Prehistoric Art in Western Europe

1. Prehistoric Art in Western Europe Lesson 6.1

2. Art of Prehistoric People • Much or our knowledge about the lives of early human beings comes from their art. • Before people could write or use metal to make tools, they were painting and scratching pictures of animals on the uneven walls of caves and rock shelters. • It is difficult to understand why our prehistoric ancestors took time to produce art. • It would be reasonable to believe that the artworks that they did create would be primitive and crude. But are they?

3. Cave Paintings of Altamira (Fig. 6.2) • Prehistoric painting of a Bison found on the ceiling of a cave in Spain. • Notice the accurate proportions of the animal • Notice that the animal is not placed in a setting. • What effect does this have? • 15,000-10,000 B.C.

4. Determining the Age of Prehistoric Art • To determine the date of an artifact the surrounding layer of earth is tested or – • Radiocarbon can be tested from once living objects found near the artifact. Paleolithic Period – (Old Stone Age) – the historical period believed to have lasted from 30,000 B.C. until about 10,000 B.C.

5. Cave Paintings of Lascaux c.15,000-10,000B.C. • Controversy surrounds the exact date of the cave painting found in Lascaux, France. • Many scholars feel that the imagery is too developed for the work of primitive peoples. • They are unlikely the first artworks ever created. • Like Altamira the caves were discovered accidently.

6. Cave Paintings of Lascaux c.15,000-10,000B.C.

7. Use of Paintings in Hunting Rituals • During prehistoric times cave painting was limited mostly entirely to the depiction of animals. • Probably due to the prehistoric peoples dependence on the animals for food. • The paintings of animals most certainly played a part in magic rituals performed before a hunt. • Hunters probably believed that by drawing the animals they were capturing the animals spirit, allowing for an easier hunt.

8. Prehistoric Builders • Eventually prehistoric peoples ventured out of their caves to begin building more comfortable shelters. • Small communities developed, and hinters replaced their weapons with crude farming tools and shepherd staffs. • In time communities grew into organized villages surrounded by cornfields and grazing animals.

9. Rock & Horn Carvings • Detailed relief sculptures carved in to rock are proof of the prehistoric peoples artistic carving skills. • Rock carvings have been found in England, Spain, France, Germany, Malta, and the Canary Islands. • Bison Lickings its Back is an example of a horn carving. • Notice the form and use of hatching to create value.

10. Standing Stones • Megaliths– large monuments created from huge stone slabs. • Megaliths can be found scattered across Europe, India, Asia, and even the Americas.

11. Stonehenge c.2000B.C. • The most famous megalith structure is Stonehenge in England. • Consists of a large rings of stones with 3 progressively smaller circles within. • The outermost ring is a 100 feet in diameter. Of the 30 original upright stones over half still remain standing. The tallest is over 17ft and weighs more than 50 tons. • Paleolithic Period – (Old Stone Age) – the historical period believed to have lasted from 30,000 B.C. until about 10,000 B.C. • What is it’s purpose? • How did they transport the stone and assemble the structure? • Astronomical observatory?

12. Vocabulary • Paleolithic Period – (Old Stone Age) – the historical period believed to have lasted from 30,000 B.C. until about 10,000 B.C. • Megaliths– large monuments created from huge stone slabs. • Paleolithic Period – (Old Stone Age) – the historical period believed to have lasted from 30,000 B.C. until about 10,000 B.C.