Apollo 11 Stones

(1) (1) Apollo 11 stones. Prehistoric African. Charcoal on stone. 25,500 – 25,300 BCE.

Namibia. 5” x 4.5”. Prehistoric.

Content, Form, Function, Context

Form:

 Positive vs negative space

 Stones were painted in charcoal (black), ochre (red/browns), and white

 Earliest example of representation  figurative (derived from real sources)

 Animals are displayed in twisted perspective (profile + frontal)

 Slabs were found broken in pieces

Function:

 Likely focused on animal fertility and life cycles, given the prominence of genitalia

o Hope for reproduction

 Likely prized objects because they were moved into these caves

o Portable object; small

 Edges are discolored, meaning it was handled frequently

o Stone used is not the same as the natural stone found in the caves

 Therefore, likely for animal ritual/worship?

Content:

 Animal figures painted on the rocks

o Multiple animals; not always identifiable to species level

 This slab has some kind of cow or bull with genitalia prominently emphasized

Context:

 One of the oldest known rock paintings; 7 slabs in total

 Between 1969 and 1972, W.E. Wendt (German archaeologist) found slabs in cave

o Named after 1969 NASA moon landing

 Paleolithic migratory community  brought these slabs into the cave from elsewhere

o Hunters and gatherers have to carry with them whatever they deem of greatest

importance

o Humans follow animals who follow plants that grow according to the seasons

o For humans to survive, animals have to thrive  rituals often focused upon

guaranteeing that outcome

 Buried in domestic debris in caves

o Caves were temporary shelters

Learning Objective: Earliest example of representation

Themes: animals; ritual; fertility; cycle of life

Museum: