Prehistoric Art

Think-Pair-Share Think about the question Pair up with your table Share your responses I will call on you for answers!

Think-Pair-Share

Think-Pair-Share What Elements do you see? What Principles do you see? What is in the picture? Why do you think this picture was created?

                          Key Term: Prehistoric Art- the global and preliterate origins of human artistic achievements, the first attempts of which appear to have been made about 35,000 B.C.E. in the form of African rock art.

Who were the artists? Cro-Magnon peoples from 35,000 BCE were considered to be the world’s first artists. They lived in caves when it was cold. Hunted animals for food, clothing, tools, and shelter.

The first discovery In 1879, a Spanish archeologist Marcelino Sanz de Sautuloa and his daughter, Maria, set out to explore a cave in the hillside of Altamira, not far from their home. De Sautloa took a serious interest in finding out about the prehistoric past.

The first discovery Little Maria was small enough to see into the narrow opening of the cave in the backyard. What she saw changed history.

The first discovery Maria had become the first modern human to set eyes on the first gallery of prehistoric paintings ever to be discovered.

Altamira Cave

Cave Paintings Cave paintings are found all over the world. Western Europe, primarily Southern France and Northern Spain, are rich with caves containing Stone Age wall paintings.

The Art Rock paintings have been found to include line drawings in charcoal and red ochre, painted images, and negative images, which are formed by painting, the rock area around an object, such as a hand.

How were they made? These Paleolithic artists made paint out of natural substances such as red and yellow earth, different colored minerals, and black charcoal. They would grind these into a powdery mix with water.

                          Key Term: Earth Pigments- naturally occurring minerals, principally iron oxides, that people have used in paints for thousands of years for their natural color.

Subjects of paintings

Why were they made? We don’t know why the painters made cave paintings. Possible theories: Hunting “magic” Part of spiritual beliefs Ceremonial- coming of age An aid for memory and to pass on

                          Key Term: Symbolism- the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities.

The Lascaux Caves

The Lascaux Caves 15,000-13,000 BCE Researchers think that this horse was part of a magic hunting ritual. They believe that the artists threw spears at the horse because there are marks on the walls of the cave.

Hall of the Bulls

Las Cuevas de las Piletas 28,000-8,000 BCE Located in Southern Spain One of the caves is still open to public.

Prehistoric sculpture More difficult than painting. These bison were carved out of rock. Two feet long each. 12,000 BCE This bison was carved out of a reindeer horn. Four inches long.

Stonehenge Prehistoric monument Made out of monoliths- huge rocks Very mysterious- aligns with the sun cast shadows during solstices and may been a type of calendar.

Stonehenge Created around 2,000 BCE There are other stone circles, but this is the most famous.

Video Video: Stone Age Art History from Goodbye-Art Academy