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12 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
#1 Apollo 11 Stones Namibia, Africa 25,500 - 25, 300 B.C.E. Paleolithic , Animism _______________________ Content: This one consists of a animal silhouette painted onto surrounding (and now crumbling) cave walls using natural stains. _______________________ Style: The animal's shape is clearly painted and it was found that other stones in this cave held evidence of insized engravings. |
Context: The choice to recreate an animal figure clearly shows that, at the time the stones were created, animals were a large part of human life and essential to survival. We know that people at this time were nomadic hunters and gatherers, relying heavily on game to sustain them. But, the choice to paint them suggests the animals held a more spiritual placement in these early societies. Hence, the animistic genre of these paintings. |
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Venus of Willendorf Austria 25,000 B.C.E. Paleolithic _______________________ Content: This statuette depicts a woman figure with accentuated bodily features around the reproductive areas but no details on the face. _______________________ Style: The figurine was made from a stone, possibly one from a riverbed like the one she was found in. We know the figure was carved using a subtractive technique and, at one time, was painted. |
Context: First, it is easiest to adress this figure's size. She is small and fits comfortably into a hand, meaning that the nomadic people of the time intended to take the Venus of Willendorf with them whenever they moved. The accentuations of her atonomy also suggest she was meant to be an idol of fertillity. At this point of the human race, reproduction was so essential that the people of the time probably started developed beiliefs and placing significance onto the idea of reproduction. |
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#2 The Great Hall of Bulls/ The Cave Paintings of Lascaux Lascaux, France 15,000 - 13,000 B.C.E. Paleolithic, Animism, Undulation _______________________ Content: These cave paintings include hundreds of painted, various animals that were located around the area at the time. _______________________ Style: In a very unique way, the figures in these caves were painted in such a way that they utilized the already exsisting shapes of the cave walls to give the animal figures movement and definition (undulation). Most of the animals were also painted in as if in movement already. And although the figures were stylized, some had very prominent facial features and use of perspective in the placement of the horns. Lastly, the animals were painted layering over each other, utilizing the space and color of the cave walls to create contrast and identify each individual animal. |
Context: The location of the Lascaux caves themselves already show that humans were moving from Africa out into Europe and beyond. All the animals in Lascaux were painted with natural dyes and pigments, from this we can tell people were aware of their surroundings enough to mix them and create color. The overlapping nature of the animals also suggests that these paintings were a continuous effort, possibly involving more than one person. This meant, that people were beginning to settle enough to keep returning to certain areas enough to paint them and, that those people kept in groups. The subject choice of animals, however, shows people at the time were still more impacted by the natural world and food sources than their own forming societies. |
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The Cave Paintings at Altamira Altamira, Spain 12,000 B.C.E. Paleolithic, Animism ____________________ Content: These paintings are almost all depictions of bulls, painted on the ceiling of a cave with, again, natural materials but with a starker color. All the bulls seem to be depicted with a similar frontal view but are not, by any means, sillouhettes. _______________________ Style: |
Context: Looking at the way the bulls are painted and their stark similarities, it is thought that these paintings were done by a single artist and possibly at one time, without the artist returning to continue their work. The style is still, vibrant, and still depicts the significance and importance of animals in human culture. |
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#3 Camelid Sacrum in the shape of a canine Tequixquiac, Mexico 14,000-1,000 B.C.E. Animism _______________________ Content: This used to be the sacrum bone of an animal, now extinct, that was related to modern day camels. It was carved to look like an ancient dog and thought to be used as a mask in ceremonies. _______________________ Style: The shape was created by using subtractive techniques and utilizing already apparent features in the bone, like the holes for eyes. |
Context: As hunters, early people had access to bones and the materials to carve them with. It was a first look at how people began manipulating their environment to created what they wanted. The reason why this bone was chosen could be because it already resembled the shape of a canine face or, it was because the artist(s) had already developed belifs about the sacrum in relation to reproductive organs or the fact that it holds up the spine. Since it's accepted that this bone may have been a mask used in ceremony, the fact that it's an animal face shows us that people were still influenced by the other creatures in their environment and often connected them with spirituality. People at the time had even begun domesticating dogs, perhaps resulting in the chosen subject. |
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#4 Running Horned Woman Tassilin' Ajjer, Algeria 6,000 - 4,000 B.C.E _______________________ Content: This painting was created with minerals on a rock wall and shows a large, horned woman running among a crowd of other human figures. There are also what seem to be ornaments decorating the woman's body and a raincloud over her head. _______________________ Style: The painting shows great contrast between the dark and light mediums used. There is also great detail put into the decorations of the woman. Most interestingly, though, there is a transparency to the larger woman and the figures behind her show through. |
Context: The most noticeable aspect of this painting is that it illustrates humans instead of animals. Perhaps the painting is relaying that the survival of the human race started to rely more on organized, settled groups of people rather than animals. The overlaping nature of the paintings also indicates that the smaller people could have been painted first and the larger woman painted over, which would require somewhate settled people to return to the painting and also, maybe, different artists. With the archeological searches in the area, it has been found that the area was, in fact, inhabited by several generations. There is also some thought that, because of the several headless figures scattered throughout, the painting actually was depicting some sort of event. This was the very start of the idea that art could be used to document historical events, and, that the people of this time were already figuring that out. The large woman's ceremonial dress supports this. The only thing that still remains animistic and natural about the painting is the woman's horns (still showing symbolic spiritualism to animals) and the apparent raincloud above her (and possible rainbow below her, held by another figure) shows that people were still very much involved and inspired by their natural environment. They could still be very dependent on it as well, the rain cloud shows their need for the rain to provide them with water and allow their crops to grow. |
