250 Study Guide Flashcards
Apollo 11 Stones
Name: Apollo 11 Stones Artist: Unknown Date Created: 25.500-25.300 BCE Culture/Period: Paleolithic Africa Key Formal Qualities: Charcoal on stone Subject Matter: Animal figures Historical Context: Found in Namibia. represents some of the oldest known art in Africa Origin: Namibia Function: Likely ceremonial. related to hunting
Great Hall of the Bulls
Name: Great Hall of the Bulls Artist: Unknown Date Created: 15.000-13.000 BCE Culture/Period: Paleolithic Europe Key Formal Qualities: Rock painting in large cave spaces Subject Matter: Bulls. horses. deer. other animals Historical Context: Likely used for ritual purposes in Lascaux Cave Origin: Lascaux. France Function: Possible ceremonial or educational role in hunting practices
Camelid Sacrum in the Shape of a Canine
Name: Camelid Sacrum in the Shape of a Canine Artist: Unknown Date Created: 14.000-7.000 BCE Culture/Period: Paleolithic Mesoamerica Key Formal Qualities: Bone carving in the shape of a canine head Subject Matter: Sacrum bone shaped into an animal figure Historical Context: One of the earliest known works from the Americas. significance of the sacrum as symbolic of fertility Origin: Tequixquiac. Mexico Function: Possibly ceremonial
Running Horned Woman
Name: Running Horned Woman Artist: Unknown Date Created: 6.000-4.000 BCE Culture/Period: Neolithic Africa Key Formal Qualities: Pigment on rock showing dynamic figure Subject Matter: Woman with ceremonial horns in a dance or ritual pose Historical Context: Shows early African ritualistic practices Origin: Tassili n’Ajjer. Algeria Function: Ceremonial
Beaker with Ibex Motifs
Name: Beaker with Ibex Motifs Artist: Unknown Date Created: 4.200-3.500 BCE Culture/Period: Neolithic Near East Key Formal Qualities: Painted terra cotta with geometric designs Subject Matter: Stylized mountain goat. birds. and dogs Historical Context: Found in a burial site in Susa. indicating ritual use Origin: Susa. Iran Function: Funerary purposes
Anthropomorphic Stele
Name: Anthropomorphic Stele Artist: Unknown Date Created: 4th millennium BCE Culture/Period: Neolithic Arabian Peninsula Key Formal Qualities: Sandstone carving with human-like features Subject Matter: Anthropomorphic figure Historical Context: Reflects early human figuration and burial traditions in the Arabian Peninsula Origin: Arabian Peninsula Function: Funerary or memorial
Jade Cong
Name: Jade Cong Artist: Unknown Date Created: 3.300-2.200 BCE Culture/Period: Neolithic China Key Formal Qualities: Carved jade. cylindrical form with squared exterior and circular interior Subject Matter: Abstract faces or spirits carved into jade Historical Context: Found in Liangzhu tombs. reflects significance of jade in Chinese culture Origin: Liangzhu. China Function: Ritual object. possibly funerary
Stonehenge
Name: Stonehenge Artist: Unknown Date Created: 2.500-1.600 BCE Culture/Period: Neolithic Europe Key Formal Qualities: Large sandstone blocks arranged in a circular layout Subject Matter: Circular megalithic structure Historical Context: Functioned in part as a burial site and possibly an astronomical observatory Origin: Wiltshire. UK Function: Ceremonial and astronomical
The Ambum Stone
Name: The Ambum Stone Artist: Unknown Date Created: 1.500 BCE Culture/Period: Neolithic Melanesia Key Formal Qualities: Greywacke stone carving resembling a fetus or animal figure Subject Matter: Animal figure. possibly an echidna Historical Context: Found in Ambum Valley; could have been used in rituals related to fertility or hunting Origin: Ambum Valley. Papua New Guinea Function: Ceremonial
Tlatilco Female Figurine
Name: Tlatilco Female Figurine Artist: Unknown Date Created: 1.200-900 BCE Culture/Period: Neolithic Mexico Key Formal Qualities: Ceramic figure with exaggerated hips and facial features Subject Matter: Female figure with two faces Historical Context: Represents duality and early forms of human representation in Mesoamerica Origin: Central Mexico Function: Possibly fertility-related. ceremonial
Terracotta Fragment (Lapita)
Name: Terracotta Fragment Artist: Unknown Date Created: 1.000 BCE Culture/Period: Neolithic Pacific Islands Key Formal Qualities: Incised terra cotta with geometric and face-like motifs Subject Matter: Repeating patterns and faces Historical Context: Represents early Lapita culture in Oceania. known for pottery and navigation Origin: Solomon Islands Function: Decorative and utilitarian
White Temple and Ziggurat
Name: White Temple and Ziggurat Artist: Unknown Date Created: 3.500-3.000 BCE Culture/Period: Sumerian Key Formal Qualities: Mud brick construction elevated on a ziggurat platform Subject Matter: Temple for religious purposes. honoring the sky god Anu Historical Context: Reflects Sumerian religious practices and architectural innovation Origin: Uruk. Iraq Function: Religious center and temple
Palette of King Narmer
Name: Palette of King Narmer Artist: Unknown Date Created: 3.000-2.920 BCE Culture/Period: Predynastic Egyptian Key Formal Qualities: Carved slate showing hierarchical scale and registers Subject Matter: Scenes of King Narmer uniting Upper and Lower Egypt Historical Context: Celebrates Narmer’s victories. one of the earliest historical records of Egypt Origin: Hierakonpolis. Egypt Function: Ceremonial palette for mixing cosmetics. possibly used in rituals
Statues of Votive Figures. from Square Temple at Eshnunna
Name: Statues of Votive Figures Artist: Unknown Date Created: 2.700 BCE Culture/Period: Sumerian Key Formal Qualities: Carved gypsum with inlaid eyes. cylindrical bodies Subject Matter: Figures in perpetual prayer to deities Historical Context: Used by Sumerians as representations of themselves in constant worship Origin: Eshnunna. Iraq Function: Religious offering and representation of devotion
Seated Scribe
Name: Seated Scribe Artist: Unknown Date Created: 2.620-2.500 BCE Culture/Period: Old Kingdom Egyptian Key Formal Qualities: Painted limestone with inlaid eyes. naturalistic depiction Subject Matter: Scribe seated cross-legged. holding a papyrus scroll Historical Context: Reflects the importance of scribes and literacy in Egyptian society Origin: Saqqara. Egypt Function: Funerary sculpture. likely placed in a tomb
