Global Prehistory Vocabulary and Analysis Define the following vocabulary words: 10 points anthropomorphic The attribution of uniquely human characteristics and qualities to nonhuman beings, inanimate objects, or natural or supernatural phenomena. Art mobilier A term used in the study of prehistoric and primitive art for small movable works of art such as figurines, engraved stones, and bone carvings. beaker/bushel The Bushel with ibex motifs, or beaker with ibex motifs, is a prehistoric pottery artwork originating from Susa. Lines and geometrical shapes are used and depict a central ibex. Composite view or twisted perspective A pose that combines two or more viewpoints in a single representation, a convention common in ancient Near Eastern and Egyptian art. Cong A term for an ancient Chinese jade artifact. The earliest was produced by the Liangzhu culture is at 3402 to 2050 BC heel stone A single large block of sarsen stone standing within the Avenue outside the entrance of the Stonehenge earthwork, sarsen. henge A prehistoric monument consisting of an arrangement of stone or wooden uprights, usually circular, and often surrounded by a bank or ditch. Hierarchy of scale A technique used in art, mostly in sculpture and painting, in which the artist uses unnatural proportion or scale to depict the relative importance of the figures in the artwork. ibex A species of wild goat that lives in the mountains of the European Alps. megalith A large stone used to construct a structure or monument, such as a tomb or a stone circle. It is predominantly used in prehistoric cultures. menhir A tall upright stone of a kind erected in western Europe in the Neolithic period. Menhirs were set up either singly or in groups or alignments of similar standing stones. Mortise and tenon A mortise and tenon joint connects two pieces of wood or other material. joint neolithic All arts and crafts created by societies that had abandoned the semi-nomadic lifestyle of hunting and gathering food in favor of farming and animal husbandry. During this time societies evolved to expression within writing, along with more durable small sculptures. ocher A natural earth pigment containing iron oxide. It ranges in color from red to brown to yellow. paleolithic Old Stone Age, ancient cultural stage, or level, of human development, characterized by the use of rudimentary chipped stone tools. This age is also notorious for small sculptures of animals and a variety of burial customs. post & lintel system A building system where strong horizontal elements are held up by strong vertical elements with large spaces between them. registers A horizontal level in a work that consists of several levels arranged one above the other, especially where the levels are clearly separated by lines. Modern comic books typically use similar conventions. sacrum The sacrum is the large triangular bone at the base of the spine. The sculpture was made from the now fossilized remains of the sacrum of an extinct camelid. sarsens any of numberous large sandstone blocks or fragments found in south central England, probably remnents of eroded terittary beds. scaffolding To break down a large assignment into smaller steps, building one upon another. This technique is often used to teach children. scarification Scarification is a permanent form of body modification that affects the texture of the skin by cutting through layers to purposefully create a scar. The process can include a number of techniques, including cutting, scratching, or burning. shamanism A range of traditional beliefs and practices concerned with communication with the spirit world. stele A standing stone slab used in the ancient world primarily as a grave marker but also for dedication, commemoration, and demarcation. Stratigraphic archaeology The study of the material which was deposited on the ground over time. States that lower layers are older than upper layers, unless the sequence has been overturned. trilithons An ancient stone monument consisting of two upright megaliths carrying a third as a lintel. UNESCO sites Places on Earth that are of outstanding universal value to humanity and as such, have been inscribed on the World Heritage List to be protected for future generations to appreciate and enjoy. zoomorphic Describes art that imagines humans as non-human animals. They can be used to carry a narrative or as a decorative symbol. Global Prehistory Analysis Directions: 1. List the five identifiers (found in the powerpoint lecture) for each piece below the image. These include the title, name of artist if known, period, culture of origin, date of creation, and materials. 2. Complete a visual analysis which includes a description of FORM, style, materials, technique and CONTENT. What is it made of? What does it look like? How was it made? What is it about? 