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#5 Bushel with Ibex Motifs Susa, Iran 4,200 - 3,500 B.C.E. ______________________ Content: One of the first ceramic pieces, made from clay and intricately designed with mineral and plant paint in painstaking detail. The vessel portrays a Ibex, a type of goat native to the area, and also canine figures along the rim. At the time, dogs were used to hunt animals like Ibexes. The painting might have been done with small brushes made from plant material or human or animal hair. _______________________ Style: The design applies linear movement and lines, as well as animal shapes, circles, and exact parallelism around the vessel. |
Context: The existence of ceramic art meant that people were beginning to further manipulate their environment: they had to know where to find clay, sculpt it, and make and control a fire. Another reason ceramics came into existence: storage, which meant that people were starting to settle down, farm and store their crops in vessels like this one to survive or even create a surplus of food. The delicate painting designs give this vessel value, yet it was found around the area of an ancient, excavated gravesite. This meant that the people at Susa had a belief in the afterlife and might have buried valuables with people who had died, similar to the ancient Egyptians. The city of Susa might have even been a trading city with connections and cultural transfers with Egypt. |
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#6 Anthropomorphic Stele Arabian Peninsula 4th millennium B.C.E. _______________________ Content: Very stylized representation of a human figure, carved from stone. Has a make image and carries knives in sheaths across the chest and a knife tucked into a belt. _______________________ Style: Still a very general shape of a human but has facial features and distinct clothing. |
Context: These figures were thought to mark graves like headstones or, in other cases, were simply used to honor someone of importance. They might have been used as rewards for heroic actions as well. In any case, this specific stone seems to represent a warrior, all the more reason to believe there were given out as an honor. These were also the first step in recognizing the individual in society, instead of just the collective, human group. |
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#7 Jade Cong Liangzhu, China 3,300 - 2,200 B.C.E. _______________________ Content: Like one of many, this was a jade piece with decorative carvings, unique shape, and symbolic purpose. _______________________ Style: This piece was carved subtractivly and insized from the semi-precious stone of jade. It holds a circular shape inside its square one. There is great presision in the decoration as well. |
Context: Even though the people of the ancient times could not have know that China was one of the only places in the world to find a surplus of jade, it seems they still placed value on the carved pieces that were made from it. The stone might have held spiritual or symbolic meanings to the early cultures of China. Many similar congs have been found and are thought to perhaps been monetary value for trade, ornamental, or just reserved for high people in the early societies. |
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#8 Stonehenge Wiltshire, UK 2,500 - 1,600 B.C.E. Neolithic _______________________ Content: Stonehenge is a famous site know for its large circles of massive stones in a seemingly random location as well as the mystery surrounding how and why it was built. The stones are belived to be from local quarries and farther off mountains. There is also evidence of mud, wood, and ropes assisting in the construction of the site. _______________________ Style: The site was belived to be built starting with the inner most circle first and then built outwards. The stones were kept in a brick-like shape, it is thought, so they could be easily quarried. There is evidence, however, that the tops of the upright stones were tapered to provide the correct perspective. The most important element of the design is still the trilithon construction pattern which involved two megaliths vertically supporting a horizontal lintel that lays across them. The same design has been used throughout history and is still used today. |
Context: Although nothing is sure about the purpose of Stonehenge, there are certain influences that could have inspired its construction. One being it's ability to act as a seasonal and astronomical calendar. Apparently, neolithic people were observant enough of natures cosmic and seasonal patterns to construct a site that warns them of the changing environment. This would help them better prepare and survive their changing world. The site could have also been a ceremonial temple. In any case, it still shows the extent at which early humans were able to manipulate their surroundings for their beliefs and ultimate benefit. |
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#9 The Ambum Stone Ambum Valley Enga Province, Papua New Guinea 1,500 B.C.E. _______________________ Content: This is a sculpture of some sort of anteater-like creature made from a very rounded stone. _______________________ Style: With intense use of subtractive sculpting, this piece achieves a freestanding neck and head while still maintaining much of the original shape of the stone. It still uses natural materials and depicts a natural animal. |
Context: Since this statuette was found out in the Polynesian islands, it can be inferred that early people were able to develop some nautical sense and develop civilizations on far off land bits. That fact really encompasses the fact that humans were spread through the entire world by the neolithic period. |
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#10 Tlatilco Female Figurine Tlatilco site, Central Mexico 1,200 - 900 B.C.E. _______________________ Content: A ceramic female figure, this statuette has large hips and legs and two faces or heads. _______________________ Style: Why the two heads? Don't know. But it is known that the figure is decorated and was once painted.
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Context: Similar to the Venus of Willendorf, this figurine has emphasis on her lower half and for some reason, two heads. The statuette's location, however, does say something about how far humanity has traveled from the cave paintings in Africa and Europe, both literally and artistically. The piece also stands as foreshadowing of the great civilizations that develop in south and meso-america and the art that is produced. |
