Chapter 5 – Art of the Earliest Times
Prehistoric Art
Prehistoric – means before written records.
Culture – the ideas, beliefs and living customs of
people.
Paleolithic period – Old Stone Age 30,000 –
10,000 B.C.
People during the Paleolithic period were
hunters and gatherers.
Art of this period included: cave painting and
sculpture. Artwork was based upon animals
and hunting.
Neolithic Period – New Stone Age 10,000 –
3,500 B.C.
People began to raise livestock and grow crops.
Art of this period include: Crafts, pottery,
possibly weaving they could spin fiber for garments, and
architecture.
Megaliths – large stone slabs used in or as
monuments.
Post-and-lintel system – a method of
construction in which a cross beam is placed across the
opening of two uprights.
Id
Cave Painting
Stonehenge
Art of Ancient Egypt
Societies – large human groups whose
members share a common purpose and similar ideals.
Ancient Egypt formed along the banks of the
Nile River around 3,000 B.C.
Pharaoh – the ruler that was considered to be
a living god.
Hieroglyphics – Egyptian early form of picture
writing.
Egyptians identified gods with forces of nature.
Mummification – used to preserve the body for
the afterlife.
Architecture they created pyramids which were
tombs for the pharaohs.
Art created for the Egyptian religion based
upon the belief in the afterlife. Examples: pyramids,
tombs, temples, tomb painting, and stele.
Ka – person’s spirit
Stele – a painted or carved upright stone or
wood slab used as a monument.
Painting style of the Egyptians – figures appear
from the side both arms and legs must be seen.
Egyptians thought Ka would appear how it was seen in
the tombs in the afterlife. If something could not be seen
it would not exist in the afterlife.
Id
Pyramid
King Tut’s Death Mask
Stele
Hieroglyphics
Ancient Chinese Culture
Chinese civilization emerged about 2600 B.C.
along the Yellow River Valley.
Chinese culture is the oldest continuous culture
in the history of the world.
Dynasties – periods of time named for ruling
families or emperors. The history and art of China is
identified upon dynasties.
Hu – a large bronze vessel.
Art of the Chinese culture includes paintings on
silk, sculpture, and crafts. They also cast in bronze.
Id
Silk Painting
Ancient Indian Culture
Harappan Indian civilization lasted from 2,500
B.C. – 1,500 B.C. along the Indus River Valley.
Art of the Indian civilization included: clay
pottery, bronze articles, and cotton cloth. Most important
contribution was using cotton cloth for clothing.
Urban Planning – a plan of arranging the
buildings and services of a city to best meet its people’s
needs.
Mesopotamian Culture
Mesopotamian was ruled by the Sumerians and
the region stretched between the Tigris and Euphrates
River. The culture began between 3,500 – 3,000 B.C.
Cuneiform – a form of picture writing systems
developed by the Sumerians.
Ziggurat – a stepped mountain made of brick
covered earth which held temples.
Art of the Mesopotamian civilization included:
architecture (ziggurat) and animal
sculptures.
Id
Ziggurat
All Ancient Cultures Civilizations
Religion based upon forces in nature.
Ruled by a king or leader.
Capable of growing food.
Had forms of language.