Transcript Upper Paleolithic Art & Culture

Art
Culture
Technology
 Mobile
• Small, can be moved from place to place or
traded
 Parietal
• Paintings on cave walls
• Large carvings
 The
European bison or wisent is one of the
animals most commonly depicted in paleolithic
art.
 These treatments in several media in
sandstone, reindeer horn, clay, and limestone
illustrate the sophistication of paleolithic art.
 Note the similar stylistic treatment of the mane
and beard of the bull, which show that specific
artistic conventions were passed from
generation to generation.



This baton or staff, found
at Mas-d'Azil, France, is
particularly intriguing
and almost demands
interpretation.
This "baton" is of
reindeer horn carved into
the shapes of three horse
heads--two live horses,
either a mare and stallion
or a colt and adult horse-and a flayed skull of a
dead horse.
Is this a depiction of the
highly abstract idea of the
cycle of life from juvenile
stage to death? The
carving demands to be
"read" and interpreted.
 Female
statuettes, sometimes called "Venus"
figurines, have been found at a number of
European sites.
 The female head at is rendered in a highly
abstract style compared to animals
 The plumpness and exaggerated sexual
features of many of these figures, along with
their faceless anonymity, suggest that they
symbolize fertility.
 Examples of these sculptures portray several
stages of womanhood, from pre-pubescence
and pregnancy to advanced age.
Venus of Willendorf
 The
18" "Venus"
figure (France,
22,000 to 30,000
years ago) holds
what may be an
incised bison horn.
 Perhaps
symbolically akin to
the cornucopia, the
"horn of plenty," of
later European
cultures.
 Lascaux, France
(17-15,000 B.P.)
 Altamira, Spain (14-15,000 B.P.)
 Chauvet Cave, France (30-32,000 B.P.)
 All
have elaborate paintings and
engravings
 Usually done along certain “themes” ie.
Altamira mostly bison
 Not used for habitation-strictly
ceremonial
Color black dominates the works. A few of the creatures
are painted red.
Panel of Back to Back Bison
Surrounding surface and style of work creates 3D effect
Panel of the Swimming Stags
Stag at entrance
Bison towards back
“Chinese horse”
This left footprint is the
first of a trail of
footprints around 50
meters long. Total
length: 21.2 cm; total
width: 9.2 cm. By
comparison to modern
Europeans, this print
corresponds to a male
subject around 1.3
meters tall and between
eight and ten years old.
The principal animal of
this panel has been
interpreted as a hyena
due to its spotted coat,
although its general
form resembles that of
a bear. Several other
animals accompany
this representation.
One feline, which
could be a panther, has
a spotted coat and
characteristic tail.
 Art
for Art’s Sake
 Sympathetic Magic
 Education of children
The multiple burial from central
Europe on right is 26,000 years
old. The individual in the center
of the burial had spinal
scoliosis, an asymmetrical
skull, and an under-developed
right leg. The male on the left
has a stake driven into his hip; a
larger male on the far right lies
face down. The male skulls
were adorned with circles of
arctic fox and wolf teeth and
ivory bands.
The painting reconstructs the burial of a mammoth hunter found at
Predmosti in central Europe. Red ochre is being scattered over the
grave, which will be covered with a mammoth's shoulder blade
and tusks.
 The
Upper Paleolithic was a period of
incredible diversity and technological
innovation.
• Use of Atlatl
 Lithic
technology also underwent an
important change during this time.
 The trend towards increasing the efficiency
of stone tool production reached its pinnacle
during this period with the development of
Blade Technology and the tools that blade
making made possible.