ARTH 103 Prehistoric Art and Architecture Prehistoric Eras o Defined by tool making technology and food gathering growing nomadic following their food predates writing o Dates Ages BCE Before Common Era Paleolithic Old Stone Age 40 000 10 000 BCE Neolithic New Stone Age 10 000 2 000 BCE Bronze Age Iron Age 3 200 1 200 BCE lithic stone paleo old neo new o There aren t any written documented accounts explaining the artwork or reasoning behind it so nothing is absolutely certain Most explanations are guesses based on details facts known about each historical area o Paleolithic a basic awareness of stone for the purpose of tools Going to their source of food meant that they had a difficult time surviving Most of their time was consumed with trying to find food shelter and safety o Neolithic birth of domestication increased knowledge of tools creation of different tools for different purposes o Bronze Iron Age literally just using bronze and iron sophistication in terms or tool creation and uses Interpreting Prehistoric Art o Using formal analysis using adjectives to describe the physical appearance of the artwork o The interpretation of Prehistoric Art is due to the collective efforts of art historians archaeologists and anthropologists What We Know o Art had a function o Art was significant o Types of art technologies were used o Likely related to cosmological beliefs also somewhat unsure about this one Cosmology the idea that we are here for a reason some form of spiritual forces out above and beyond us that control the universe what religion emerges from What we don t know for sure o What those functions were o Details about cosmological beliefs o The definitive relationship between art and culture society many things were lost and destroyed Paleolithic Art o We begin in hunter gatherer nomadic societies o Cave paintings and small ritual objects talismans good luck charms perhaps Leaving their mark Visited over the span of thousands of years Caves usually located in difficult places not easily accessible Humans were usually depicted as stick figures compared to the more realistic animal figures sometimes wielding spears Usually considered magical the people that painted these probably hoped to gain something often the object of their painting their method of trying to influence the universe other daily occurrences such as survival success and the fertility of the animals they hunted to increase food supply Lascaux France It is known that the caves weren t used as dwelling or living spaces there is evidence of this fire pits were only used for light not for cooking Other evidence that this was not a dwelling or living space is that that caves like this were often designated for sacred purposes Most well known for animal pictures that were fairly naturalistic cave features were utilized to create a 3 D effect Peche Merle France Hand prints found probably made by women because they were so small in size using a prehistoric spray painting method chew up burnt bark and spit it out spray onto hand using hand as a stencil Possibly the first art signatures to be found in history o Small figurines Woman from Willendorf possibly a depiction of the goddess Venus There are many art historians who call this figurine by Venus who was the Roman goddess of love However it has been proven that prehistoric art predates the Roman Empire therefore deeming the nickname Venus inappropriate It is safer to refer to this figurine as Woman from Willendorf Dated 24 000 22 000 BCE Medium limestone with red ochre traces the figurine was probably painted red but overtime the color has faded away 4 3 inches tall incredibly small portable Found in Willendorf Currently held at Naturhistoriches Museum Vienna Interpretation through formal analysis o Well maintained shape o Size actual measurement of the piece important helps to determine the function of the figurine nomadic beings need to carry around without difficulty o Scale relative size of the piece tiny in comparison to an the actual object it represents In this case the figurine is small compared to a human woman certain parts of the figurine of the Woman of Willendorf skewed in comparison to the actual object alterations in scale certain proportions breasts hips thighs off All of the enlarged parts breasts hips stomach and thighs relate to health and fertility A large woman like this represents someone well fed who is prepared to birth a baby under safe circumstances producing a healthy child The figurine doesn t have a face but there is a braid like texture on her face takes away a sense of identity individuality more universal symbolism of fertility and health not just geared towards a single woman broad interpretation Neolithic Art o Time period associated with the development of agriculture and the domestication of animals following seasons and learning more about conditions of seeds pelts and furs becoming more popular o More permanent settlements which means better art more time to dedicate to art o Permanent settlements brought on permanent architecture o People thinking more about cosmology o Terms Passage grave larger change in the understanding of cosmology universe interested in life cycles and seasons specific architecture Megalith big stones that were altered in some way or moved by humans Dolmen part of a passage grave three rocks that were used as entrances also referred to as post and lentil Henge stones that are arranged in a circular semi circular manner Menhir a stone put in a particular place for some purpose o New Grange Ireland There is a mound of dirt that covers the architecture Long passage entrance that leads to a room that splits into two rooms one on either side After it was built it was covered in dirt The entrance is aligned with the midwinter sunrise sun bounces off the wall and casts light onto the wall in the passage at the end Wasn t a permanent passage grave but possibly a transitional place The midwinter sunrise possibly possesses some magical powers to move a person perhaps the chief from one realm to another Spiral shapes solar symbols that appeared on stones of this architecture as well as many places all over the world Represent regeneration and renewal universal o Stonehenge England Very elaborate Ditch built around the henge designating outside space from the inside space An avenue pathway that leads to the opening of the structure 3 menhir stones placed inside aligned with the sun Inside there are post and lentil