Arts of Ancient
Cultures
Ancient Cultures
Include tribes and peoples of
prehistoric periods
What we know about the arts of this
period relies heavily on artifacts
and oral histories
Ancient cultures include Native
American, African tribal society,
Egyptian, and eastern cultures
The arts, music, dance, drama, and
visual arts are strongly related to
the religious beliefs of the culture.
Most arts have some ritualistic
purpose.
All arts are very much
environmentally dependent—no
import/export market was
available
What type of arts do we find?
The drama of the period is limited
to the storytelling tradition.
Groups would gather around
campfires to tell stories of hunts
and battles. This was a way to
pass on heritage. The stories of
creation and how natural things
came about were shared.
Dance was ritualistic. The
purpose was to prepare for battle,
as wedding, birth or death
ceremony, as a rite of passage
from one life period to another,
and even as a political practice.
Some cultures would “sign” their
legal agreements by having a
dance. Social “boy/girl” dancing
was not practiced.
Music again served a similar
purpose as dance—used to
celebrate special life times, to
prepare for hunts or battles etc.
Instruments used include simply
constructed drums, flutes, and
percussion instruments mainly.
Chanting was the main vocal
music
Visual arts include items of
functional value and items that
serve religious/ritualistic
purposes.
Functional items include: woven
materials (blankets and clothing
items), woven baskets and pottery
used for storage etc.

Items serving ritualistic.religious
purposes include statues used to
represent the gods that the people
worshipped or that had mystical
powers such as Venus figures
(fertility figures). Cave paintings
are some of the oldest artwork
ever discovered. There are cave
drawings located thru out the
world
Some of the most famous cave
painting were found in France.
Featured in most cave paintings
are animal scenes—hunt scenes.
It is speculated that rather than
portraying the story of a hunt that
these drawings were a ritual that
would weaken the animal and
make the hunt more successful
One of the most impressive pieces
of architecture that was created
during this time is Stonehenge
located in Great Britain. It is a
ancient and mysterious religious
configuration of giant stones
utilizing the post-and-lintel
system.
 A post-and-lintel structure consists of
horizontal beams (lintels) laid across
the open spaces between vertical
supports (posts).
 It is believed that this structure was
built by the Druid cult and served as a
place of worship.
 Another name for this type of
structure is a megalith.
Ancient arts were created in the
time period covering 30,00010,000 BC. This is known as
the Paleolithic period.
Cave paintings were discovered
in
the French town of Lascaux.
Art of the Paleolithic period
sometimes served as a calendar.
Native American Arts
Several factors influence Native
American arts;
1. Environment—what is available
and can be found naturally
2. Tribal Tradition—what is passed
on from one generation to the
next
3. Function—what real life purpose
does it serve
Native American visual art
They used materials found in the
environment primarily. When
white settlers came they bartered
for and began using the glass
beads, brass bells and other
materials they traded for to create
designs in their various creations.
The major art forms practiced
by the Native Americans are:
Pottery
Jewelry making
Weaving
Beadwork
Basketry
Tribal Art traditions
Environment was a significant
determining factor in the arts
created by various tribes.
The tribes of the Northwest
Coastal region created carvings
in whale bone and large totem
poles
Most Native American art is
symbolic in nature—rather than
create reproductions of animals
or the subject matter they create
representations of the subject
matter to capture the spirit
within the object.
The tribes of the Northeast
Woodlands region created
beadwork designs, masks,
and basketry
The tribes of the Southwest
Plains region created
pottery, cradle boards,
dream catchers, teepees
and woven blankets
Native American Music
 Utilized many percussion
instruments created from nature and
flutes. Vocals include chants.
 The major instrument is the drum
which served to create the beat for
the dancing performers, a form of
communication, and a part of
heritage.
Native American Dance
It is ceremonial in nature—done
on special occasions such as
weddings, funerals, hunts, battles,
harvests, rites of passage, etc.
It is dependent on a drum beat
It is usually done in a circle.
Native American dances were
stopped when tribes were forced
on reservations
Native American Drama/Lit.
The Native American culture is
communicated in an oral
tradition—storytelling around
campfires served to entertain and
pass on the heritage of the
culture. Many times the
storyteller would act out the
story with facial expressions and
gestures.
