ARTIFACTS FROM: STONEHENGE, LASCAUX CAVE & ROCK ART OF ALTA Grade 8 L.Aguilar

What is Rock Art?  Rock art is a universal visual language which is found in many cultures across the world.  It also takes many forms, Stonehenge and actual cave paintings/drawings. Cave painting at Lascaux of horse.

Stonehenge  Construction began 5,000 years ago.  The current site is only part of the original Stonehenge, which suffered damage from both man and weather.  The stones are almost perfectly aligned with the summer solstice.  Archaeologists believe the construction of Stonehenge was done in three stages, Stonehenge I, II, and III.

Stonehenge cont’d…  Predate any known religion, built as a place of worship for Neopagans.  The bluestones used, were thought to have healing powers.  Stonehenge I was used for about 500 years and then abandoned.  Stonehenge III is that circle that we see today and was started in 2,000 BC. (17 of 30 original stones still stand)

Significance of Stonehenge  Affirms interest in the Cosmos.  Very sophisticated calendar tracking the Moon, Sun, planets, and changes of seasons.  4,000 year old grave of archer was discovered.  About 100 different artifacts  Stone arrowheads, rare gold earrings, and stone tools used for butchering carcasses.

Structure of Stonehenge

Lascaux Cave  Discovered on September 12, 1940 by four boys named Marcel, George, Jim, Simon and a dog, Robot.  Abbe Breuil found evidence that humans lived and occupied caves from the dawn of human existence inside the caverns of Lascaux. Aurochs at Lascaux

Lascaux Cave Cont’d…  “The sole region of Paleolithic mural paintings”  Used as a “sanctuary” or holy place where people would go to draw what they hoped to be a good hunt, instead of pray for one.  Bulls, bison, and horses and some signs of human or semi-human representations.  The human figures are not as richly defined or carefully executed as is the animal art. Animals were as important to early man as life was.

Significance of Lascaux Cave  Cave men and women were once thought to be primitive but the cave drawings at Lascaux proved their fine motor skills and the fact that they used paints, tools, and brushes to make these highly detailed animals.  The Lascaux cave allows scientists to learn more about the land, people, and culture of the late Aurignacian period. It has also proven itself to be one of the greatest finds of this time period. Painting of Giant Deer

Rock Art of Alta  Consists of five different areas: Hjemmeluft, Kafjord, Amtmannsnes, Storsteinen and Transfarelvdalen.  The position of the paintings and engravings with respect to sea level at different postglacial periods constitutes a dating technique called reverse stratigraphy. Herd of elk, with two pregnant females.

Significance of Alta  One the most important pieces of evidence for human existence.  Glimpses into the past and usually symbolize something that humans today cannot immediately recognize.  Transfarelvdalen  Messages in honor of gods, mark an event, or mark their territory.  Kafjord  Rock art was used as a communication system, shamans retrieved the messages and kept the balance of their society.

Lascaux Paintings Carving with animals in fences, proving domestication of animals in Arctic Scandinavia Man or shaman communicating or fighting with elk.