Chapter One – Art of
Prehistory
Prehistory is a term that is used to describe an era of history before humans developed a
writing system. Prehistory is broken down into 3 distinct eras: Paleolithic, Mesolithic and
Neolithic. We divide this time by the limited amount of artifacts and art that has survived.
Paleolithic (“old stone”) area breaks down into Lower, Middle and Upper phases. It is the
Upper Paleolithic begins to see “art” and “architectural” structures. Upper Paleolithic starts
40,000-8,000 BCE (6,000 – 8,000 BCE is sometimes called Mesolithic which means middle
stone and is considered a transitional period.) The earliest structures were found in the
Ukraine made from mammoth bones that is assumed to
have been covered with animal hide. This reconstruction
drawing of this dwelling does allude to us that prehistoric
humans were aware that they needed shelter, but this also
lets us know that prehistoric humans were cable of problem
solving and engineering.
Despite this small evidence of early human abilities to manufacture shelter, the main
characteristics of Paleolithic humans were that they were hunters/gathers; they moved when
the food supplied move and found shelter in natural caverns. The earliest art medium is 3
dimensional, or sculpture in the round. Often these sculptural pieces were small and carved
from rock with another sharp stone. Some sculptural pieces are relief, either high or low
relief. Unlike a sculpture in the round, relief sculptures are not meant to be viewed from all
sides. Reliefs are kept attached to the original material and the space around the figure is
carved away so that the form can be made apparent.
Small figurines started to appear about 30,000 BCE. These figurines were believed to be
based on memory image-the artist reproduces that subject from memory. These figures were
not meant to represent an actual person.
Most of the sculptural figures that have been found are feminine.
Woman from Brassempouy dates 22,000 BCE. This figure is a good
example of memory image sculpture. The artist naturally abstracts
the features of this object to their most basic shapes. There is
evidence that this figure was painted with red ochre, a pigment found
in nature. Her purpose is uncertain since the rest of her is missing.
However she was found in a burial site, so maybe there is a religious
component to her. Speculation of her purpose continues.
Some of the other female figures that have been found seem to be more
apparent about their purpose. These figures are often referred to as Venus
figures. They may have been what were considered as attractive and
desirable in the female. Venus of Lassel is a relief sculpture of this also
shows a trace of red pigment. This Venus holds a horn and is faceless.
Venus of
Eastern Europe.
features by
However we
figures.
Doggone is another Venus figure that was found in
As we can see in both Venus’ there are exaggerated
emphasizing the breast and hips of these figures.
will look at the most famous of the prehistoric Venus
Venus of Willendorf was found in
Germany. She is meant to fit in the palm
of the hand, and therefore can be carried.
Venus of Lassel (France) Doggone
(Czech) and Willendorf (Germany)
while found in different parts of Europe
all share some common traits: large
breasts, pronounce bellies and rounded
hips. Also notice much like the Woman
of Brassempouy there is no attempt to
give these figures facial features. Some historians and scholars believe that these were
fertility figures because of the exaggerated features of the body. Also some historians
believe that prehistoric societies were matriarchal due to the large numbers of female
figurines. Very few male figures were found. Could these figures have a religious
meaning? Probably not religious in the way we would ordinarily think of the word, but
one could suppose that these Venus’s may have represented a good luck type of charm.
Other figurine were also found to been made in the Paleolithic era. Somewhere between
28,000 and 10,000 we see that prehistoric
humans becoming more sophisticated and their
artistic repertoire would include animals. This
set was found in the Tuc d’Audoubert caves in
France. They are modeled (read box on page
31) in a naturalistically manner in from the clay
floor, the details of fur and facial features are
incised. The animals seem to be rising from the
floor and the artist(s) uses the natural formation
of the rock and clay as well as manipulate the
clay to create a sense of motion and realism to the figures. As humans become more
advance they would use other materials to create figures. The figure on the left was
carved from a reindeer horn. Again the
details are incised (carved) into the animal.
Unlike the Venus figures, there seems to
be a conscience effort by the artist to
recreate a more realism and details.
Speculation on the purpose of these animal
figures is as diverse as the Venus’ figures.
