Prehistoric Art and Early Civilizations Study Guide

A collection of vocabulary flashcards based on key terms and concepts from prehistoric art and early civilizations.

What defines the "Prehistoric" period?

The period of human history before written records.

When was the Upper Paleolithic Era?

40,000 to 9,000 BCE.

What characterized societies during the Upper Paleolithic Era?

Hunter-gatherer societies and the development of early art.

What is the span of the Neolithic Era?

8,000 to 2,300 BCE.

What major societal shifts occurred during the Neolithic Era?

The emergence of settled communities and the beginnings of agriculture.

What is "Paleolithic Art"?

Art created during the Paleolithic era, including both permanently located and portable art.

Name two categories of Paleolithic Art.

Permanently located art and portable art.

What is the "Venus of Willendorf"?

A famous Upper Paleolithic sculpture representing fertility.

Approximately when was the Venus of Willendorf created?

Around 28,000-25,000 BCE.

What is "Cuneiform"?

The earliest known form of writing.

Where was Cuneiform developed, and approximately when?

In Sumer, around 3,600 BC.

Define "Tabula Rasa".

A philosophical concept meaning a blank slate; the idea that individuals are born without built-in mental content.

Which philosophical concept suggests individuals are born without innate knowledge?

Tabula Rasa.

What is "Iconography"?

The visual images and symbols used in a work of art or the study of these in art.

The study of visual images and symbols in art is known as what?

Iconography.

How is a "Relief sculpture" characterized?

A sculptural technique where the sculpted elements remain attached to a solid background of the same material.

What type of sculpture has elements that are not fully detached from their background?

Relief sculpture.

Describe a "Corbeled arch/dome".

An architectural feature where each layer of stone projects slightly beyond the one beneath it.

In what kind of structures are corbeled arches/domes often found?

Prehistoric structures.

What was the "Neolithic Revolution"?

The significant transformation of human societies from hunter-gatherer lifestyles to agriculture and settled communities.

What two major shifts defined the Neolithic Revolution?

The shift from hunter-gatherer lifestyles to agriculture and settled communities.

What is a "Megalith"?

A large stone that forms a prehistoric monument or structure.

What is the term for a large stone used in prehistoric monuments?

Megalith.

Explain "Composite view" in art.

A style of representation that combines multiple perspectives of the same subject in a single image.

Which artistic technique shows a subject from several angles simultaneously?

Composite view.

How does a "Post-and-lintel" system work?

It is an architectural system where vertical posts support a horizontal lintel.

What are the two main components of a post-and-lintel system?

Vertical posts and a horizontal lintel.

What is a "Millennium"?

A period of one thousand years.

How many years are in a millennium?

One thousand years.

Name an important invention from Sumer around 3,600 BC.

Cuneiform (the earliest known form of writing).