3. Complete a contextual analysis of the work of art. Contextual analysis includes the FUNCTION, CONTEXT, siting or physical context, subject matter, and reception. What is the purpose of this work? Who made it? Who commissioned it and why? When and where was it made? What is it about? Who was it made for? Who used it and how was it used? How did people experience this work? Five Identifiers 2 points each Name: Apollo 11 Stones Artist: N/A Dates: 25,500-25,300 B.C.E Culture: Namibia Materials: Charcoal on stone Visual Analysis 3 points each The Apollo 11 were made paleolithic times and were stones that were made of Charcol that is used on quartz stones. The Apollo 11 stones appear to look closely like small stone fragments of brownish quartzite with a faint charcoal image depicting animals of sorts that has faint curly horns. In total, there are seven grey-brown quartzite slabs This prehistoric artwork was made by painting the charcoal on the stones, which were later buried for over 25,000 years. Contextual Analysis 3 points each The function of the Apollo 11 stones is quite vague and unknown. They were discovered alongside other tablets that had similar animal figures on them as well. Since they were found while the Apollo 11 moon landing was occurring, they were given the name Apollo 11. The purpose of this artwork is unclear as well. The stones were made in a cave located in the Huns Mountains of southwestern Nambia. They can be dated back to sometime between 255,500 - 25,300 B.C.E. The stones have been used to provide us with evidence suggesting that humans in the middle stone Age had modern behaviors. The person who commissioned the stones is unclear. The stones are the oldest examples of art from a real-life object. Name:Great hall of the Bulls Artist: N/A Dates:15,000 -13,000 B.C.E Culture: Lascaux, France Material: Rock painting Camelid Sacrum in the shape of a Canine Artist: N/A Dates: 14,000 7,000 B.C.E Culture: Tequixquiac, Central Mexico Material: Bone The Great hall of the bulls is an UpperPaleolithic cave painting that depicts animals that were seemingly important such as bulls, horses, cattle, and deer. The various patterns were prominent all throughout the cave and were assumed to describe your past. The artwork was made in approximately 15,000 B.C.E. The materials used throughout this painting consisted of white calcite and were roofed by nonporus rock. This provided a dry environment to paint. The white calcite also served as an effective pigment material. The artwork looks like an oddly-shaped bison with an additional skinny, bird-headed person. The meaning of the painting is assumed to be connected to religious rituals and storytelling. The original cave was closed, but a replica was built to preserve the artwork. The Great hall of Bulls resides in cave which is almost 25 meters long. The function of the artwork is unclear, however, many assume it was a place for religious practices. The size of the cave plays a significant role in the hierarchical scale of the society as only particular people were allowed to enter the cave. The animals shown throughout the painting are assumed to depict either food, a predator, or both. The cave is a sacred place and has been used as evidence of human evolvement. The paintings were made and discovered in Lascaux, France. They date back to sometime between 15,000-13,000 B.C.E. The paintings were discovered in 1940. The artwork was commissioned by the Conseil General de la Dordogne in order to preserve the history behind the artwork. The Camelid Sacrum was made from the now fossilized remains of the sacrum, specifically, the tiger pelvic bones of a camelid. They are now extinct and were members of the camelid family, along with llamas, alpacas, and camels. This artwork is aan Upper Paleolithic bone sculpture that was created over 7,000 years ago. The sculpture is in the shape of the head of a canine. The natural shape of the canine allows researchers to suggest the facial features (nose, mouth, and other details) that were added by the carver. The techniques utilized in the shaping of this artwork were carving and sculpting techniques. This artwork depicts successful hunts and spiritual essence. The Camelid Sacrum origins are quite vague. It is said to have been sculpted in In Central Mexico sometime in between 14,000-7,000 B.C.E. Many questions whether or not The Camelid Sacrum was sculpted by hands or was a natural canine head shape. The cut of the nostrils indicates to researchers that it was indeed man-made. The Camelid Sacrum carries a lot of spiritual significance. The Mesoamerican culture viewed the sculpture as sacred and provides evidence that suggests the sculpture was chosen for spiritual reasons. The intended function or meaning of the sacrum is still unknown. Although the name Sacrum translates to “sacred bone” in English. It is possible that the sculpture is simply an image of an animal that the artist saw. The commissioner is unknown. Name: Running Horned Woman Artist: Unknown Dates: 6,000-4,000 B.C.E Material: Pigment on stone The Running Horned Woman is a pictograph that was painted on a rock. The painting in a Neotheolithic artwork that is dated back over 4,000 years. The materials used were various mixtures of minerals and liquid in order to make a pigmented paint. This painting involves the illusion of movement with the woman appearing to be running. The woman also is seen with horns coming out of her head and facing outwards. The woman has white dots on parts of her face which could have been used to symbolize body paint. She also has so much fabric on her forearms and shins which are seen to be either decoration, some sort of protection, or both. The Running Horned Woman is said to be a goddess of either fertility or agriculture by the ancient people who lived back then. It is more of a symbolic representation rather than a