Prehistoric and Ancient Near East Art: Key Works and Concepts

Apollo 11 Stones

Paleolithic, Namibia c. 25,500 BCE

Woman from Willendorf

Paleolithic, Austria, c. 24,000 BCE

Pech-merle Cave

Paleolithic, Lascaux, France (animals 25,000 BCE; handprints 15,000 BCE)

Bird-Headed Man with Bison

Paleolithic, Lascaux, France, c. 15,000 BCE

Göbekli Tepe

Turkey, c. 10,000 BCE

Citadel and Great Bath

Mohenjo-daro, Pakistan, Indus Valley civilization. c. 2600-1900 BCE

Nude Male Torso

Indus Valley civilization, c. 2000 - 1900 BCE

Dancing Girl

Indus Valley, Mohenjo Daro, bronze, c. 2300 BCE

Newgrange

Neolithic, Ireland, c. 3000 - 2500 BCE

Stonehenge

Neolithic, England, c. 2900 - 1500 BCE

Twelve Votive Figures

Sumerian, c. 2900 - 2600 BCE

War and Peace Panels of Ur

Sumerian, Iraq, c. 2500 BCE

Stele of Naram-Sin

Akkadian, c. 2254 - 2218 BCE

Nanna Ziggurat

Ur, Sumerian, c. 2100 - 2050 BCE

Stele of Hammurabi

Babylonian, c. 1792-1750 BCE

Megalith

A large stone used to construct a structure or monument.

Menhir

A tall upright stone of a kind erected in prehistoric times.

Passage Grave

A burial chamber covered by a mound of earth, accessible by a passage.

Post and Lintel

A building system where strong horizontal elements are held up by vertical elements.

Bronze

An alloy of copper and tin used in various artifacts.

Paleolithic

The earliest period of human history, characterized by the use of stone tools.

Neolithic

The later part of the Stone Age when ground or polished stone tools were used.

Fertile Crescent

A crescent-shaped region in the Middle East known for its rich soil and early agriculture.

Euphrates and Tigris rivers

Two major rivers in the Middle East that supported ancient civilizations.

City-states

Independent, self-governing cities that also govern surrounding territories.

Cuneiform

A system of writing developed by the Sumerians using wedge-shaped marks.

Ziggurat

A rectangular stepped tower, often associated with ancient Mesopotamian temple complexes.

What is the estimated age of cave art on the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia?

Between 50,000 and 40,000 years ago.

What is the significance of the Hohle Fels Woman?

It dates to 35,000 BCE and is made of ivory, measuring 2.4 inches in height.

What does BCE stand for?

Before Common Era.

What are the characteristics of the Woman from Willendorf?

It dates to c. 24,000 BCE, made of limestone, and measures 4 3/8 inches.

What notable Paleolithic figure was found in the Lespugue cave in Southern France?

A figure made of mammoth ivory dating to ca. 23,000 BCE.

What is the approximate age of the Bird-Headed Man With Bison painting in Lascaux?

c. 15,000 BCE.

What is the significance of the Apollo 11 Stones?

They are quartzite stones from Namibia dating to 25,500 - 25,300 BCE.

What is the Neolithic Period characterized by?

The domestication of plants and animals.

What is the architectural significance of Çatalhöyük?

It was a settlement for potentially up to 8,000 people, without streets, with homes decorated for different functions.

What are megaliths?

Large stones used in Neolithic construction.

What was the main construction technique used in Neolithic architecture?

Post and lintel.

What is Göbekli Tepe and its significance?

A site in southern Turkey dating to ca. 10,000 BCE or earlier, predating Stonehenge by 6,000 to 7,000 years.

What is the approximate age of the Hall of Bulls in Lascaux?

c. 15,000 BCE.

What type of figurine was discovered in Malta settlement, Siberia, dating to ca. 22,000-21,000 BCE?

A female figurine made of mammoth ivory.

What is the length of the bison painting in Altamira, Spain?

Approximately 8'3".

What is the significance of the Makapansgat Pebble?

It dates to 3,000,000 BCE and is made of jasperite.

What is the approximate age of the Neolithic architectural grouping in Skara Brae, Scotland?

c. 3,100-2,450 BCE.

What is the height of the human figure discovered at Çatalhöyük?

Approximately 35 inches.

What is a menhir or stele?

An upright stone, sometimes carved.

What is the estimated date range for Stonehenge?

c. 2900-1500 BCE.

What is the significance of the Carnac Megaliths in Brittany?

They date to approximately 3300 BCE.

What are the dimensions of the megaliths at Göbekli Tepe?

Some are up to 18 feet tall and weigh 7-16 tons.

What is the purpose of the corbel technique in construction?

To stack stones around a space until they meet at the top.