Prehistoric Art VOCABULARY Flashcards

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering the major prehistoric artworks described in the notes.

Apollo 11 Stones

Charcoal on stone from Namibia (c. 25,500–23,000 BCE), Middle Stone Age; an animal figure drawn with twisted perspective; example of hunter-gatherer art.

Great Hall of the Bulls

Paleolithic cave painting in modern-day France/Spain; charcoal and ocher on white calcite; depicts bulls, horses, deer; likely tied to hunting beliefs and ritual; long-lasting.

Camelid Sacrum in the Shape of a Canine

Paleolithic sculpture from modern-day Mexico (c. 14,000–7,000 BCE); carved from a camelid sacrum; holes drilled to resemble a dog; spiritual/birth symbolism; long-lasting.

Running Horned Woman

Neolithic pigment painting in modern Algeria (Neolithic era); horned female figure; possibly a goddess or priestess; reflects early religion and cultural development; long-lasting.

Bushel with ibex motifs

Neolithic Iran; painted terra-cotta vessel with ibex, hounds, and birds; made on a slow wheel or handmade; used for storage and burial rites; long-lasting; geometric decoration.

Anthropomorphic Stele

Sandstone stele from modern-day Saudi Arabia; human figure with belt and daggers; carved by a stone carver in nomadic tribes; likely a grave marker or ritual offering; long-lasting.

Jade Cong

Neolithic China (Jiangsu, 3300–2200 BCE); carved nephrite jade with geometric patterns; ritual use involving the dead; circular form suggests spiritual significance; indicates wealth and skilled labor.

Stonehenge

Neolithic in Wiltshire, England; megalithic stone circle; built over centuries by many workers; possible burial marker and/or lunar calendar; long-lasting; distinctive lay-out from above.

The Ambum Stone

Greywacke sculpture from Enga Province, New Guinea (Neolithic); resembles an anteater or hybrid animal; likely used in ancestor worship and fertility rites; may have functioned as a pestle; long-lasting.

Tlatilco female figurine

Neolithic ceramic figurine from Tlatilco, Mexico; two figures in one (bicephalic); intricate hairstyle; small size; linked to shamanic culture; long-lasting.

Terra cotta fragment

Lapita pottery from Reef Islands, Solomon Islands (Neolithic); terra-cotta with mineral pigments; paddle-and-anvil technique; used for storage and ritual contexts; geometric decoration; long-lasting.