literal one. She is derived from an ancient goddess from the Egyptian culture. Since people in that time believed that animals were very sacred, the horns on her head are used to symbolize herself as a true goddess. Since the woman was also wearing fabrics on her body, this could also be used as evidence suggesting that this painting was used in a ritual or ceremony. This painting was made between 6,000 -4,000 B.C.E in Tassilli n’Ajjer, Algeria. During this time, many similar paintings to the Horned Woman were being made. However, none were as important as the Running Horned Woman. This is used to provide evidence that she was a goddess as well. It is unknown who commissioned this artwork. Name: Beaker with Ibex Motifs Artist: N/A Dates: 4,200 3,500 B.C.E Culture: Susa, Iran Material: Painted Terracotta Name: Anthropomorphic Stele Artist: Unknown Dates: 4th 3,900 - 3,000 B.C.E Culture: Arabian peninsula The Beaker with Ibex Motifs is a neolithic beaker with a mountain goat painted on top of it. It is made with painted terra cotta which was handmade. It has recurring patterns, the frieze of aquatic birds on top, and has a very abstract nature overall. It is meant to style natural forms. The abstract motif may be a symbol of family. It uses lines and geographical shapes to depict a central ibex. Similar beakers run from 0.5 to 2 feet tall. Running gray-hound-like animals appear to be above the ibex. The diamond shapes the band on the top of the vessel. The goat also seems to be surrounded by geometrical forms. The Beaker with ibex Motifs originated in 4200 B.C.E. It was made in Susa, or modern-day Iran) The people of Susa lived near a valley with a “fertile river.” The purpose or function of this artwork is unclear, however, it was made to be buried with the dead in Susa. This artwork began to emerge in the art of pottery. This artwork heavily focused on natured from a slightly more twisted perspective. The beaker is meant to be a representation of the world. The commissioner of this beaker is unknown. The artwork, Anthropomorphic stele is a sculpture developed in the neolithic times. The artwork appears to depict a sort of human that is wearing a necklace along with a tool around its torso. The tool resembles some sort of knife that has two blades and cords attached to it. It can be inferred that this artwork may have been used as some kind of grave marker. There is a lot of emphasis on the front of this piece. The head of the sculpture is shaped like a trapezoid that is on a body the size of a rectangle. Overall, the artwork looks rather simple and very abstract. The artwork is sculpted from sandstone. The anthropomorphic stele was one of many located on an island in the Arabian Peninsula and was assumed to be used to The Anthropomorphic Stele was created sometime in the fourth millennium, between 3,900-3,000 B.C.E. It was made in an island in the Arabian Peninsula. The artwork was originally meant to be a grave marker, however, the true purpose of the Anthromophic Stele true purpose is unknown. It also carries a meaning of representation of people, before Islam. These objects indicate that were found around the island and suggested that they held importance. Material: Sandstone Name: Jade Cong Artist: N/A Dates: 3,300 2,200 B.C.E Culture: Liangxhu, China Material: Jade communicate. The Jade Cong is a neolithic artwork that was made out of actual Jade and sanding techniques with abrasion and carved jade. Engravings on the piece were straight and precise and are extremely sanded. Usually, Jade is tough to create things out of, so people need a lot of time and effort to create things. The Jade Cong is meant to illustrate how important this culture believed congs were. They are seen to hold low to high relief. The Jade Cong looks to be a square hollow tube with many lines and circles that form a figure in each corner of the piece. This is seen to represent dead ancestors and/or deities. The cong is filled with repeating patterns, it has a symmetrical shape, and is extremely detailed. The Jade Cong was created in Liangxhu, China between 3,300 - 2,200 B.C.E. It was originally found in the Chinese Liangxhu graves and was presumed to have funerary purposes and/or ritualistic purposes, though the specifics are unknown. The Jade Cong is also said to symbolize true power. The culture the cong is derived from is the Yangzi delta. Delta is a place with crops that people would settle down to farm. There is no hunting or gathering here. The cong is said to have a massive connection to nature and also is made to tell the story of what may happen after death. Stonehenge is a neolithic piece made mostly out of bluestone. Bluestone is a very durable type of stone. A lot of the rocks in Stonehenge are also from the quarry that is hundreds of miles away from the location of the art. The artwork is numerous monolithic stones arranged in a circle. The top stones are carved and help create curved lines of a circle within the artwork. The stones are able to stay upright because they Name: were placed in pits dug very deep into Stonehenge the ground. These pits provide Artist: N/A evidence that suggests that Dates: 2,500 Stonehenge is much more expansive 1,600 BCE than what is seen now. There is a lot of Culture: Wiltshire, symmetry and balance throughout this United Kingdom art piece. It is said that it is