AH Quiz 2

Ars (Latin)

Means 'skill' or 'craft' – not just beauty, but the ability to make something well.

What is art?

Human-made expression (visual, emotional, or cultural) that has meaning or purpose.

Art

Creative human expression that communicates ideas, emotions, or culture.

Artifact

A human-made object, usually historical (like tools, pottery, or weapons).

Artist

Someone who creates art mainly for expression or meaning.

Artisan

A skilled craftsperson who makes functional objects (like pottery, textiles) with artistic skill.

Non-representational

Art that doesn’t look like anything in the real world (pure shapes, colors, patterns)

Representational

Art that shows recognizable things

Shaman / Shamanism

A spiritual healer or guide in early cultures who could connect with spirits, often shown in cave art

Hunting Magic

The idea that drawing animals could help people succeed in real hunts

Relief Sculpture

A sculpture that sticks out from a flat surface

Twisted Perspective

A way of showing the most recognizable parts of a figure

Red Ochre

A natural clay pigment (reddish) used for painting or burials

Venus (figurines)

Prehistoric female sculptures often showing fertility features. Not actual 'Venus' goddesses, just a modern label

Problems with 'naming'

Calling these figures 'Venus' assumes they were goddesses, but we don’t know their true meaning.

Aurignacian

One of the earliest cultures in Europe with advanced tools and cave art.

Paleolithic

Old Stone Age - early humans lived in caves, hunted, and made early art (before farming).

Neolithic

New Stone Age - farming began, permanent homes, pottery, and organized society developed

Mobiliary Art

Art objects that are small/pocket sized and movable/portable. Normally made by nomadic communities

Parietal Art

Art on walls or ceilings (like cave paintings)

Register

A horizontal band containing decorative or narrative imagery

Çatalhöyük

A large Neolithic village in Turkey with wall paintings and early homes.

Stonehenge

A prehistoric stone circle in England, likely used for rituals, burials, or astronomy

Woman of Willendorf

A famous small figurine of a woman from the Paleolithic, possibly linked to fertility.

Lascaux

A cave in France with prehistoric paintings of animals. Very detailed