Prehistory-Neolithic-Meso Vocab

Prehistoric Art

Before the written word

Lower Paleolithic

2,000,000-100,000BCE

Middle Paleolithic

100,000-40,000BCE

Upper Paleolithic

40,000-10,000BCE

Upper Paleolithic: Aurignacian

34,000-23,000BCE

Upper Paleolithic: Gravettian

28,000-22,000BCE

Upper Paleolithic: Solutrean

18,000-10,000BCE

Upper Paleolithic: Magdalenian

17,000-11,000BCE

Mesolithic

10,000-8,000BCE

Neolithic

8,000-2,000BCE

Relative dates

Scientific method used to determine whether an object is older or younger than another, WITHOUT giving it a specific numerical age in years

Absolute dates

Numerical age that provides an exact age in years

Cuneiform

Earliest known writing system in human history, developed by ancient Sumerians

Language carries prejudices

Nothing is “primitive” or “backward”

Dolmen

Megalithic tomb a/ large flat stone

Trilithic

Prehistoric building system consisting of three large stones: two vertical upright stones & one stone across

Post & lintel

Strong horizontal (lintels) elements are held up by vertical elements (posts) with spaces in between them

Menhir

A prehistoric standing stone

Orthostats

Large, upright stone slabs that form the lower part of a wall/structure

Cromlechs

An ancient stone circular structure

Trilithon

Three colossal limestone blocks that form a high foundation wall

Naturalism

Style that depicts the physical world and human subjects with high visual accuracy and detail

Optical images

Depicting an animals as how one would see it; early human experiments with light projection

Composite view (twisted perspective)

Provide the most identifiable information about the human body (shows all parts)

Narrative

Visual art that depicts a story or narrative

Shamanism

Belief of the connection between spiritual realms, human world, and the invisible spirit world

Monochrome

One color

Polychrome

Multiple colors

Pictogram

Simple picture or symbol that represents a physical object, word, idea, or amount of data

Stylus

Tool used to etch, inscribe words

Ziggurat

Massive tiered pyramid structure built as a temple tower in ancient Meso.

“High” vs “low” temple

High: temple sat on an elevated mound

Low: stands on the flat ground to receive earthly rituals

Altar

Raised structure used for religious rites, worship, offerings, prayers

Cella

Inner chamber of an ancient classical temple

Visual narratives

Story told through a deliberate sequence of images, graphics, moving pictures

Registers

Horizontal band or stripe that divides a visual composition into separate rows to organize different scenes/parts of a story

Centrality

The core focus dominant position, or primary importance of a specific subject, figure

Hieratic scale

Artistic technique where artist makes the most important figure in a piece the largest (relative scale)

Buttresses

Exterior element that architecturally supports a structure

Mud brick

Primary material utilized in the Fertile Crescent

Mosaics

Pattern or picture made by setting small pieces of colored stone onto a prepared surface

Lamassu

Composite figures that functioned as ‘threshold guardians’ around important ceremonial entrances