global prehistory notecards

apollo 11 stones

namibia , 25,500-25,300 bce, charcoal on stone

unknown animal like feline

seven stone fragments

oldest dated art on african continent and evidence that early humans used figures to rep world

great hall of bulls

lascaux, france (paleolithic europe), 15000-13000 bce, rock painting

images of horses, deer, bison, elk

twisted perspective - see horns from front

provides insight abt lives of early humans and provides connection to the natural world

camelid sacrum in the shape of a canine

tequixquiac, mexico, 14000-7000 bce, bone

made from fossilized remains of sacrum of extinct camelid

holes were cut into end to rep nostrils; bone is engraved

early example of NA art and window into spiritual beliefs of ppl

running horned woman

tassili n’ajjee, algeria, 6000-4000 bce, pigment on rock

silhouette of woman running w horns on her head and jewelery

likely a goddess

glimpse into prehistoric saharan life, rituals, prominence of women, and cultural achievements

beaker w ibex motifs

susa, iran, 4200-3500 bce, painted terra cotta

decorated w animal forms and geometric patterns

thin clay and doesn’t have perfection of wheel pottery

item suggest role in religious practices related to afterlife

anthropomorphic stele

arabian peninsula, 4th millenium, sandstone

both sides sculpted into human figure

minimal but expressive carving

evidence of sophisticated culture showing region had figural art and societal structure

jade cong

liangzhu, china, 3300-2200 bce, carved jade

square hollow tubes decorated with lines and circles which rep faces

uniform and intentional - burial item

insight into rituals and social structures of culture w no writing

stonehenge

wiltshire, uk (neolithic europe), 2500-1600, sandstone

aligned w sunrise on summer solstice and sunset on winter solstice

horizontal stones fit vertical w mortise and tenon joints and fitted to exterior w tongue and groove

rare and unique monument showing how society was capable of long projects and how they marked time

ambum stone

ambum valley, enga province, papua new guinea, 1500 bce, greywacke

smooth, curved neck and head ; fat body

pleasing shape and slightly shiny patina suggest it was well handled

one of oldest known pieces of art from region; shows advanced skill of islanders

tlatico female figurine

central mexico - site of tlatilco, 1200-900, ceramic

wide hips, spherical thighs, pinched waist

elaborate hair, intimate and lively poses and double face

offers insight into daily lives, beliefs, and cultural practices of mesoamerican societies

terra cotta fragment

lapita ppl, solomon island, reef islands, 1000 BCE, terra cotta

shaped by hand and places in fire to harden

stamped motifs that are regularly repeated in a specific set of patterns

fragments offer a tangible link to culture, revealing tech capabilities, art styles, and movement of ppl