Unit 1: Global Prehistory, 30,000-500 BCE

Paleolithic Art (30,000 BCE-10,000 BCE)

Paleolithic art is characterized by its use of natural materials, such as ochre and charcoal, to create images of animals and human figures on cave walls and portable objects. These artworks often served ritualistic or symbolic purposes, reflecting the beliefs and practices of early human societies, and they serve as proof that humans have always made art by any means necessary, even Neanderthals.

Images 1 & 2

The Apollo 11 Cave Stones were discovered in 1969 by German archaeologist W. E. Wendt in the Huns mountains in southern Namibia. A bovid animal is depicted in charcoal on the two slabs. While little information is known about the Apollo 11 Cave Stones, they serve as proof that not only did humans have the ability to create art thousands of years ago, but global art as a whole began in the African continent.

Before humans developed written language, they used pictures on caves to communicate. Perhaps the Hall of Bulls in Lascaux, France, is the most famous example of this, despite it being among a set of 350 others like it. These early artists used charcoal and ocher (a kind of earthy, pigmented material) to create the paint used. This is proof that prehistoric art was not exclusive to the African continent, but could be found anywhere early humans resided. Pictured is a replica of the original cave, called Lascaux II. The original cave is closed to the public to preserve it.