possible Material: that the heel stone may mark where Sandstone the summer solstice begins. Stonehenge was developed in Willshire, United Kingdom between 2,500 - 1,600 B.C.E. Many theories suggest that the work’s intended function was to be a burial ground. It is also seen to be a place for ancestral worship. Many also assume that it is a place for healing. On the other hand, there are those that believe it is a place of astronomy that can depict the solar calendar. Overall, it is multifunctional. Stonehenge caused architecture to begin expanding at higher rates and somehow, large stones were being able to be moved. The piece was also seen to be formed with human remains. This provides evidence that suggests trauma or deformity. It also may have been taken down over time, but this is still unknown. To be buried at Stonehenge, it is said that you needed the mark of the highest status. The Ambum Stone is a neolithic sculpture made mostly out of Greywacke, in other words, sandstone. The sculpture appears to have a dark color with a grainy surface. There is a lot of intricate detail throughout the piece and a lot of balance. The lines on the sculpture help create its round shape. The artwork looks to be the making of some kind of long-beaked animal, most likely an anteater or an echidna. It also looks similar to the shape of a mortar and pestle. The sculpture itself stands roughly eight inches tall. The sculpture also has very prominent eyes and noses. The material, Grewake is actually extremely hard to carve, resulting in the sculpture being extremely durable. The Ambum Stone was made in Ambum Valley in Papua New Guinea in about 1,500 B.C.E. The sculpture’s purpose is still unknown, however, it is said to serve as a Mortar and Pestle. This artwork made a huge impact as it was one of the first pieces that were dedicated to a practical purpose. It is said to have a focus on animals and it was extremely portable. It is said to have various ritualistic purposes and is one of many small stone sculptures that were found in New Guinea later on. This piece was also said to have had a tremendous impact on settling communities. The sculpture also took a large amount of time to complete, due to the nature of the rock used. Name: The Ambum Stone Artist: N/A Dates: 1,500 BCE Culture: Ambum Valley, Enga Province, Papua New Guinea Material: Greywacke (Stone) Name: Tlatilco Female Figurine Artist: N/A Dates: 1,200 900 BCE Culture: Central Mexico, site of Tlatilco Material: Ceramic Name: Lapita Terra Cotta Fragment Artist: N/A Dates: 1,000 BCE Culture: Solomon Islands, Reef Islands Material: Terra Cotta Tlatilco is a neolithic ceramic figure that was handmade and not at all made with the use of a mold. The figure represents some sort of female figure and is very balanced through the symmetry seen all throughout. The piece looks very textured and appears to have a much heavier bottom half. The figure appears to have deformities as it is missing its hands. The sculpture also has no feet and contains two faces. This may symbolize the movement of duality. The sculpture has styled hair, along with a specific expression. The sculpture also appears to have a woman with no clothes on as well as a lot of discoloration that is most likely due to time and wear. Tlatilco was developed in Central Mexico between 1,200 - 900 B.C.E. The piece is said to may have been used during burial practices and certain rituals, but the usage still remains unknown. This ceramic piece was one of the few around as ceramic began to start emerging slowly by this time. It was made from easily accessible material and focused on the female form over the male form. It is said that the sculpture had come from a grave sight by brick makers who were attempting to find materials in the night. The Lapita Terra Cotta Fragment is a neolithic piece of terra cotta that was shaped by hand. The technique used was most likely the paddle and anvil method in order to properly thin out the walls with low fire. The artwork displays immense attention to detail along with the repeating patterns of intricate lines and shapes. The lines seem to flow through one another seamlessly. The piece shows a variety of different motifs and faces. It is said that it was used as a means to mark Pacific people’s travels with the underlying design grammar and elements. The piece is a reddish-brown type of clay that is unglazed. There are stones, shells, and fragments all within this piece. Since it was made near a volcano, a lot of unique materials were able to be of use. The Lapita Terra Cotta Fragment was created in the Solomon Islands, Reef Islands as far back as 1,000 B.C.E. Since the artwork was also found in the Solomon Islands, this discovery also served as evidence that suggested how the people of the Pacific traveled. Since there was no carbon residue, there was not sufficient evidence indicating that its primary use was for cooking food. This piece marked the beginning stages of pottery emerging in Asian cultures. Many believe that the Terra Cotta Fragment was a vessel to which the people would store their food. It is also said that the piece could have been used for spiritual and ritualistic purposes by the ancestors. The nose serves as a line of symmetry for the entire piece. Lastly, this artwork was seen to bridge the gap between the living and the spirits.
