NAME: GERALDINE L.

FUENTES

COURSE: BSED- ENGLISH

SUBJECT & TIME: ARTS AND APPRECIATION 7:00 AM – 8:30 AM

INSTRUCTOR: RENANN DENIELLE ESTIPONA

ASSIGNMENT

Research about Art history timeline:

- Creative activities 80,000- 30,000 BCE

- Cave Painting 30,000-12,000 BCE
- Lost Civilizations 12,000 BC – 8,000 BC
- Neolithic 8,000 – 3000 BC
- Mesopotamian Art 3500 – 700 BC
- Egyptian Art 3,000 BC- 30 BC (31 Dynasties) Amarna Period 1085

* Creative activities 80,000- 30,000 BCE – History of Stone Age Art (2.5 million-
3,000 BCE) Prehistoric art comes from three epochs of prehistory: Paleolithic, Mesolithic and
Neolithic. The earliest recorded art is the Bhimbetka petroglyphs (a set of 10 cupules and an
engraving or groove) found in a quartzite rock shelter known as Auditorium cave at Bhimbetka
in central India, dating from at least 290,000 BCE. However, it may turn out to be much older
(c.700,000 BCE). This primitive rock art was followed, no later than 250,000 BCE, by simple
figurines (eg. Venus of Berekhat Ram [Golan Heights] and Venus of Tan-Tan [Morocco]), and
from 80,000 BCE by the Blombos cave stone engravings, and the cupules at the Dordogne rock
shelter at La Ferrassie. Prehistoric culture and creativity is closely associated with brain-size and
efficiency which impacts directly on "higher" functions such as language, creative expression
and ultimately aesthetics. Thus with the advent of "modern" homo sapiens painters and
sculptors (50,000 BCE onwards) such as Cro-Magnon Man and Grimaldi Man, we see a huge
outburst of magnificent late Paleolthic sculpture and painting in France and the Iberian
peninsular. This comprises a range of miniature obese venus figurines (eg. the Venuses of
Willendorf, Kostenky, Monpazier, Dolni Vestonice, Moravany, Brassempouy, Gagarino, to name
but a few), as well as mammoth ivory carvings found in the caves of Vogelherd and Hohle Fels
in the Swabian Jura. However, the greatest art of prehistory is the cave painting at Chauvet,
Lascaux and Altamira.
*Cave Painting 30,000-12,000 BCE -- In prehistoric art, the term "cave painting"
encompasses any parietal art which involves the application of colour pigments on the
walls, floors or ceilings of ancient rock shelters. A monochrome cave painting is a
picture made with only one colour (usually black) - see, for instance, the monochrome
images at Chauvet. A polychrome cave painting consists of two or more colours, as
exemplified by the glorious multi-coloured images of bison on the ceiling at Altamira, or
the magnificent aurochs in the Chamber of the Bulls at Lascaux. In contrast, the term
"cave drawing" refers (strictly speaking) only to an engraved drawing - that is, one made
by cutting lines in the rock surface with a flint or stone tool, rather than one made by
drawing lines with charcoal or manganese.

The majority of prehistoric cave paintings were figurative and 99 percent of these were
of animals. At first, Stone Age artists painted predator animals (lions, rhinoceroses,
sabre-toothed felines, bears) almost as often as game animals like bison and reindeer,
but from the Solutrean era onwards imagery was dominated by game animals. Pictures
of humans were an exceptionally rare occurrence, and were usually highly stylized and
far less naturalistic than the animal figures. Abstract imagery (signs, symbols and other
geometric markings) was also common, and actually comprises the oldest type
of Paleolithic art found in caves of the Late Stone Age, as shown by recent dating
results on paintings at El Castillo and Altamira.

