Transcript Slide 1

Pigment blocks
Three blocks of red ochre from which pigment has been removed.
Late Upper Palaeolithic (Magdalenian period) about 18,000–12,000 years ago.
Les Eyzies, Dordogne, France.
Figurative art occurred for the first time in Europe during the Upper Palaeolithic period. Paints were from natural sources such as
ochre, manganese and chalk.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ochre
http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/prehistoric/cave-painting.htm
http://www.musee-prehistoire-eyzies.fr/homes/home_id24921_u1l2.htm
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library (AN1928.293.a-c )
http://www.ashmolean.org/services/picturelibrary/
Vinca figurine
Figurine of seated person, with incised and painted decoration probably representing
clothing.Late Neolithic (Vinča period), about 4500-4000 BC
Vinča-Belo Brdo tell, Serbia
http://www.rastko.rs/arheologija/vinca/vinca_eng.html
http://www.iianthropology.org/sitesvinca1.html
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library (AN1939.68 )
http://www.ashmolean.org/services/picturelibrary/
Tripolye figurine
Female figurine, with traces of painted decoration.Late Neolithic (Late
Tripolye period) about 3800–3400 BC.
Koshylivtsi, Ukraine
http://www.springerlink.com/content/p730x143t0207u83/
http://www.nyu.edu/isaw/exhibitions/oldeurope/sites/all/themes/isaw/Figurines
_Of_Old_Europe.pdf
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library (AN1910.1196 )
http://www.ashmolean.org/services/picturelibrary/
Danish flint dagger
Flint dagger with ‘fish-tailed’ hilt.
Late Neolithic–Early Bronze Age, about 2400-1800 BC
Sjælland, Denmark
http://oldtiden.natmus.dk/udstillingen/bondestenalderen/hindsgavldolllken/
language/uk/
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library (AN1927.4848 )
http://www.ashmolean.org/services/picturelibrary/
Ballyshannon gold disc (‘Sun disc’)
Decorated disc of sheet gold.
Late Neolithic (metal-using), about 2400 –2100 BC.
Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal. Republic of Ireland
http://www.libraryireland.com/articles/IrishAntiquitiesDPJ1-31/index.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banc_Ty'ndd%C3%B4l_sun-disc
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library (AN1836 p.139.372)
http://www.ashmolean.org/services/picturelibrary/
Decorated lunula
Gold Lunula (neck ornament) with inscribed designs
Late Neolithic (metal-using), 2200-2000 BC.
Co. Cork, Ireland
http://www.museum.ie/en/exhibition/info/objectsandtechniques.aspx
http://www.worldtimelines.org.uk/world/british_isles/ireland/2200-800BC/gold
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library (AN1927.2931)
http://www.ashmolean.org/services/picturelibrary/
Oculus bowl
Bowl decorated with oculus (eye) motif.
Iberian Copper Age, about 3200-2300 BC
Los Millares, Almería, Spain
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Millares
http://www.losmillares.info/
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library (AN1896-1908 Pr.129)
http://www.ashmolean.org/services/picturelibrary/
Radley composite necklace
Composite necklace of amber, jet and faience beads.
Early Bronze Age, 1900-1700 BC
Radley, Oxfordshire, England.
http://www.britishmuseum.org/pdf/BAR1_2008_6_Sheridan_c.pdf
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library (AN1937.171)
http://www.ashmolean.org/services/picturelibrary/
Bronze Age shaft-hole axe
Decorated bronze shaft-hole axe head
Late Bronze Age (Br D) about 1400-1200 BC
Hungary
http://www.worldtimelines.org.uk/world/europe/northern_eastern/2750750BC/Metalworkinginthecarpathianbasin
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library (AN1927.1528)
http://www.ashmolean.org/services/picturelibrary/
Nuraghic figurine
Bronze figurine of a worshipper carrying a ram;
Late Bronze Age (Nuraghic), 800-700 BC
Sardinia
http://www.worldtimelines.org.uk/world/europe/italy/Copper%20and%20bronze%
20ages/Nuraghicsardinia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuragic_civilization
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library (AN1894.24)
http://www.ashmolean.org/services/picturelibrary/
Penbryn Spoons
Pair of decorated cast bronze ‘spoons’, perhaps used for divination.
