THE STONE AGE
The first sign of man creating art dates back to at least 50,000 B.C. with the appearance of cave paintings and drawings. This was due to the evolution of man. As the brain began to develop, so did man's desire to be creative. Cave drawings were often used in storytelling, or to document their day like a scrapbook. During this time man also began to explore their skills as inventors by creating tools that made everyday tasks easier. The way in which they lived changed drastically as well. They went from being a mostly nomadic society that moved from place to place, to forming agricultural settlements where they built homes, farms and eventually communities.
Did you know?
The discovery of Altamira and the ancient cave drawings housed within was discovered by a nine-year old girl and her father.
Read more about it here: https://www.ancient.eu/Altamira/
CHARACTERISTICS & INFLUENCES
Below is some basic information on the Stone Age and its characteristics and influences. If you would like to print off a copy of this page along with samples of art from this period, you can download the Stone Age Summary above.
These are hand stencils thought to be created by Neanderthals over 40,800 years ago. If dating is correct, this is the oldest cave painting discovered.
Stonehenge was built roughly 4,000 to 5,000 years ago and forms part of a larger and highly complex sacred landscape.
The Chauvet Cave (Caverne du Pont d’arc) is one of the most famous prehistoric rock art sites in the world. Cave art paintings date back 30,000 to 33,000 years ago.
Quick Facts:
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Called “Stone Age” because stone was widely used
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Also known as Prehistoric Art
Characteristics and/or Types of Art:
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Cave paintings (lacks dimension, stone used as canvas)
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Sculpted figures and tool making
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Megalithic stone structures (large, rough)
influences:
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Creative minds began to evolve as the brain became more developed
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Less nomadic, built agriculture settlements
references
Text References:
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Stonehenge - http://justfunfacts.com/interesting-facts-about-stonehenge/
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Chauvet Cave - http://justfunfacts.com/interesting-facts-about-the-chauvet-cave/
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El Castillo Cave - https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/06/120614-neanderthal-cave-paintings-spain-science-pike/
Photo References: