Aligns with the material found in chapter 1 of Stokstad's Art History survey.

1. Chapter 1 Prehistoric Art in Europe

2. Dating Conventions and Abbreviations B.C.=before ChristB.C.E.=before the Common Era A.D.=Anno Domini(in the year of our Lord)C.E.=Common Era c. or ca.= circa C.=century

3. Outline of Prehistoric Period Paleolithic Lower Middle Upper Neolithic

4. Paleolithic Age “Old Stone Age” - 2,500,000 – 10,000 BC Technological advancement from spear to bow/arrow = better hunting Appearance of Homo sapiens sapiens(-120,000) Cro-Magnon Man Europe Stone Ax = chop down trees & make boats Hunting large animals required 4-5 “bands” of people working together Chief status for leader Cave Paintings

5. Homo Sapiens Sapiens

6. Shelter or Architecture?

7. Architecture of Mammoth-Bone Houses Mammoth bone dwelling from Ukraine ca. 16,000-10,000 B.C.E.

9. Artifacts or Works of Art?

10. Lion-Human from Hohlenstein-Stadel, Germany ca. 30,000-26,000 B.C.E. mammoth ivory 11 3/8 in. high

11. Sculpture Oldest surviving art objects Made from bone, ivory, stone, or antlers Either engraved (by incising an outlined figure with a sharp tool), carved in deep relief or fully rounded three-dimension Lion-Human is half man, half beast

12. Female Figurines

13. Venus of Willendorffrom Willendorf, Austria ca. 28,000-25,000 B.C.E. limestone 4 1/4 in. high

14. “Venus” of Willendorf

15. Other Female Beauties Woman of Lespugue from cave of Les Rideaux, France ca. 20,000 B.C.E. mammoth ivory 5 3/4 in. high

16. Various European “Venus” figures

17. Modern Exaggeration

19. The Meaning of Cave Paintings The first “paintings” were probably made 15,000 years ago Pictures of bison, deer, horses, cattle, mammoths & boars are in the most remote recesses of the caves, from the entrance Scholars proposed the social function of art lead to totemistic rites and increase ceremonies used to enhance fertility

20. The Meaning of Cave Paintings Archeologists speculate the animal images were meant to guarantee a successful hunt Drawing a picture of it gave you power over it? Sympathetic magic Artwork has been depicted with realistic features that enables scholars to identify animals

21. Chauvet Cave paintings Vallon-Pont-d’Arc, Ardèche, France ca. 30,000-28,000 B.C.E. pigment on stone

23. Not intended for long-term use? Used for rituals? Pech-Merle Cave paintings Lot, France ca. 22,000 B.C.E. pigment on stone

25. Lascaux Cave paintings Lascaux, Dordogne, France ca. 15,000-13,000 B.C.E. pigment on stone

26. Twisted Perspective – horns, eyes & hooves are shown as seen from the front, yet heads & bodies are rendered in profile

28. The “paints” used were ground minerals like red & yellow ochre

30. Altamira Cave paintings Santander, Spain ca. 12,000-11,000 B.C.E. pigment on stone

31. Bison Ceiling Artists used the irregularities of the cave to create sculptural effects by painting over them

32. Neolithic Revolution End of Ice Age (100,000 – 8000 BCE) brought ability to search for new food Systemic Agriculture – Making the conscious decision to plant & grow food Domestication – Raising goats, sheep, pigs & cattle Development of permanent, year-round settlements (and eventually, civilization)

33. Skara Brae Architecture Neolithic settlement in northern Scotland 3100 and 2600 BCE Corbeling – layers of stones are piled on top of each other to form walls without mortar

35. Megalithic Architecture “Large stone” (mega + lithos) Powerful religious or political figures and beliefs was the impetus for these massive building projects 2 types: Dolmen – large, vertical stones with a covering slab like a giant table (mounded over with dirt to form a cairn) Menhir – single stone set on its end Positioned: Henge– circular arrangement of stones Alignment – in rows

37. Stonehenge Salisury Plain, Wiltshire, England ca. 2,550-1,600 B.C.E.sarsen and bluestone

39. Stonehenge: England’s First Rock Group Series of concentric circles & circular shapes Outer circle of 13 foot high gray sandstones, called sarsen stones, topped by a continuous lintel They weigh up to 26 tons each! http://youtube.com/watch?v=DewEKz9TzmM

40. Built it and They Will Come?

41. How Did They Do That?! Lacked bronze or iron tools and, possibly, the wheel Transported the stones by barge or sled Heel stone standing upright, weighs 35 tons and was brought in from 23 miles away Raising of the stones was done in stages by prying the ends up and inserting timber beneath Added layer after layer and then removed the elevated scaffolding

42. Banksy Stonehenge Port-A-Potties Glastonbury, England 2008 metal and plastic Jim Reinders Carhenge Alliance, Nebraska 1987 metal

43. Could Coral Castle Provide an Answer?

45. Menhir alignments at Ménec, Carnac, France ca. 4,250-3,750 B.C.E.

46. various Menhirs Ireland, Scotland, England, France

47. Dolmens Ireland, Scotland, England, France

48. Essential Questions What is prehistory? What are the problems and challenges of making meaning of prehistoric art? How is prehistoric art useful in understanding the human condition?