Chapter 1: Prehistoric Art Definitions Flashcards
Aurochs
Something like a cow/ox thing
Bronze Age
Age when metal became popular
Cairn
Pile that served both as prehistoric burial site and as a maker
Capstone
Final, optimist stone in a corebelled arch or vault, which joints the sides and completes the structure
Corbel
Early roofing and arching technique where each course of stone projects slightly beyond the previous layer, until upper most corbels meet
Dolmen
Prehis structure made up of 2 or more larger upright stones, supporting a large, flat, horizontal slab, or slabs
Henge
Circular area enclosed by stones or wood posts set up by neolithic peoples
Ice Age
(idk just think of the movie)
Megalithic
Large Stone used in some prehistoric architecture (neolithic)
Composite Pose
Combining different viewpoints within a single representation (making paintings look more alive)
Lintel
Horizontal element of any material carried by 2 or more vertical supports to form an opening
Menhir
Tall upright stone
Mortise and Tenon
Method of jointing 2 elements
Olduvai Gorge
Important site in Tanzania
Ompahalos
Round stone representing Navel of earth
Paleolithic
Early stage of stone age
Passage Grave
Prehistoric tomb under a cairn
Neanderthal
ice age people lmao
Analogy
Comparison between 2 things,
Relative Dating
Archeological process of determining relative chronological relationships among excavated objects
Absolute dating
Assigning historical date/years in which an object was made
Relief Sculpture
Surrounding material carved away to form a background that sets off the projecting figure
Sculpture in the Round
3D sculpture that’s carved free of any background or block
Thatch
Plant material (reeds or straw) tied over a framework of poles to make a roof, shelter, or a small building.
Totem
(totem poles?)
Vault
arched masonary structure that spans an interior space
Wattle and Daub
Wall construction method combining upright branches, woven with twigs (wittles) and plastered or filled with clay or mud (daub)
Stone Age
Stone was like super important back then and stuff
BCE
Before common era
CE
Common Era
Photo: Women from Willendorf
Austria, c. 24,000 BCE
- Previously known as the Venus of Willendorf
- Spherical Volumes
- Healthy, mature female form
- Recent interpretations more nuanceds: according to gamble, possibly nonverbal communication between groups of Paleolithic People.
- Most people believed to be pregnant because of wide hops and widen belly
Photo: Woman from Dolni
Vestonice Czec Republic. 23,000 BCE
- Raw Early form of process/performance art
- Fired clay figures intended to be exploded in kin
- Healthy mature female form
- Early use of fire to make durable objects from clay
Photo: Women from Brassempouty
France, c. 30,000 BCE
- hair or headress carved into a girl
Photo: Wall painting with Horses, Rhinos, and Aurochs
France, c. 32000-30000 BCE
- Supprimosed figures of animals
- Occasional male and female human figures
- Handprints
- Geometric markings
- Handprints blown onto the wall
Photo: Bird Headed man with Bison
Lascaux Cave, c. 15000 BCE
- Narrative –> tells a story
- Man with bird head laying on ground (mask?)
- Disemboweled bison
- Atlatl
- Composite pose drawing
Photo: Bison Ceiling of a Cave
Spain, c. 12500 BCE
- Upper Paleolithic
- Painting incorporates natural features of rock walls/ceiling
- red and brown bison flanks backs
Photo: Stonehenge
England, c. 2900-1500 BCE
- Megalithic monument
- blue stone and gargen stone
- Lintels/mortsie-and tennon joints
- Changes in material/uses over time
- Ceremonies linked to death and burial evident form contextual status
- faced towards the sun
Photo: Akimodo Type Pottery
Japanese type
- Earliest examples of Neolithic pottery
- Reduced by Hunter-gatherer Society
Photo: Human Figure from “Ain Gahzal”
65000 BCE
- bundled twig cores
- Clothes painted on figures
- Powerful legs but skinny arms/hands
- Figures found buries in pits
