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A mammoth ivory figure of a headless female body with large breasts, stomach, and vulva. The legs are small, and a loop at the shoulders suggests that it may have been a necklace, being worn by someone who wished to become or embody the figure. Venuses - small sculptures of women associated with fertility - were a common art of this time. -
Jones, Muffet. "Prehistory - Introduction To Art." Boise State University. https://boisestate.pressbooks.pub/arthistory/chapter/prehistory/
Holland, Oscar. 2020. "13500-year-old bird figurine discovered in China is a game-changer for prehistoric art." CNN. https://www.cnn.com/style/article/ancient-bird-lingjing-scn
Hager, Natalie."Apollo 11 Stones." Khan Academy. https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/global-prehistory-ap/paleolithic-mesolithic-neolithic-apah/a/apollo-11-stones-2 -
The earliest age of human civilization known to engage in art practices. Art of this time mainly consisted of cave art and sculptures.
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An anthropomorphic figure of mammoth ivory depicting a half man figure. His torso is long and slender like a human, while his arms and head resemble that of a lion. One of the rare few surviving sculptures that was not a Venus or an animal. -
This painting depicts an unknown animal – possibly a feline with human hind legs. The head has two faint curved horns likely belonging to an Oryx. The hybrid nature of this creature suggests the supernatural beliefs of the time. This is one of the earliest known abstracted paintings. -
A small Venus made of limestone, originally painted in red pigments to suggest association with menstruation. Her breasts and stomach are large, while the head and limbs are made of vague ridges. -
The site of this work provides many insights on the production of cave art, where more educated artists may have used the assistance of others to merge pigments while they drew. Holes in the walls may have been used as posts for scaffolding. Bulls and various hunted mammals were the most common subject in cave paintings. It is theorized that this painting practice was meant to embolden the spirit of the painter with the abilities of their prey. -
This piece dates back the history of three-dimensional art in China by 8,500 years. Its construction is much more complex than meets the eye, meaning that early sculptors had a basic understanding of carving techniques. -
A drawing of a cave bull and a lion on a stalactite. A pubic shape between the two is interpreted as a Venus. The backside of the stalactite has a half-man-half-stag hybrid, with human hands, feet, and genitals, and animal antlers, ears, and a tail. This figure is called the sorcerer, relating to hunting magic and shamanism. -
Considered the first city in history, being built upon itself over thousands of years. The houses had two floors, the first for working and the second for living. Homes were built very close together, and traveling was done along the roofs instead of roads. Buildings usually had courtyards and stables for animals. The city has two fortified walls for protection from constant siege. Despite the barriers, there is no evidence of a class system. -
Dr. Senta German, "Çatalhöyük," in Smarthistory, August 8, 2015, https://smarthistory.org/catalhoyuk/.
2022. Mysterious Irish Tomb Uncovered | The UnXplained (Season 3). Performed by The HISTORY Channel. -
Human life transitioned from nomadic journeys from caves to early settlements and towns. Art of this period no longer needed to be moved around constantly, allowing for the creation of various megalithic structures as monuments. Two-dimensional artwork of this time reflected domestic and social life more than the depictions of animals.
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Huge circular stone complex. The central pillars have animal carvings on them. Some pillars had humanoid features, with two eyes, a nose, and mouth, with thin arms and a belt shape. There were many stone heads around this complex. The image of beheading and missing heads is prominent, but no human remains were found. Parts of the structure were intentionally sealed, possibly to hide it from unwelcome visitors -
Natufian city with no walls and many buildings clustered together. The city itself was a barrier towards the nearby river. An average home had a work area, storage area, stables for animals, terraces for pelt drying, and various amenities. Sleeping areas had bull horns to protect the resting people, and the dead were buried underneath these locations. -
A 30-foot-tall standing stone placed manually by humans. It is unclear what it was directly used for. -
Massive stone structure the size of a football field made of 200,000 tons of stone. It is unknown what civilization made it. Consists of carved stone chambers similar to a cathedral and filled with skeletal and cremated remains. Has tri-spiral symbols that may represent rebirth and regeneration. During the winter solstice, an opening above the entrance allows sunlight to enter for 17 minutes. This light may have guided the spirits inside to the afterlife. -
Cromlech made of massive post-and-lentil trilithons, perfectly aligned for the summer and winter solstices for timekeeping. It was originally a more complete circle, with parts falling or being moved around over time. These stones were transferred from Wales thousands of miles away by hand. The Heel stone marks the midsummer sun relative to the horseshoe shape.