Chapter 1: PreHistoric Art
Lesson 3: Paleolithic and Neolithic
Warm-up 8-28-14
Ch.1 Pre-Historic Art
Obj: SWBAT identify
the characteristics
of Paleolithic and
Neolithic art by
describing them on
an exit slip.
Chapter 1 8-27-14
Warm-up:
Please respond in complete
sentences:
1. What is the context of the
Paleolithic people?
2. What are the characteristics of
art in the Paleolithic period??
Intro to Pre-Historic Art
Pre-Historic
Art Context
• The first paintings and sculptures appeared-NO written words to record history.
• It is unknown why humans painted and
carved these images
What do you see?
Paleolithic
Paleolithic
(Old Stone
Age)
Year: 30,000 BCE-8000 BCE
Nomadic Society—Hunter gatherers
Art Characteristics:
• Depictions of animals like horses and bison
• Always shown in profile with head, body,
tail and 4 legs.
• Portable figurines to over life size
• Images of women were more common than
men, but animals are most dominate
imagery
Class Expectations
1. Students are respectful of
everyone and all belongings
2. Students are prepared and on
time with all materials
3. Students follow directions the
first time given
4. Students keep food and drinks
away during class (water only)
5. Students keep personal
electronics off and out of sight
(explicit permission will be given
to use electronics).
•
•
•
Hoods off
Food Away
Backpacks, purses,
bags, etc. on back of
chair or under desk
Announcements:
 Choose
your Cue Card
study groups
 Quiz on credit lines and
Pre-historic art on
Friday
Homework:
Cue Cards for Chapter 1
Only the following images:
•Venus of Willendorf
•Lascaux Caves, France 3
images--Rhino & wounded
man, “Chinese horse” Hall of
Bulls
•Stonehenge
Agenda:
Warm-up
 Announcements and
Reminders
 Text Book Distribution
 Choose Cue Card groups
 Prehistoric art Notes

Office Hours
Tuesday 3:00-4:00
Thursday 3:00-4:00
SUBSCRIBE TO MRS. QUIGGLE’S WEBPAGE
Go to the Hawthrone high school website and search
“Quiggle”. Go to the class page.
CUE CARD GROUPS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
3-4 people to one group
Exchange phone numbers and emails
All works of art to be covered in this course WILL NOT be
addressed during class.
It will be your responsibility to research those not covered.
You will create “Cue Cards,” like flash cards, of all artworks
for homework.
Divide the list of artworks for each chapter among your
group and complete your part then share info with your
group--combine your efforts to complete all cue cards.
Daily Notes/Warm-ups (Cornell Notes)
Chapter 1
8-27-14
Chapter 1
8-25-14
Warm-up:
Chapter 1 Pre-Historic art
Key
Terms
&
Questi
ons
Notes
Chapter 1 Summary
Lecture summary or end of
lesson question & Answer
Prehistoric Art
The Dawn of Art
(Let’s get the text
book)
Intro to Pre-Historic Art
Pre-Historic
Art Context
• The first paintings and sculptures appeared-NO written words to record history.
• It is unknown why humans painted and
carved these images
What do you see?
Paleolithic
Paleolithic
(Old Stone
Age)
Year: 30,000 BCE-8000 BCE
Nomadic Society—Hunter gatherers
Art Characteristics:
• Depictions of animals like horses and bison
• Always shown in profile with head, body,
tail and 4 legs.
• Portable figurines to over life size
• Images of women were more common than
men, but animals are most dominate
imagery
Intro to Pre-Historic Art
Venus of Willendorf
from Willendorf, Austria
ca. 28,000-25,000 B.C.E.
limestone
4 1/4 in. high
Paleolithic
Paleolithic (cont.)
The Venus of
Willendorf
Venus of Willendorf
from Willendorf, Austria
• Year: ca. 28,000-25,000 B.C.E.
• Medium: limestone
• Size: 4 1/4 in. high
Possible function:
• Fertility figure—Large breasts, stomach, and legs
• This figure exemplifies the preoccupation with
women, child bearing and survival.
Think about the context of the people who
made/possessed this figure. How is the lifestyle of the
people reflected in this work?
How to make Cue Cards
• Back
How to make Cue Cards
Lascaux Cave paintings
Lascaux, Dordogne, France
ca. 15,000-13,000 B.C.E.
pigment on stone
Lascaux Cave paintings—Hall of Bulls
Lascaux, Dordogne, France
ca. 15,000-13,000 B.C.E.
pigment on stone
Paleolithic
Paleolithic (cont.)
Lascaux Cave paintings
• Location: Lascaux, Dordogne, France
• ca. 15,000-13,000 B.C.E.
• Medium: pigment on stone
• Pictures horses and bison in profile
• Animal drawn in composite view or ‘twisted
perspective’—head in profile but horns from the
front.
Paleolithic
Paleolithic (cont.)
Video:
https://www.youtu
be.com/watch?v=U
nSq0c7jM-A
Lascaux Cave paintings
• Possible meanings:
1. Magical—thought painting brought animals
to life/controlled them
2. Ritual dance
3. Teaching tool for hunting—however the
people did not eat bison
• Meaning is STILL A MYSTERY TODAY!
Neolithic Period
Stonehenge
Salisury Plain, Wiltshire, England
ca. 2,550-1,600 B.C.E.
sarsen and bluestone
Neolithic
Period
Stonehenge
• Year: 8000 BCE-2300 BCE
• Beginning of agricultural society—settlements
and farms
• Development of stone implements
• Dawn of monumental sculpture and architecture
Stonehenge
• Location: Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire England,
• Year: ca. 2550-1600 BCE
• Medium: Sarson stones (sandstone) and smaller
blue stones (volcanic rock)
Neolithic Period
Stonehenge
(cont.)
Trilithon
• Size: Circle--97’ in diameter; trilithons—24’ high
• Henge—arrangement of megalithic stones in a
circle
• Megalith– “great stone”
• Post and lintel construction—see illustration
Post and Lintel
Lintel
Post
Neolithic Period
Stonehenge
(cont.)
Possible functions:
1. Astrological/solar calendar
• The ‘heel stone’ aligns with the sun raising
on the summer solstice
2. Possible funerary sight for cremating dead
3. Center for healing
Significant astronomical alignments at Stonehenge
Eddie Izzard talks about Stonehenge:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiFq_nk8pE0
Exit Slip
Answer the following in
complete sentences:
How do you know
these paintings are
characteristic of
the Paleolithic
period?
Chauvet Cave paintings
Vallon-Pont-d’Arc, Ardèche, France
ca. 30,000-28,000 B.C.E.
pigment on stone