Where they for religious purposes? Where they good luck charms? Or were these figures
created out of a need of prehistoric peoples to have some control over their environment?
Keep these questions in mind as we study the cave paintings.
The Cosquer and Chaveut caves (named after the people who discovered them) have the
earliest dated paintings. These caves have not only drawings of animals but also there are
other markers that let us know that this was place that was inhabited and used by early
humans. Artists would use the contour of the rocks
and wall to make the
animals appear more 3
dimensional. A larger
variety of animals are
represented. A lot of these
drawings and paintings
have been done over and
over again. This has led to
the belief that the ACT of
creating was just as, if not more so, important than the actual creation (painting) itself for
prehistoric humans. It has been a standard belief that the images of animals in cave
paintings were meant as markers or maybe as a good luck charm (If we draw the food the
food will come). However in recent years historians and scholars believe that because of
the prolific amount of animals, some fully rendered some simple contours and the
overlapping of these animals that maybe it was the in the ritual of creating the images that
was important. What ever the purpose these caves are rich with imagery that shows
humans ability to recreate the natural world.
At the Perle Merle caves (also in France) we see not only
animal images, but also several hand prints were found. The
significance of the hand prints is unknown, but they are
surrounded by red and black dots like just like the animal
images. This hand print was believed to have been made like a
spray print. The artist take some natural clay and pigment,
chew it up and than would take a hollow reed and “blow” the
color out around the hand. Gross, I know. Also some of the
handprints seem to be made by the person just simply pressing their hand into some color
and then pressing the hand against the wall. Scholars think that maybe these were
female markers. While other academies believe these prints were meant for some
initiation ritual
The most prolific and famous of all the
prehistoric cave drawings was is the Lascaux
Cave (Yes also in France). These caves are
the best preserved and the most used. From
carbon dating we know that the Cosquer,
Chaveut, Perle Merle and Lascaux caves were
used repeatedly over a much extended period
of time (5,000 years or more). Simple contour
line drawings are the earliest drawn animals; the more fully rendered animals came later.
The paintings in this cave are probably the best examples of early humans’ ability to be
critical thinkers and problem solvers; the use of the natural protrusions that are founded
on the wall to draw images of herds of animals in motion.
There are no real stylistic differences of these animals except for
this horse pictured on the immediate left. This image is called the
Chinese Horse because of its resemblance to horses that are found
in art work of the Han dynasty. This animal distended abdominal
could mean she is pregnant. The symbols and signs that surround
this animal might be the artist attempt to replicate nature or they
could be representative of male and female symbols.
Found in the deeper within the cave was this odd and enigmatic drawing. This very
stylized form of art seems to be an actual story. This is a drawing of man
wearing a bird like mask and next to him is a dead bison. . Are we
looking at the earliest account of journalism; a new story of a man who
killed the bison? More than likely we are looking at an account of a
shaman’s vision. Shamans are considered intermediaries for the spirit
world. In order to have a vision a shaman would need to enter a trance
like state either by chanting and/or drugs. Shamans were considered very
powerful people in the tribe. They are believed to be responsible for
most of the drawings that are found in the cave. This vision is opened to
many interpretations.
The rock drawings that are founded in Australia are unique in
that the style and the message are
continuous. We actually do know the
purpose of these drawings because that
knowledge has been passed down orally
for millenniums. Aborigines have been
making art since 75,000 BCE and the
kangaroo is often the subject matter of
their art. Unlike European Paleolithic
cave paintings, humans are more prevalent
in their art. Aboriginal shamans would
call their trances dream time and would draw out the visions in an xray style. The use of contrasting colors as if you are looking at the
interior. The kangaroo, lightening man, fish like headed creatures is part
of the iconology of the aborigines.