Late Iron Age, 50 BC – AD 100
Penbryn, Wales.
http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/pe_prb/b/bronze_spoons.aspx
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/objects/c02wJXkUTQKJDhabAb9P1Q
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library (AN1836 p.147.508)
http://www.ashmolean.org/services/picturelibrary/
Ucelby torcs (Iron Age)
Two electrum torcs (neck rings)
Iron Age, about 120 BC – AD 43
Ulceby, Lincolnshire, England
http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/article_index/i/iron_age_torcs.aspx
http://johnevans.ashmolean.org/php/artefactindpage.php?sacc=&sobn=&scoun=&sper=&sprov=&option3=&id=64&fir=8&las=65&sub
mit=Search
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library (AN1927.6659-60)
http://www.ashmolean.org/services/picturelibrary/
Iron Age mirror handle
Decorated bronze handle for iron mirror
Late Iron Age, AD 1-100
Ballybogy Bog, Co. Antrim, Ireland
http://www.worldtimelines.org.uk/world/british_isles/england/south-west/800BCAD43/mirrors
http://johnevans.ashmolean.org/php/artefactindpage.php?sacc=&sobn=&scoun=&sper=&sprov=&option3=&id=5&fir=8&las=65&
submit=Search
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library (AN1927.883)
http://www.ashmolean.org/services/picturelibrary/
Hallstatt amber necklaces
Three strings of amber beads.
Early Iron Age (Hallstatt), about 700-450 BC
Hallstatt, Austria
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallstatt_culture
http://books.google.com/books?id=g6NVVpqhixIC&pg=PA38&lpg=PA38&dq=hallstatt+amber&source=bl&ots=nzRqLn_xCw&sig=3
RjiTp3AEqEmOo5gKYecVVaDCjU&hl=en&ei=SAvJTLHIEcXoOZWCxfAI&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&sqi=2&ved=
0CCAQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=hallstatt%20amber&f=false
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library (AN1927.991)
http://www.ashmolean.org/services/picturelibrary/
Wittenham Sword (Late Iron Age)
‘The Wittenham Sword’.
Iron sword corroded inside elaborately decorated bronze scabbard.
Late Iron Age, about 100 BC.
From the River Thames at Little Wittenham, Oxfordshire, England
http://www.ashmolean.org/ash/objectofmonth/2001-02/theobject.htm
http://www.worldtimelines.org.uk/world/british_isles/england/northern/800BCAD43/warfare
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library (AN1982.1096)
http://www.ashmolean.org/services/picturelibrary/
Air Photograph of the Uffington White Horse
taken by Major George Allen on 5 October 1935
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-chl/w-countryside_environment/w-archaeology/w-archaeologyplaces_to_visit/w-archaeology-uffington_white_horse.htm
http://www.ashmolean.org/ash/britarch/archives/allen-index.html
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library. Reference: Allen 1250 (AA0836)
http://www.ashmolean.org/services/picturelibrary/
Air Photograph of Stonehenge
by Major George Allen on 8 September 1935
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/stonehenge/history/
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/373
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library. Reference: Allen 1160 (AA811)
http://www.ashmolean.org/services/picturelibrary/
Excavations at Vinča-Belo Brdo tell, Serbia, in the 1930s
Photographs taken by the official site photographer, Miss Fanny Foster.
Type site for the Vinča cultural tradition, about 5500 to 4000 BC in Central and
Eastern Europe.
http://www.rastko.rs/arheologija/vinca/vinca_eng.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vin%C4%8Da_culture
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library
http://www.ashmolean.org/services/picturelibrary/
Watercolours from the Ramsauer excavations
at the Early Iron Age cemetery at Hallstatt, Austria, 1846-63
Left: Burial 181
Below: Hallstätter See (Lake Hallstatt)
http://www.geologie.ac.at/filestore/download/BR0049_083_A.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallstatt_culture
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/806/
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library
http://www.ashmolean.org/services/picturelibrary/