Chapter 1: Prehistoric Art

Paleolithic Era

the Old Stone Age is also called as ___.

Neolithic Era

the New Stone Age is also called as ___.

Stele

an upright stone slab used to mark a grave or a site

Anthropomorphic

having characteristics of the human form, although the form itself is not human.

Cong

a tubular object with a circular hole cut into a square-like cross-section

Jade

• appear in burials of people of high rank.

• placed in burials around bodies;

• Chinese linked this stone with the virtues of durability, subtlety, and beauty.

Shamanism

a religion based on the idea that the forces of nature can be contacted by intermediaries, called shamans, who go into a trance-like state to reach another state of consciousness.

Mortise and tenon

a groove cut into stone or wood that is shaped to receive a tenon, or projection, of the same dimensions

John Aubrey

Aubrey Holes were named after him.

First Phase

a phase for circular ditch 36 feet deep and 360 feet in diameter containing 56 pits called Aubrey Holes

Second Phase

a phase for wooden structure, perhaps roofed.

Third Phase

a phase for stone construction.

Menhirs

Large individual stones, erected singularly or in long rows stretching into the distance.

Megaliths

a stone of great size used in the construction of a prehistoric structure

Henge

a Neolithic monument, characterized by a circular ground plan. Used for rituals and marking astronomical events

Lintel

a horizontal beam over an opening

Post and Lintel Architecture

The most fundamental type of architecture in history.

Stylized

a schematic, nonrealistic manner of representing the visible world and its contents, abstracted from the way that they appear in nature

Camelid sacrum in the shape of a canine

• Bone sculpture from a camel-like animal.

• Worked to create an image of wolf/dog.

• Carved to represent a mammal’s skull.

Anthropomorphic stele

• hangs double-bladed knife or sword.

• Double cords stretch diagonally; an awl unifying them.

• One of the earliest known works of art from Arabia.

Jade cong

• circular hole placed within a square

• some have haunting mask designs

• Jade carved

The Ambum Stone

• composite human/animal figure

• anteater head - human body.

• ridgelines from nose to the head, eyes and shoulders.

Tlatilco female figurine

• flipper-like arms, huge thighs, pronounced hips, narrow waists.

• unclothed; diminished role of hands and feet.

• female figures

• Found in graves

Terra cotta fragment

• One of the oldest human faces in Oceanic art.

• white coral lime was applied after pot was incised.

• Outline forms | Dentate stamping

Apollo 11 stones

• animal seen in profile | typical prehistoric painting

• named after a satellite landing on moon in 1969; same year the cave was discovered.

• done with charcoal

Great Hall of the Bulls

• 650 paintings; painted in rock

• bodies seen in profile; twisted perspective

• many overlapping figures; walls were scraped

• may have used moss or hair as brushes.

Running horned woman

• many forms of drawing - livestock, wildlife, humans

• composite view of body

• female horned figure

Beaker with ibex motifs

• Frieze of stylized aquatic birds on top

• stylized running dogs with long narrow bodies

• abstract and stylized horns ibex

Stonehenge

• Post-and-lintel building

• mortise and tenon

• large megaliths - 20ft tall

• central horsehoe surrounded by lintel megaliths.

• maybe transported on logs or greased sleigh.