Modern Humans of the Upper Palaeolithic

Question 1

Compare parietal art and mobiliary art.

Answer 1

Parietal art–art on cave walls

Mobiliary art– art that is portable (Ex: venus figurines and animal carvings)

Question 2

True or false? Cave painting are difficult to date, except for minerals such as ochre.

Answer 2

False; Cave painting are difficult to date, especially for minerals such as ochre.

Question 3

What species is responsible for the wall art in the El Castillo Cave in Spain? What dating method was used to date this site to at least 40 800 y/o?

Answer 3

(1) Anatomically modern humans and Neandertals were living in this area at the same time so it is uncertain who created these
(2) Absolute dating method (Uranium-thorium dating) used on CaCO3 buildup over paintings that contained trace amounts of Uranium

Question 4

The Chauvet Cave in France has been termed
the “Cave of Forgotten Dreams”. What is the significance of this site?
Hint: three reasons

Answer 4

Discovered in 1994; hundreds of images (wall art) including stenciled handprints and animals

Absolute dating reveals at least two occupations

Cave artists may have been mostly women; evidence based on the length of fingers of the handprints

Question 5

What dating method was used on the charcoal pigments in the Chauvet Cave in France?

Answer 5

AMS Radiocarbon dating

Question 6

How does the art in the “Cave of Forgotten Dreams” compare to the wall art in later sites?

Answer 6

Lots of depictions of carnivores, which is unusual compared to later works of mostly herbivores

Question 7

What drawing technique was used at the Lascaux, France site?

Answer 7

Uses bulges in cave to give art definition or “3D” look; used a variety of methods including hand drawing and mouth spray paint

Question 8

What light-source artifact was found at the Lascaux, France site?

Answer 8

17 000 y/o oil lamp made of standstone that used deer fat as fuel and moss or juniper as a wick

Question 9

True or false? Art in Asia, Europe, and Africa have different styles.

Answer 9

True

Question 10

Where is the oldest known modern human cave painting site?

Answer 10

Sulawesi, Indonesia

Question 11

Describe the Altamira, Spain cave painting site.

Answer 11

Red and black bison painted using charcoal and ochre; dated as early as 36 000 ya with Uranium-thorium dating; many occupations

Question 12

What sites were the oldest Venus figurines found in order of oldest to latest.

Answer 12

Hohle Fels, Germany (35000 ya)
Dolni Vestorice, Czech Republic (26 000ya)
Willendorf, Austria (25 000ya)

Question 13

Describe the general characteristics of Venus figurines.

Answer 13

Large breasts and abdomen, usually lack facial features, sometimes had holes for wearing as ornaments, female

Question 14

What are some of the possible meaning of Venus figurines?

Answer 14

Pregnant women or desire body type; signs of fertility, women’s view of their own bodies

Question 15

What site was the Venus with the earliest depiction of the human face found?

Answer 15

Brassempouy, France; termed “La Dame a la Capuche”; 28 000 ya

Question 16

What did the studies of Patricia Rice in 1981 observe about the Venus figurines?

Answer 16

Examined 188 Venus figurines and concluded that there are a variety of body types representing all stages of life (youth, pregnant + nonpregant adult, and elderly)

Question 17

What are Aurignacian figurines?

Answer 17

Ivory animal figurines found in South-West Germamy

Question 18

Describe the cave wall sculpture at the Laussel, France site.

Answer 18

Bas relief scultpure of women holding a bison horn with B lines; carved into a limestone rock shelter

Question 19

What is the significance of the mobilary art found at the Hohlenstein site in southwest Germany?

Answer 19

Lion man ivory figurine; head of lion and body of a man

Question 20

Modern humans are credited as the first to produce musical instruments. What was this first technology?

Answer 20

Bone and ivory flutes

Question 21

How would you describe Upper Palaeolithic burials?

Answer 21

Elaborate

Question 22

What can be interpreted about the status of the individuals buried at the Sungir site in Russia?

Answer 22

Elderly man and two children buried head to head; high status individuals buried with much wealth in grave goods (red ochre, thousands of beads, 25 mammoth ivory bracelets, and a pendent, belt with perforated fox teeth, ivory pin holding cloak, small ivory sculpture, and a human femur filled with red ochre)

Question 23

How long is it estimated to make the ornamental beads often found as grave goods?

Answer 23

45-60 minutes per bead

Question 24

What may have given the individuals buried at the Sunghir site in Russia status?

Answer 24

Congenital deformities that would affect appearance may have given them status

Question 25

It was originally thought that the Dolni Vestonice site in Czech Republic was a ____ _____ recreation until it was later discovered all three individuals were _____.

Answer 25

birth scene; male

Question 26

Modern humans would travel 100 km for materials while Neandertals did not travel as far. What does this suggest?

Answer 26

Possible trading networks among modern humans