Origins and History

At present we have no firm idea when cave painting first began. One theory links the
evolution of Stone Age art to the arrival of anatomically modern humans in Europe
during the period of the Upper Paleolithic. According to this theory, the development
of cave art coincided with the displacement of Neanderthal man by anatomically modern
man, starting around 40,000 BCE. Indeed, it was from about this date that the
earliest rock art began to emerge in caves and rock shelters around the world, but
especially throughout the Franco-Cantabrian region. Painting comes first, followed
by mobiliary art, as exemplified by the portable Venus figurines like the Venus of Hohle
Fels (38-33,000 BCE). Broadly speaking, cave painting techniques and materials
improved across the board, century by century. Thus we see the monochrome paintings
of Aurignacian culture (40-25,000 BCE) give way to the polychrome art of the Gravettian
(25-20,000 BCE), leading to the apogee of cave painting which is traditionally
acknowledged to occur during the Magdalenian era (c.15-10,000 BCE) at Lascaux,
Altamira, Font de Gaume and Les Combarelles. During the Late Magdalenian, the Ice
Age ended and a period of global warming led to the destruction of the Magdalenian
reindeer habitat, along with its culture and its cave art. For more about the evolution
of cave painting, and how it fits into Stone Age culture, see: Prehistoric Art
Timeline (from 2.5 million BCE).
*Lost Civilizations 12,000 BC – 8,000 BC – Meanwhile10,000–9,000 years ago
(8000 BC to 7000 BC): In northern Mesopotamia, now northern Iraq, cultivation
of barley and wheat begins. At first they are used for beer, gruel, and soup, eventually
for bread.[39] In early agriculture at this time, the planting stick is used, but it is replaced
by a primitive plow in subsequent centuries.[40] Around this time, a round stone tower,
now preserved to about 8.5 meters high and 8.5 meters in diameter is built in Jericho
Paleolithic Period The earliest period of human development, lasting until
approximately 8000 BC. In Western archeology  the Paleolithic Period (or Old Stone
Age) is divided into three epochs: the Lower Paleolithic (from roughly 3 million years
ago to approximately 300,000 BC), the Middle Paleolithic (approximately 300,000–
40,000 BC), and the Upper Paleolithic (approximately 40,000–10,000 BC).
The Paleolithic Period coincides with the geological age known as the Pleistocene,
which is marked by a general cooling of the earth's temperature and the
corresponding expansion and retreat of glaciers. G

*Neolithic 8,000 – 3000 BC

The Prehistoric Period—or when there was human life before records
documented human activity—roughly dates from 2.5 million years ago to 1,200
B.C. It is generally categorized in three archaeological periods: the  Stone
Age , Bronze Age  and Iron Age .

During the Mesolithic period (about 10,000 B.C. to 8,000 B.C.), humans used
small stone tools, now also polished and sometimes crafted with points and
attached to antlers, bone or wood to serve as spears and arrows. They often
lived nomadically in camps near rivers and other bodies of water. Agriculture
was introduced during this time, which led to more permanent settlements in
villages.

During the Bronze Age  (about 3,000 B.C. to 1,300 B.C.), metalworking

advances were made, as bronze, a copper and tin alloy, was discovered. Now
used for weapons and tools, the harder metal replaced its stone predecessors,
and helped spark innovations including the ox-drawn plow and the wheel.

This time period also brought advances in architecture and art, including the
invention of the potter’s wheel, and textiles—clothing consisted of mostly wool
items such as skirts, kilts, tunics and cloaks. Home dwellings morphed to so-
called roundhouses, consisting of a circular stone wall with a thatched or turf
roof, complete with a fireplace or hearth, and more villages and cities began to
form.

