avi 101 Cave Art Introduction

History of Early Humans 4.4 million years ago in Africa, the first upright human species roamed the earth. About 200,000 years ago we evolved to be homo sapiens (wise humans).

History of Early Humans About 120,000 – 100,000 years ago we evolved to become what we are today.

History of Early Humans About 200 years ago, archeologist found ancient stone tools, weapons & figures in around Africa, Asia, Europe. 19th century archeologist named this era Paleolithic or Stone Age (from the Greek word) Paleo meaning “old” and Lithos meaning “stone”.

Timeline of Prehistoric Era 250,000 – 100,000 BCE Lower Paleolithic 100,000 – 35,000 BCE Middle Paleolithic 42,000 – 8,000 BCE Upper Paleolithic 10,000 – 3,500 BCE Neolithic (New Stone Age)

Flint sickles, flat grinding stone, stone ax with wooden handle. Around 7000 BCE

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Lion-Human From Holenstein-Stadel, Germany C 30,000 – 26,000 BCE Mammoth Ivory

Woman from Willendorf Austria C 22,000 – 21,000 BCE Limestone

Woman from Willendorf Austria C 22,000 – 21,000 BCE Limestone

Prehistoric Environments How the Cave Men lived in Prehistoric Times

Where The Cave Men Lived? Dwellings Found in Russia and Ukraine (16,000 BCE – 10,000 BCE) Cave Men built housing out of bones and hide of Woolly Mammoths. Largest dwelling found was 23 by 33 feet in size. Inside features charred bones, ashes This indicates a source of light and heat

Reconstructed Drawing of a Mammoth-bone house Ukraine c. 16,000 – 10,000 BCE

Reconstruction of a Mammoth-bone house Ukraine c. 16,000 – 10,000 BCE

Where The Cave Men Lived? Caves Oldest examples of Paleolithic caves are from Australia & Western Europe (30,000 BC) Caves can run through mountains & underground.

Reconstructed Painting of a Cave Austria c. 30,000 BCE

Example of a Cave Austria c. 30,000 BCE

Prehistoric Cave Paintings Early Human Art

Altamira Caves in Altamira, Spain Discovered in 1879 First major discovery in history.

Altamira Caves in Altamira, Spain The cave was found by a hunter’s dog who fell into a hole. Years later, Macelino de Sautuola, an amateur archaeologist excavated the cave. He found a number of flint and prehistoric stone tools.

Altamira Caves in Altamira, Spain One day, he brought his 5 year old daughter with him to the cave. The father had to bend down to get into the cave, but his daughter was able to walk upright. She looked up at the ceiling and saw images of bisons, boar, wild horses and deer.

Altamira Caves Altamira, Spain 1941

Bison Painting at the Altamira Caves Altamira, Spain 1941

Deer Painting at the Altamira Caves Altamira, Spain 1941

Lascaux Caves in Dordogn, France Discovered in 1940 One of the most famous and visited prehistoric caves in the world

Lascaux Caves in Dordogn, France The cave was found by two boys and their dog. They were playing in the field when their dog fell down a small hole and was trapped in the cave. The boys found another larger hole near by and was able to crawl down. They lit matches and saw all the paintings on the walls.

Lascaux Caves in Dordogn, France The caves was opened to the public after World War II and became France’s most popular tourist sites. Caves closed in 1963 so conservators could fix and protect it. Decades of visitors contaminated the paintings with the heat, humidity, carbon dioxide, etc. Cave became full of fungus. Instead, they built a replica cave called Lascaux II.

Lascaux Caves Visitors: Leon Laval, Marcel Ravidat, Jacques Marshal, and Henri Breuil Dordogne, France 1941

Lascaux Caves Entrance Dordogne, France

Lascaux Caves Dordogne, France

Entrance To Hall of Bulls Lascaux Caves Dordogne, France

Entrance To Hall of Bulls Lascaux Caves Dordogne, France

Entrance To Hall of Bulls Lascaux Caves Dordogne, France

Herd of Horses with a Large Bull (Near The Back of The Hall) Lascaux Caves Dordogne, France

3 Large Aurochs (Opposite Wall) Lascaux Caves Dordogne, France

Chamber of Engravings Small Rotunda Lascaux Caves Dordogne, France

Engravings of Horses Covers The Dome of Small Rotunda Lascaux Caves Dordogne, France

Prehistoric Artists Cave painting was mostly drawings of animals. It was common for the artist to paint on top of other paintings when there was no more room. The most surprising thing is the size of the paintings. The average size is 5 feet.

Reasons for Painting Aesthetic / Beauty Decorate their home with images of what they see & know.

Reasons for Painting Religion / Magic Win favour from the God or Mysterious Powers that control their lives. Birth of children Survival of their tribe

Reasons for Painting Religion / Magic Magic ensures hunters of an abundant supply of animals for food. They believed that if they sacrifice the animal they killed and draw it on the wall, the gods will bring the animal back to life and put it back in the world so they can hunt it again.

Reasons for Painting History / Journal Record daily activities of hunting and the animals they encountered.

Two Bisons Main Entrance Lascaux Caves Dordogne, France

Swimming Stags Main Entrance Lascaux Caves Dordogne, France

Cattled Gathered Next to a Group of Huts Tassili -n-Ajjer, Algeria c. 2500 - 1500 BCE

Knowledge of the Cave Men Though their tools were crude, prehistoric artists showed great knowledge about the animals they hunted. They knew how they looked and acted because they observed them every day, especially when hunting them. This helped the cave men to paint the animals realistically and show how they behaved in the wild.

How to Create Cave Art Step 1: Carving The artist uses a sharpen object like a rock or mammoth tusk. They then carve or chip away on the cave walls.

Prehistoric Art Materials Cave Painters use whatever they had to create their art. They created colour pigment from: Clay (Red and Brown) Soft Stone (White) Charcoal (Black)

How to Create Cave Art Step #2: Creating Colour Paint The artist creates the colour pigment from clay, soft rocks and/or charcoal by grinding it into a powder. Then they mix the powder with animal fat, blood or some medium.

How to Create Cave Art Step #3: Applying The Paint The artist applied the paint using their fingers. They also made brushes with some kind of reed or bristle brush to use. Reed Plants

How to Create Cave Art Step #3: Applying The Paint They put the paint in the scratched lines with black or dark brown. This creates the outline of the animal. Next, the animal is filled with different shades of reddish brown to create the impression of a 3D form.

How to Create Cave Art Alternate Way The artist chews on piece of charcoal to dilute it with saliva water. Then they blow the charcoal onto the surface of a wall. They can using their hand as a stencil. You can create the outline of the animals easily.

'Panel of Hands' in El Castillo Cave, Spain 45,000 BCE