Outline

Content Area 1 edited June 11, 2018

Global Prehistory
30,000-500 BCE
201-2019

Enduring Understanding
1-1 Various human expression existed prior to written record
1-1 Early art/creativity existed worldwide (different continents) and with
shared features – especially concern for natural world and humans’ place in
it
1-2 Africa and Asia as earliest locations for art
1-3 Evolving understanding of early art linked with interdisciplinary
collaboration among social, physical scientists

Essential Knowledge
• 1-1: Time periods defined by changing geological, climate and
environmental events vs. political or social forces
o Time periods called lithic (stone ages)
▪ Paleolithic-old
▪ Mesolithic-middle
▪ Neolithic-new
• 1-1b: Earliest tools (art?) linked to small groups and their survival,
daily life, belief systems – expressed as practical objects
• 1-2a: art was made to address large topics i.e astronomical cycles and
use of permanent materials such as stone, hardened clay, jade
• 1-2b: Earliest art from 77, 000 years ago – natural materials,
patterning, human and animal forms
• 1-3a: Knowledge of prehistoric art has developed through
archeological excavations and carbon 14-dating
• 1-3c: Study of pre-history is ongoing with focus on technology, use of
tools and their function, food sources, humans’ ability to
manage/control food sources

Various Meanings of art/definition of art over time

 • Humans’ cognitive ability to create and recognize symbols
and imagery that separates modern humans from all predecessors
and animals*
• Human ability to transform their world into specific tools and
objects that can be used to complete a task*
• Importance of process and performance in the making of and use
of objects*
• Ability to give meaning to and interpret our surroundings
* Stokstad, National Geographic

Causes of creativity
• Theory - Increase in density led to sharing of innovation

Prehistory
• intent of creator mostly unknown
o connected to survival, daily life, belief systems
• highly speculative period in art history

Paleolithic Period
Old Stone Age (use of rock)

Lasted about 3+ million years and involved the use of (primitive) stone
instruments
1000, 000 - 30,000 BCE - First objects to be intentionally – with
thought and planning – manufactured
Sculptural objects, paintings and engravings, relief sculptures

Not just recognition of human and animal forms – actually

representation of showing something that has been observed

Most early images were animals

Goal was (it seems) to make a representation, a copy of an animal

Neolithic Art
c 10,000 BCE – 4500-2000 BCE ice recedes

Climate, geography, biology changed – Mesolithic period

Neolithic period began-more complex use of stone (polished)
People settled into fixed housing, plants and animals domesticated, food
Supply stabilized, community living formed

Neolithic began in the Near East-Syria and Iraq

Food and plants and land were plentiful
Animals (goats, sheep, pigs) for domestication
New (more sophisticated) use of tools – manufacturing, pottery,
weaving, metal making