date: 15,000 BCE15,000 BCE Medium: Medium: on rock surface of on rock surface of

cavescaves Significant Items:Significant Items: - fine detail of bison, deer, - fine detail of bison, deer,

horses, oxhorses, ox - movement across walls - movement across walls

and ceilingsand ceilings - earthy tones (browns, - earthy tones (browns,

reds, black)reds, black) - deep inside caves to - deep inside caves to

protect from elementsprotect from elements - shows significance of the - shows significance of the

hunthunt

Significant Example #6Significant Example #6 Name of art: BisonName of art: Bison Date: 10,000 BCEDate: 10,000 BCE Medium: Reindeer antlerMedium: Reindeer antler Significant Items:Significant Items:

– Artist has made use of Artist has made use of the antler’s existing the antler’s existing contours.contours.

– The artist gave The artist gave astonishing attention to astonishing attention to detail. detail.

– We don’t know the We don’t know the original purpose of this original purpose of this work because part of it work because part of it has broken off.has broken off.

200,000-500,000 BCE200,000-500,000 BCE 25,000-20,000 BCE25,000-20,000 BCE

The hypostyle hall of Karnak Temple

Stonehenge