Ppp

Paleolithic Art

By ramieve
  • Lion-Man of the Hohlenstein-Stadel, 38,000 BC, mammoth ivory, 12'' ht, Museum Ulm, Ulm
    38,000 BCE

    Lion-Man of the Hohlenstein-Stadel, 38,000 BC, mammoth ivory, 12'' ht, Museum Ulm, Ulm

    The Lion-Man was discovered in 1939 in the Stadel Cave in the Swabian Jura region of Germany. This portable sculpture shows a human body with the head of a cave lion, reflecting how Aurignacian people used imagination and believed in a close connection between humans and animals. In this figurine, the lion likely symbolizes power, strength, and dominance.
  • Female Figuring of Hohlefels, c. 35,000 B.C.E., 2.4 in, mammoth ivory, found in cave near Schelklinge, southern Germany
    35,000 BCE

    Female Figuring of Hohlefels, c. 35,000 B.C.E., 2.4 in, mammoth ivory, found in cave near Schelklinge, southern Germany

    The female figure of Hohlefels, also known as the Venus of Hohle Fels, is the oldest known representational imagery and originates from the Aurignacian culture of the Upper Paleolithic period. It is assumed to be an amulet related to fertility; instead of a head, there is a perforation so that it could be worn as a pendant. It was made from mammoth ivory, a material that carried symbolic significance of power, given that mammoths were the largest land mammals.
  • The Grotte Chauvet-Pont d'Arc, 30,000 to 32,000 BP, limestone plateau, 85,000 sq m, France
    30,000 BCE

    The Grotte Chauvet-Pont d'Arc, 30,000 to 32,000 BP, limestone plateau, 85,000 sq m, France

    The Grotte Chauvet-Pont d’Arc, contains the oldest known cave paintings, created by the Aurignacian people around 30,000–32,000 years ago. After being sealed by a rockfall for more than 20,000 years, the site was discovered in 1994 by speleologists Jean-Marie Chauvet. Researchers found over 1,000 pictorial drawings, with animals such as rhinoceroses, and horses serving as the main subjects.I believe these paintings may have been created to influence hunting success or as a form of storytelling