Upper Paleolithic Art Symbolic thought lies at the heart of three hallmarks of modern human culture language art and religion Symbolism any object sign gesture or vocal expression that in some way refers to or represents something beyond itself Our expanded cerebral cortex allows abstract thought through language and ability to link symbols with complex meanings The nature and extent of symbolic activities in Middle Paleolithic is debated Limited evidence sharply different from what we find in Upper Paleolithic But we see beginnings of symbolism in Middle Paleolithic in Use of color Personal ornaments Burials Use of color Middle Paleolithic Find lumps of color pigments especially ochre red to yellow and black manganese dioxide Some with wear patterns some on grinding stones Some claims for ochre stained animal bone and stone tools 70 000 yr old engraved ochre artifact from Middle Stone Age deposits at Blombos Cave South Africa http www accessexcellence org WN SU caveart php Personal ornaments Middle Paleolithic Have found pendants made of bone and stone and ostrich eggshell beads Deliberate human burials Suggest care for the dead perhaps a belief in life after death Debate about whether any objects grave goods deliberately placed in the graves or not utilitarian objects Feder Park 2001 336 It is not until 40 000 years ago in the Upper Paleolithic that we see highly creative symbolic traditions develop Widespread use of ochre Burials with grave goods Personal ornaments proliferate suggesting increasing sense of self and group identity Representational art Burials Upper Paleolithic Beginning 35 000 ya intentional burials occur much more frequently than before Found throughout the Old World except few in Middle East or South Africa Usually inhumations burial in the ground but at Lake Mungo Australia a cremation dating to 40 000 ya In Europe a common pattern body slightly flexed ochre commonly used body was dressed in clothes decorated with ivory beads pendants made of animal teeth and shells Utilitarian grave goods such as spears Creative explosion beginning about 35 000 ya People carved engraved using burins modeled and painted on stone bone antler ivory clay and rock walls In other words presented symbolic messages on many different media using many forms Carved atlatl spear thrower hook http www arts uwaterloo ca acheyne paleoimg html Incised pebble showing rhino in summer coat 32 000 yr old engraved antler plaque France calendar Sculptures Found in Europe from at least 32 000 10 000 ya So called Venus figurines widespread from France to Siberia Feder Park 2001 Style very similar despite wide geographic spread Made of variety of raw materials stone ivory antler baked clay Faceless or with faces exaggerated breasts buttocks often swollen stomachs or pregnant and some in birthing position Thought to be associated with rituals perhaps made by and for women http z about com d archaeology 1 G Q v Venus of Brassempouy jpg Other figurines of animals such as reindeer horses bear and ibex Extinct cave lion carved in mammoth ivory 30 000 yrs old Human wearing lion mask 28 000 yrs old Cave Paintings The best known are those in southern France and northern Spain Found as early as 36 500 ya but most date between 25 000 10 000 ya Distribution of cave paintings in Europe Most found in southern France and northern Spain Feder Park 2001 398 Found in caves but people did not live in these caves Were not like pictures on the walls Used different colors Took advantage of rock relief Human figures are rare only 5 of images When can identify gender 78 male portrayed doing activities 22 female inactive Feder Park 2001 404 Never painted landscapes Images of fish insects and reptiles very rare Do find stenciled handprints Also dots zigzag lines geometric signs other lines Usually animals bison oxen horses deer mammoth ibex rhino lion bear Marshack 1995 Placement was not random Central location in paintings and cave bison oxen horses Burney 1993 Jean Marie ChauvetJean Cottes SYGMA in Time 145 6 52 1995 Horses Running bison peripheral location deer ibex mammoth Marshack 1995 usually deep in cave rhino bear lion Woolly rhinos Lions Woolly rhinos Recognized to be symbols that conveyed messages Recording a hunt that occurred Magic before going hunting Aids to teach young how to hunt Territory clan markings Shamans visions Basically we don t know what the messages were or even who they were for What can we say about Upper Paleolithic early modern H sapiens society Kinship based society probably organized in bands of 50 or fewer Not fully sedentary Egalitarian status based on age sex marital status Leadership by achievement However the rich burials and exotic non local origin items found at some sites may indicate non egalitarian societies where status or rank could be inherited
View Full Document
Unlocking...