Art in Early Civilizations

Stone Age – a term used

to describe a period of
history when stones were
used to make tools for
survival.
 Three Period of the Stone Age Culture

1. Paleolithic (the late years of the Old Stone Age)

2. Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age)

3. Neolithic (New Stone Age)

 Paleolithic Art

• A product of climate change

• Caves paved the way for the birth of the early humans’
attempt to create art

• Cave paintings evoke naturalism

Evidences of Paleolithic Art

Hall of Bulls in Lascaux, France

Evidences of Paleolithic Art

Venus of Willendorf
 Mesolithic Art

• The use of small chipped stone tools called microliths

• Continued the art forms developed during the Paleolithic Period,

including cave paintings and small sculptural artifacts.
Evidences of Mesolithic Art

The Man of Bicorp

Evidences of Mesolithic Art

Backed edge bladelet

 Neolithic Art

• Humans learned to cultivate the land and domesticate animals

• Several monumental structures were erected

• The development of religious belief and the worship of deities

Evidence of Neolithic Art

Stonehenge
 Egyptian Art

3 Periods of Egyptian Civilization

• Old Kingdon
• Middle Kingdom
• New Kingdom
 Highlights of the Old Kingdom

• Religion was bound to the afterlife

• The reign of King Narmer, the first king of the first dynasty of
Egypt

• The construction of the great pyramids in Giza

Narmer Palette
The Great Pyramid of Giza
 Highlights of the Middle Kingdom

• A shift in the political hierarchy

• The reign of King Mentuhotep, the first pharaoh of the Middle

Kingdom

• The emergence of portrait sculptures and fresco paintings

 Highlights of the New Kingdom
• A time of expansionism through territorial acquisition

• Increase in wealth leading not only to economic but also

political stability

• Construction of mortuary temples

 The Amarna Revolution

• Led by King Akhenaton and Queen Nefertiti

• King Akhenaton moved the capital to Tel El-Amarna

• King Amenhotep changed his name to Akhenaton which

came from “Aton”, the sun god.

• Egypt became monotheistic.

King Tutankhamen

Discovered by Howard
Carter in 1922