Prehistoric Art & Eras: Stone Age to Metal Age Innovations
Prehistoric Art: Eras and Innovations
What is Prehistory?
Prehistory refers to the period from the appearance of early humans until the advent of writing, spanning approximately 1,000,000 years.
Major Prehistoric Eras: Stone and Metal Ages
The Stone Age is broadly divided into the Paleolithic (Old Stone Age), Mesolithic, and Neolithic (New Stone Age) periods. The Paleolithic period is further subdivided into Lower, Middle, and Upper Paleolithic.
During the Lower Paleolithic, tools were primarily made of stone. In the Upper Paleolithic, materials like bone and ivory were also used for tools and art. A key distinction between the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods is the shift to a sedentary lifestyle during the Neolithic. The Upper Paleolithic period marks the birth of art.
Prehistoric Sculpture: The Venus Figurines
The earliest human sculptures, often crafted from stone, ivory, or bone, represent female figures known as Venus figurines. These figurines emphasize fertility symbols such as prominent breasts, hips, buttocks, and pubis. Features like hands, feet, arms, and hair are often depicted minimally or stylized. Their purpose is believed to be religious and magical, serving as fertility idols.
Paleolithic Cave Painting
Cave painting first emerged in the Upper Paleolithic, characterized by artworks created on rock surfaces within caves.
Key Regions of Paleolithic Cave Art
Franco-Cantabrian Region
- Representations include animals, handprints, and geometric signs. The human figure is often absent or highly stylized.
- Paintings are typically polychrome (multi-colored).
- Large animals are frequently depicted.
- Notable Caves: Lascaux (France), Altamira (Spain)
Levantine Region
- Depicts both animals and human figures.
- Common themes include hunting, dancing, and gathering scenes.
- Figures are typically stylized and schematic.
- Predominantly uses red and black pigments.
- Notable Caves/Sites: Cogul (Spain), Alpera (Spain), Morella la Vella (Spain), Tassili n’Ajjer (Algeria)
Neolithic Architecture: Megalithic Structures
Megalithic architecture, characterized by large stone constructions, emerged during the Neolithic period.
Types of Megalithic Monuments
- Menhir: A large, single standing stone placed vertically in the ground.
- Alignment: A linear arrangement of multiple menhirs.
- Cromlech: A circular arrangement of large standing stones (e.g., Stonehenge).
- Dolmen: A structure consisting of several vertical stones supporting a large horizontal capstone, often used as a tomb.
- Taula: A T-shaped megalithic monument, unique to Menorca.
- Talayot: Tower-like structures, often truncated cones or pyramids, found in the Balearic Islands.
- Naveta: A boat-shaped collective tomb, also found in the Balearic Islands.
- Nuraghe: Similar to talayots, these distinctive stone towers are unique to Sardinia.
Neolithic Ceramics: Early Pottery Techniques
Ceramics became a significant activity during the Neolithic period, linked to sedentary lifestyles. Early pottery was handmade (not wheel-thrown) and often sun-dried.
- Forms often copied from nature.
- Initially, pottery retained the natural color of clay; later, pigments were used.
- Decoration often involved incisions, scratching the container with a pointed tool.
- Common decorative motifs were geometric patterns.
Major Neolithic Pottery Styles
- Linearbandkeramik (Band Ceramic): Hemispherical, handleless containers decorated with incised lines and dots forming spirals. Prevalent in the Danube region.
- Corded Ware: Named for its distinctive decoration, created by pressing twisted cords into wet clay. Found across Germany, Poland, and Scandinavia.
- Bell Beaker Pottery: Characterized by its inverted bell shape, often associated with funerary practices. Decorated with incisions and widespread across the Iberian Peninsula, Italy, and islands of the western Mediterranean.
The Age of Metals: Bronze and Iron Innovations
The Chalcolithic period (Copper Age) serves as an intermediate phase between the Stone Age and the true Age of Metals. During this time, copper was known and used, but stone tools remained prevalent due to their superior hardness. The Age of Metals truly began with the widespread adoption of bronze.
Metalworking produced a variety of items, including weapons, figurines, and ornaments such as bracelets, necklaces, and brooches. A notable artifact is the Trundholm Sun Chariot from Denmark, renowned for its intricate bronze work.