African Arts
The arts of Africa, like the Native
American culture, are dependent
on the environment, functional,
and very closely tied to their
religious practices. Art objects
were also created to symbolize and
sustain the ruling authority thereby
serving a political function
African visual art is conceptual in
nature—the artist emphasize the
physical and symbolic
characteristics of the essences,
rather than the visible nature, of
their subjects.
It is closely tied to their religion
and many times will seem very
abstract in nature.
Visual Art
One of the most prominent types of
art practiced is the carving of
wooden figures. These figures are
very abstract and are usually tied to
their worship practices—idols
created for religious worship.
Most early works are in poor
condition due to insect and weather
Masks
Masks were created and used
extensively in the African culture.
They became an important part of
the religious ceremonies and
celebrations they practiced.
These masks had great magical
importance attached to them and
are richly decorated and carved
3 types of masks
1. Face mask—mask worn to hide
the identity of the wearer. The
wearer even changed his voice so
as not to be recognized when
performing.
2. Headpiece—masks carved of
wood and worn on the head like a
cap—used in harvest ceremonies
3. Shoulder Mask—large carved
masks made to rest on the
shoulders of the wearer.
Sometimes called helmet masks.
The wearer of the shoulder mask
looked out thru holes cut in the
chest. These masks were quite
heavy, often weighing 75 lb. Or
more and when it was in place the
wearer stood over 8 ft. tall
Dance
Utilized costumes and masks.
Was very ritualistic—done for the
purpose of pleasing the gods
The ritual will ensure the
continuity of the tribe. It enacted
dramas of birth, succession of
power, and initiation to adulthood
Music
The heritage of the tribe is
communicated thru the song and
dance as well as the storytelling of
the tribe. Every aspect of tribal life
has its special music—there was
music for communicating news,
working in the fields, legal
dealings, hunting, special life
events such as marriage, birth, etc.
African music tends to be sung.
Typically it consists of short
melodic phrases that are repeated,
alternated, and varied in order to
create longer melodies
It also uses contrasting rhythmic
patterns. African music is very
complex in nature.
Egypt
Culture developed along the banks of
the Nile before 3000 B.C. and the
ancient culture lasted almost 3000
years. The family that forms the ruling
body is called dynasty.
Ruled by a leader called a pharaoh. He
was not just a king he was also a god.
After death he joined other gods they
identified with forces of nature.
The afterlife of the pharaoh and
other important people is a theme
running thru much of ancient
Egyptian art. The religion centered
on death and the afterlife.
Ancient Egypt is divided into 3
periods: The Old Kingdom,
Middle Kingdom and New
Kingdom
Old Kingdom
Sculpture was the major art form
of the Egyptians. Old Kingdom
sculpture show technical mastery
and is well crafted. Life-size
pieces capture the human form in
detail.
These sculptures of the pharaohs
and their wives are very detailed
and feature a rigid, dignified
posture.They were painted with the
eyelids of both male and female
painted black and their eyes are
dull light-colored quartz. The
female is painted creamy yellow
while the male’s skin ranged from
light to dark brown.
Pyramids
Perhaps the most famous Old
Kingdom architecture are the
Pyramids on the Giza plain. These
pyramids are tombs built from
limestone for the pharaoh and
important people. The largest
pyramid was built by Cheops. The
Sphinx is located at the head of this
pyramid.
New Kingdom
Most traces of the Middle
Kingdom were wiped out by
Amenhotep III when he built his
temple at Luxor during the New
Kingdom.
Due to extensive grave robbing of
the pyramids, elaborate hidden
tombs were built.
The Theban Rock tombs featured
painted walls in order to usher the
dead into the hereafter.
These walls also featured
hieroglyphic writing—a form of
picture writing that was used by the
Egyptian culture. The shapes in this
writing stand for ideas not sounds as
our alphabet does.
Bodies were mummified and
placed in an elaborate coffin called
a Sarcophagus.
The faces of the mummified body
would many times be covered with
an elaborate funerary mask made
from gold and other precious
stones
King Tutankhamun’s (Tut),
famous tomb was found in the
Valley of the Kings. It featured his
famous gold funerary mask and
numerous treasures from the tomb.