Events, Art and Architecture Prehistory Events, Art and Architecture

Dating Conventions and Abbreviations B.C.=before Christ B.C.E.=before the Common Era A.D.=Anno Domini (the year of our Lord) C.E.=Common Era c. or ca.= circa C.=century For publication, reproduction or transmission of images, please contact individual artists, estates, photographers and exhibiting institutions for permissions and rights.

Prehistory 4,000,000 BCE – first hominids walk upright (homo erectus) 2,000,000 BCE – first tool making hominids (homo habilis) 200,000 BCE – first modern humans appear in Africa(homo sapiens) 100,000 BCE – first evidence of religious practices (serious burials) 50,000 BCE – fully modern language appears (vocal cords in skeletal remains)

Prehistory 40,000 BCE – small portable stone figures first appear (sculptures) 35,000 – 10, 000 BCE – homo sapiens become dominant species over Neandertal 28,000 BCE – first known cave paintings appear at Chauvet in France 15,000 – 10, 000 BCE – Lascaux and Altamira cave paintings in France and Spain respectively appear 9000 BCE – animals begin to be domesticated 8000 BCE – agriculture and animals domesticated cause the Neolithic Agricultural Revolution

Prehistory 9000-7500 BCE – Jericho develops as world’s oldest continuously inhabited city 7000 BCE – Pottery develops 3300 BCE – earliest writing develops in Mesopotamia (Sumer) – ends prehistoric period begins historic period 3000 BCE – Bronze Age begins in Mesopotamia 2300 BCE – by this point most cultures have moved into the Bronze Age – end of Stone Age

Three Eras of Prehistory Paleolithic – Old Stone Age – 40,000 – 10, 000 BCE Mesolithic – Middle Stone Age – 10,000 – 8,000 BCE Neolithic – New Stone Age – 8,000 – 2,300 BCE

Megalithic Monument Types Menhirs – simplest megalithic form, upright slabs that served as grave markers, parts of circles or made patterns.

Megalithic Monument Types Dolmen – two upright slabs with one single slab placed on top; used as houses of the dead, for stone circles and for tombs. This is an example of post and lintel architecture

Megalithic Monument Types Cromlech – either menhirs or dolmens set up into a circular pattern; used as calendars, tombs and for ritual religious ceremonies.

Paleolithic Art Characteristics Tends to be more realistic rather than abstract Sculptures are usually small and portable Humans rarely depicted Focus on natural not spiritual world

Neolithic Art Characteristics Tends to be more abstract than realistic Architecture develops Art for utilitarian purposes Humans depicted frequently More focus on the spiritual aspects of life

River Valley Civilizations Tigris and Euphrates River Valley – Mesopotamian Civilization Nile River Valley – Egyptian Civilization Indus River Valley – Indian Civilization Yang Tze (Yellow) River Valley – Chinese Civilization

Prehistoric Art

How the Art Work Slides Look Title Date created City created in Style (Painting, etc) Artist (if applicable) Important Information

Art Works Pebble resembling a human face ca. 3,000,000 B.C.E. Makaspansgat South Africa Sculpture approximately 2 3/8 in. wide First art object For publication, reproduction or transmission of images, please contact individual artists, estates, photographers and exhibiting institutions for permissions and rights.

Prehistory Chauvet Cave Panorama 28,000 BCE Chauvet, France Oldest known paintings Found deep inside cave Religious Rituals Education

Chauvet Cave paintings FOR EDUCATIONAL USE ONLY For publication, reproduction or transmission of images, please contact individual artists, estates, photographers and exhibiting institutions for permissions and rights. Chauvet Cave paintings

Chauvet Cave

Prehistory Hall of the Bulls 15,000 – 10, 000 BCE Lascaux, France Painting Realistic portrayal of animals – hunting aid, education or ritual use

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Lascaux Bird headed man Chinese Horse

Pech-Merle Cave paintings 22,000 BCE Lot, France pigment on stone Use of natural features to create the art FOR EDUCATIONAL USE ONLY For publication, reproduction or transmission of images, please contact individual artists, estates, photographers and exhibiting institutions for permissions and rights.

