AP Art History Unit 1: Global Prehistory

Apollo 11 Cave Stones
25500 BCE
Paleolithic
Nambia Africa
Charcoal on cave fragments

- Animal depiction, possibly a therianthrope (part human, part animal)
- naturalistic but simplified
- Likely ritual or shamanistic—possibly used in hunting magic

- suggests the importance of animals to the people of Paleolithic period

Great Hall of The Bulls
15000 BCE
Paleolithic period
Lascaux France
Charcoal on limestone

- Overlapping animals
- Twisted perspective, emphasis on movement
- ritualistic

Running Horned Woman

6000-4000BCE

Neolithic

Tassili N’Ajjer Algeria

Pigment on rocks

• Symbolizes the transition from Paleolithic to Neolithic, shows complex human thinking

• possibility a Goddess

• reflects spiritual life, especially fertility

• suggest complex belief system

• women w horns could suggest shamanism or deity powers

Anthropomorphic Stele

4000 BCE (4th Millennium BCe)

Arabian Peninsula

Neolithic

Sandstone

• stulized with hand and nose, anthropomorphic means giving inanimate objects human features

• standing male figure w a belt and dagger, focus on weapons

• served as a grave marker

• spiritual guardian in the afterlife

Jade Cong

3300-2200 BCE

Liangzhu China

Carved Jade

• Combination of heaven (circle) and earth (square)

• placed in high classed/ high status individuals graves

• connecting to the divine and social status

• percise symmetry

• very difficult to carve

• decorative incised lines