The aborigines are broken into clans, and each clan has their own sacred
myth that gives their imagery a sacred value. Probably one of the most
odd and strangely interesting images is that of the Wandjina
Rowalumbin. These strange creatures have some people believing that
maybe these are portraits of
part of their iconology.
spirit. They are often
sometimes they have no
black on a white
these spirits created the
these spirits are thought to
approached cautiously.
aliens. However this image is also
Wandjina Rowalumbin is a cloud
shown full front, large dark eyes,
mouth, painted in red, brown, and
background. In the aborigine belief
earth, sea and people. Paintings of
be powerful, and need to be
Mesolithic period is the transitional period. As humans begin to move from
hunter/gatherers to becoming more sedentary the advances in art
slow down, but cultural and environmental changes were under
way. As we look at fig 1.17 found in your text, this 4th -5th
millennium BCE rock art found in the Sahara we can see the shift
from nomads to actually raising their own food sources.
Stylistically speaking the humans and animals are drawn in
simplistic forms. And much like aborigines art, the style of the
Saharan people has not changed in millenniums. But the
grouping of animals tells us that maybe the people are also
becoming stable in their lifestyle.
Another sign of the shift to a more sedentary lifestyle is the
continued development of ceramic wares. There is evidence that
in Asia ceramic wares developed earlier than in Europe, however
by 7,000 BCE kilns (large ovens) would be used to harden clay
vessels. Clay may actually been a last resort. Early humans would
use gourds and woven baskets for storage. These vessels would be
decorated with incised lines of geometric patterns. The actual
shapes of the clay pots were believed to be inspired from the
shapes of woven baskets. The artist even included small loops on pots so they could be
carried like a purse. The design motif found on the pots show that humans were not only
interested in function of wares but also there was the need to create aesthetically pleasing
objects. We see the beginning of form and function coming together. We will definitely
see that as humans become more settled and sophisticated their art will reflect that level
of development.
With the climate change would be the catalyst to the change in prehistoric lifestyles.
Because of warming climate humans will shift from hunting/gathering to farming and
animal husbandry. This shift will also mean the development of a more complicated and
hierarchal societies. Rules will definitely need to be established and a system of justice
will need to be in place. Religion will definitely be
more organized and to a certain extent be the first major
patron of the arts. It will be in the Neolithic (“new
stone”) period (6,000-2,000 BCE) that megalithic (“big
stone”) sculpture and architecture. On the island of
Malta there are ruins of what is believed to be a mother
goddess. She was found in what could have been a
temple; there is proof of elaborate sanctuaries,
divination, liquid offering and human burial. Other
smaller statues were found in this temple (all female)
covered with red ocher. There is no evidence that human sacrifice was
involved, but some do believe that maybe the religion was fertility
based. Megalithic art was not just seen in religion, but mostly in the
development of architecture.
Menhirs (large upright stone) were also used as sculptural pieces. These
stones were found near living shelters and might have been sign post.
Some may have actually been grave markers. There are definite
carvings done in a low relief with very little details. Menhirs through
were used for building dolmans.
The basis of modern architecture is seen in the dolman. A dolman is made of 2 upright
menhirs that have another slab. This is an example the post and lintel construction, the
vertical post being the post and the horizontal slab as the lintel. The earliest dolmans
were tombs that housed the bodies. The dolman will
eventually develop into the more complicated cromlech. A
cromlech is basically a group
of dolmens that are set in a
circular pattern. The largest
numbers of this structure are
found in Britain. The most
famous is Stonehenge.
Stonehenge is the best known of Neolithic architecture.
The purpose of this structure is believed that it was a general
meeting area for
the
community for
religious and civic
activities. People
would
continuously add
to
Stonehenge. The
outer
circle of stones
called
sarsen circle. The heel stone is place over the
spot
that the sun would have risen to begin the
summer solstice some 4,000 years ago.
While Stonehenge may appear to be just a group of simple
dolman structures in a circle, there is more to it than that. On
closer inspection the lintel is secured into the post using
mortise and tenon joints (see fig 1.25 on page 49).
The interior of Neolithic homes have been recovered and again
gives us a better idea as to how early humans lived. This is an
interior room found in Skara Brae Scotland. This is actually a
communal home; probably more than one family lived and
worked in this room. Cooking pots were found, and built in
benches and shelves that would save on space. Some
knowledge of masonry is apparent because the interior walls
are corbelled (stones overlap on top of each other). Some of
these stones would be decorated with simple motifs.