Prehistory Two Bison 13,000 BCE Ariege, France Relief Sculpture As with painting, animals were the main theme in prehistoric sculpture Carved right from the clay of the cave itself Note the detail

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Human with Feline Head ca. 30,000-28,000 B.C.E. Hohlenstein-Stadel, Germany Sculpture 11 5/8 in. high Shaman/ Witch-doctor figure For publication, reproduction or transmission of images, please contact individual artists, estates, photographers and exhibiting institutions for permissions and rights.

Prehistory Wounded Bison 15,000 – 10,000 BCE Altamira, Spain Bison in middle is hurt by arrow Realism portrayed 1 of 3 great cave painting sites

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New finds 2009 Venus of Hohle Fels 38,000 – 33,000 BCE Hohle Fels, Germany Sculpture Changes the dates of earliest human forms by 10,000 years Enlarged breasts, detailed genitalia suggest fertility symbol Made of mammoth ivory; scratches across body could represent clothing No head just a hook to possibly hang/wear as a charm

Prehistoric Art Venus of Willendorf 25,000-20,000 BC Willendorf, Austria Sculpture Was considered the earliest depiction of human figure until 2009 Symbolizes fertility Only 4 inches tall – served as charm

Venus of Laussel Woman Holding Animal Horn 30,000 BCE Laussel, France Relief sculpture Similar to Willendorf in style

Various European “Venus” figures For publication, reproduction or transmission of images, please contact individual artists, estates, photographers and exhibiting institutions for permissions and rights. Various European “Venus” figures

Prehistory Herd crossing river, hunters with bows & arrows 8,000 – 3,000 BCE Valtorta Gorge, Spain Painting Neolithic art portrayed more interaction between men and their environment Not deep inside caves any longer

Mammoth bone dwelling ca. 16,000-10,000 B.C.E. Ukraine Architecture First individual architectural dwelling For publication, reproduction or transmission of images, please contact individual artists, estates, photographers and exhibiting institutions for permissions and rights.

Mammoth Bone House - Ukraine

Prehistoric Art Newgrange C. 3000-2500 BCE Newgrange, Ireland Architecture Originally a stone circle, now a tomb Calendar to tell equinoxes and solstices

Prehistoric Art Stonehenge 2950 BCE Salisbury Plain, England Architecture Used as calendar Most significant stone circle in Europe; used in ritual sacrifices for sun cult

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Prehistoric Art

Figures of Man and Woman FOR EDUCATIONAL USE ONLY For publication, reproduction or transmission of images, please contact individual artists, estates, photographers and exhibiting institutions for permissions and rights. Slide concept by William V. Ganis, PhD Figures of Man and Woman ca. 4,000-3,500 B.C.E. Cernavoda, Romania Pottery/sculpture Possibly married couple?

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Great Stone Tower of Settlement Wall ca. 8,000-7,000 B.C.E. Jericho, Israel/Palestine Architecture Jericho is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world FOR EDUCATIONAL USE ONLY For publication, reproduction or transmission of images, please contact individual artists, estates, photographers and exhibiting institutions for permissions and rights.

Human Skulls with Restored Features ca. 7,000-6,000 B.C.E. Jericho, Israel/Palestine Sculpture Skulls, plaster, shells Possible ancestor worship – or ward off evil FOR EDUCATIONAL USE ONLY For publication, reproduction or transmission of images, please contact individual artists, estates, photographers and exhibiting institutions for permissions and rights.

FOR EDUCATIONAL USE ONLY For publication, reproduction or transmission of images, please contact individual artists, estates, photographers and exhibiting institutions for permissions and rights.

Catal Huyok

FOR EDUCATIONAL USE ONLY For publication, reproduction or transmission of images, please contact individual artists, estates, photographers and exhibiting institutions for permissions and rights.

Landscape with Volcanic Eruption Çatal Höyük, Turkey watercolor copy of a wall painting Oldest portrayal of a natural disaster May be oldest city in the world FOR EDUCATIONAL USE ONLY For publication, reproduction or transmission of images, please contact individual artists, estates, photographers and exhibiting institutions for permissions and rights.

Prehistoric Art The End Next lecture: Ancient Near East