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Prehistory

Author: Sophia

what's covered
The era in which humans first demonstrated the ability to craft tools and works of art out of stone is called the Paleolithic era. This period in history is the longest period of time with reference to human history. This lesson focuses on 25,000 BC, during which the Upper Paleolithic period took place. This lesson covers:

Table of Contents

big idea
The Paleolithic era is a period in human history when humans first demonstrated the ability to craft tools and works of art out of stone.

1. What Is Prehistory?

"Prehistory" means prior to written history, or the period of time before humans began recording events using a system of writing. “Paleolithic” comes from the word “paleo,” which means “old,” and “lithic,” which means “stone.” The Paleolithic era is the period of time that marks the emergence of the first stone tools by humans, and it is the longest defined period of human history.

did you know
BC means before Christ, and AD is Anno Domini, which means “in the year of our Lord” in Latin. There is no year 0, so the year 1 AD is exactly one year after 1 BC.

term to know
Paleolithic
Early stage of prehistory characterized by the development of stone tools, sculpted figures, and paintings on cave walls


2. Art History and Archaeology

The emergence of stone tools is important, as it corresponds to an evolutionary shift in the brain development of human beings. The ability to problem solve by creating tools specific to a task likely corresponds with the advent of true creativity, which is where the interest of art historians comes in. These tools had functionality, yet they were pieces of creative artwork at the same time.

EXAMPLE

Below is an example of a stone hand ax. This is one of the first tools in human history.

Stone hand ax2.6 million years agoFlint
Stone hand ax
2.6 million years ago
Flint

IN CONTEXT

Our conception of what art is today has evolved over time. While viewed as art in our present-day context, the prehistoric artifacts we still discover today most likely had a very different purpose or function in their time.

The line between art history and archaeology can be blurred at times. The reason for this is that we can only evaluate artifacts using our understanding of these people, which itself is based purely on archaeological evidence. There is no written record to go by, and this introduces a lot of speculation. When studying an artifact from this era, the first step is to identify objects made by humans by asking:

  • Was it considered art as we understand art to be in its time?
  • What was the purpose of these images?

did you know
Using what is known of the people who lived during the Paleolithic era, we can come to some reasonable conclusions. The lifestyle was nomadic, as people moved depending upon the migratory patterns of their food sources, as well as because of climatic changes.

terms to know
Artifacts
An object made by a human being, in particular an object of historical or cultural importance
Archaeology
The study of human history and prehistory through the excavation of sites and analysis of artifacts


3. Prehistoric Art and Sculpture in the Round

During this period of time, there was no formal way to document historical events. Instead, historical traditions were likely committed to memory and passed along orally. The memory image refers to the artist creating an image based upon what they remember, rather than having a physical reference. This reliance upon memory may account for the large degree of abstraction present in these images. Abstraction is repeatedly found in prehistoric works of art scattered around the world.

EXAMPLE

Take a look at the image of Venus of Brassempouy, below. Some individual characteristics are missing altogether, and some are very generalized. This is an example of abstraction.

Venus of Brassempouy25,000 BCMammoth ivory
Venus of Brassempouy
25,000 BC
Mammoth ivory

Sculpture in the round is an object that is free-standing, in that it isn’t attached to any other surface. This particular sculpture cannot technically stand on its own, but it most likely was never designed to do so.

EXAMPLE

One of the most famous examples of prehistoric sculpture in the round is called the Venus of Willendorf, pictured below. The name is based upon the location of its discovery in Austria. It’s one of the earliest examples of human sculpture, dated to around 24,000 BC.

Venus of Willendorf24,000 BCLimestone
Venus of Willendorf
24,000 BC
Limestone

Notice the high degree of abstraction in the female physical features, such as the breasts, buttocks, belly, and sexual organs that are grossly exaggerated. In contrast, the head, face, and arms are much less prominent, or missing altogether.

IN CONTEXT

Some scholars believe the Venus of Willendorf was created as a personal fertility idol, due to its depiction and size—it’s about 4 inches tall. All of these facts may give insight into the society that produced it; for example, the possible status of women or the nomadic lifestyle they had. All of these images are rather small and portable.

Some also believe that it may have been an artistic self-interpretation or created simply for the sake of creating something aesthetically valuable. Ultimately though, the truth is that no one knows for sure, as the lack of any written accounts can only lead to educated speculation.

Relief sculpture is another type of sculpture where the carving is attached to a flat surface-- such as wood, stone, or other material-- and is chiseled or gouged.

EXAMPLE

The Venus of Laussel is a type of relief sculpture. It is a fertility figure holding what appears to be a ram's horn.

Venus of Laussel23,000 BCLimestone
Venus of Laussel
23,000 BC
Limestone

terms to know
Memory Image
An image that remains in the mind of something previously experienced
Abstraction
The process of extracting parts of an idea or concept not specific or detailed
Sculpture in the Round
A type of sculpture that is completely free-standing, not attached to another surface
Relief Sculpture
A sculpture technique that uses a process of cutting into a flat surface, i.e., wood, stone, or other material, by chiseling or gouging

summary
Humans first demonstrated the ability to craft tools and works of art out of stone during a period of time called the Paleolithic era. In this lesson, you learned about prehistory, the period of time before humans began recording events using a system of writing.

You learned how art and archaeology can sometimes overlap, such as in the case of tools that were developed during the Paleolithic era, which were both functional, studied by archaeologists, and creative pieces of art, studied by art historians.

Finally, you examined examples of prehistoric art and sculpture in the round. Remember, abstraction is repeatedly found in prehistoric works of art scattered around the world, many times due to the memory image to which an artist must resort to create a work of art, rather than physical reference.

Source: THIS TUTORIAL WAS AUTHORED BY IAN MCCONNELL FOR SOPHIA LEARNING. Please see our Terms of Use.

Terms to Know
Abstraction

The process of extracting parts of an idea or concept not specific or detailed.

Archaeology

The study of human history and prehistory through the excavation of sites and analysis of artifacts.

Artifacts

An object made by a human being, in particular an object of historical or cultural importance.

Memory Image

An image that remains in the mind of something previously experienced.

Paleolithic

Early stage of prehistory characterized by the development of stone tools, sculpted figures, and paintings on cave walls.

Relief Sculpture

A sculpture technique that uses a process of cutting into a flat surface i.e. wood, stone or material, by chiseling or gouging.

Sculpture in the Round

A type of sculpture that is completely free-standing, not attached to a flat surface.