Ancient art history Exam 1

Ice Age

A long period of global cooling when glaciers expanded; shaped early human migration and survival.

Urbanization

The development of cities, marked by population concentration, specialization of labor, and complex social structures.

Fertile Crescent

A crescent‑shaped region in the Middle East where agriculture, writing, and early cities first developed.

Olmec

One of the earliest Mesoamerican civilizations (c. 1200-400 BCE), known for colossal stone heads and early ritual centers.

Oceania

the group of islands in the Pacific of the coast of Australia, including Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia

Qin Dynasty

The first imperial dynasty of China (221-206 BCE), known for unification, standardized writing, and the Terracotta Army.

Megalith

A large stone used in prehistoric monuments (e.g., Stonehenge).

Stele

An upright stone slab carved with text or images, often commemorative or funerary.

Register

A horizontal band used to organize scenes in art.

Cuneiform

One of the earliest writing systems, created by pressing wedge‑shaped marks into clay tablets in ancient Mesopotamia.

Hieroglyph

A pictorial writing system used in ancient Egypt.

Ankh

An Egyptian symbol representing life.

Amun‑Ra

A major Egyptian deity formed by merging the creator god Amun and the sun god Ra.

Aten

The sun disk deity elevated during the Amarna Period.

Amarna Period

A brief era under Akhenaten when Egyptian art became more naturalistic and religion shifted toward Aten worship.

Orthostat

A large upright stone slab forming part of a wall, often carved in relief.

Relief sculpture

Carving that projects from a background surface.

Low‑relief (bas‑relief)

Slight projection from the background.

High‑relief

Deep carving with forms projecting strongly, sometimes nearly in the round.

Sunken‑relief

Carving cut into the surface so the image is recessed.

Pictorial narrative

A visual story told through sequential or symbolic imagery.

Zoomorphic

Having animal forms or characteristics.

Anthropomorphic

Having human forms or traits.

Representational

Depicts recognizable subjects from the real world.

Abstract

Simplifies or distorts forms, not aiming for realism.

Naturalistic

Closely imitates observable reality.

Stylized

Uses consistent patterns or conventions rather than realistic detail.

Idealized

Presents subjects in a perfected or enhanced form.

Polytheism

Belief in many gods.

Monotheism

Belief in one God

Divine kingship

The belief that rulers possess divine status or authority.

Formal analysis

Examining visual elements (line, color, shape, composition) without reference to meaning.

Iconography / iconographic analysis

Interpreting symbols, themes, and cultural meanings within an artwork.