Prehistoric Art:: The Stone Age
Hall of Bulls, Lascaux, about 15,00013,000 BC, France
The oldest paintings in art history are found
in caves. The technology was crude and
the working conditions difficult. Most
cave art consists of ____________ or
____________. The polychrome paintings
from Altmira and Lascaux are unusual.
Earth hues of red, yellow, brown, and
violet are used with lamp black (from the
soot of the lamps used in the caves). They
were probably applied with moss or hair.
Some colors were sprayed through
_____________onto the walls.
In some caves wooden scaffolding was
used to reach high walls.
Woman (Venus?) of Willendorf, about
25,000 BCE, Limestone, 4 3/8”
Carvings, not ancient cave paintings, may
be the oldest forms of art.
Carvings of _____________ are common.
The round and bulging stone carving called
Woman (Venus) of Willendorf was found
in Austria and is considered to be 25,000
years old. The small bulbous figure
suggests abundant ________ and a
plentiful food supply-the two important
needs of society.
Bison, about 10,000 BCE, Reindeer Antler,
France
The Bison carving out of a reindeer antler
used the _________ of the found material.
The turned back head makes use of the
existing _______. The original use cannot
be determined.
Neolithic plastered skull, about 7000 BCE,
Life-size, from the site of Jericho
The Neolithic Era (8000-3000 BC).
Humans moved from caves and began to
form communities. They herded cattle and
raised simple crops. Among the ruins of
one of these communities, Jericho,
archeologists found a group of sculpted
heads. The heads are actual human skulls
with ________ applied to the heads. The
purpose is not known.
Neolithic plastered skull, about 7000 BCE,
Life-size, from the site of Jericho
Several huge stone monuments have
survived from the Neolithic era.
Stonehenge is England was constructed in
2000 BCE. Stonehenge is a ______ or
cromlech of gigantic stones, some
weighing 50 tons. The lintels or
____________ were curved slightly to fit
the circular plan. Apparently a ritual site,
Stonehenge was constructed to indicate the
solstices and equinoxes of the calendar
year, and probably the time for planting,
harvest and religious ceremonies.