Finally, during the Neolithic period (roughly 8,000 B.C. to 3,000 B.C.), ancient humans
switched from hunter/gatherer mode to agriculture and food production. They
domesticated animals and cultivated cereal grains. They used polished hand axes,
adzes for ploughing and tilling the land and started to settle in the plains. One several
thousand years they began to obtain most of their food from farming. This brought about
such great changes in the way they lived that experts call the beginning of the farming
the Neolithic Revolution. Farmer and Herders, two important discoveries brought on the
Neolithic Revolution. One was learning to grow food. The other was learning to herd
animals. Experts believe that people discovered that seed from wild grains, such as
wheat and barely, could be planted and harvested. This probably came about when
they noticed about that new shoots had grown from spilled grain. Scientists believe that
agriculture developed independently in different parts of the world.
*Mesopotamian Art 3500 – 700 BC - Mesopotamian art and architecture, the
art and architecture of the ancient Mesopotamian civilizations. The
name Mesopotamia has been used with varying connotations by ancient writers. If, for
convenience, it is to be considered synonymous with the modern state of Iraq, it can be
seen in terms of two fairly well-defined provinces: a flat alluvial plain in the south and, in
the north, the uplands through which the country’s twin rivers flow in their middle
courses. This geographic division of the area is reflected in the history of its cultural
development from the earliest times. The first traces of settled communities are found in
the northern region and date from the mid-6th millennium BCE, a period that
archaeologists associate with the transition from a Neolithic to a Chalcolithic age. By
3100 BCE, however, the presence of the Sumerians is finally proved by the invention of
writing as a vehicle for their own language. From then onward, successive phases in the
evolution of Sumerian art can satisfactorily be studied. A second and even more
important factor, however, is the major role played by organized religion
in Mesopotamian affairs of state. Particularly in Sumerian times, the municipal and
economic organization of a city was the responsibility of the temple, with its hierarchical
priesthood in which was vested an authority almost equal to that of the ruler and his
advisory council of elders. Accordingly, in the early days of Sumer and Babylonia,
architectural attention was paid primarily to religious buildings, and all sculpture served
religious purposes. The third factor that contributed to the character of Mesopotamian
art is the influence of the natural environment. The practical limitations imposed upon
both artist and architect by the geology and climate of southern Iraq are immediately
apparent. Since no stone or wood was available in the alluvial plain, sculptors were
dependent on scarce imported material or compelled to use such substitutes as terra-
cotta (baked clay).

Mesopotamian Art

Early Period (c.4500-3000)

During the early period (c.4500-3000), the major medium of Neolithic art in
Mesopotomia was ceramic pottery - of a type and quality which was far superior to any
type of Greek pottery produced up to that point - the finest examples of which typically
featured geometric designs or plant and animal motifs. In addition, various artifacts and
artworks began to be ornamented with precious metals. About 3200 BCE in Babylonia,
occurred the earliest known instance of nail art, when men coloured their nails with kohl,
an ancient cosmetic containing lead sulfide.
Collections of Mesopotamian Art

Artworks from the ancient cultures of Sumer, the Akkadian Empire, Assyria, Babylon,
and the Neo-Assyrian Empire, can be found in the permanent collections of several of
the world's best art museums of Antiquity. Here is a short selected list of famous works
of art not mentioned above.

- Samarra Plate (5000 BCE) Vorderasiatisches Museum, Berlin.

- Halaf Dishes (4900, Halaf Period) British Museum.
- Sialk Storage Jar (3500, Sialk III Period) Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY.
- Priest King, limestone statuette (3300, Uruk Period) Louvre, Paris.
- Warka Vase in alabaster (3200, Uruk Period) Iraq Museum, Bagdad.
- Kneeling Bull, silver figurine (3000, Proto-Elamite Period) Met Museum, NY.
- Lioness, limestone figurine (2900, Proto-Elamite Period) Brooklyn Museum.
- Sumerian Votive Statues, gypsum/limestone (2600) Iraq Museum, Bagdad.
- Imdugud Between Two Stags, copper relief (2500) British Museum.
- Standard of Ur, limestone, lapis lazuli mosaic (2500) British Museum.
- King of Akkad, copper head (2250, Akkadian Empire) Iraq Museum, Bagdad.
- Stele of Naram-Sin, limestone relief (2230, Akkadian Empire) Louvre, Paris.
- Gudea of Lagash, diorite bust (2075, Neo-Sumerian Period) Louvre, Paris.
- Ibex Bowl, bronze, gold, lapis lazuli (1970, Simashki Dynasty) Louvre, Paris.
- Queen of the Night, terracotta sculpture (1775, Babylonian Period) BM.
- Assyrian King & Attendants, polychrome tile (870, Assyrian Empire) BM.
- Lioness Devouring a Boy, ivory relief (800, Phoenician style) British Museum.
- Nimrud Bronze & Silver Bowl (800, Ashurnasirpal II Period) British Museum.
- Dying Lion, alabaster relief (635, Neo-Assyrian Empire) British Museum.
- Lion Relief from The Processional Way, Babylon (585) Louvre, Paris.

*Egyptian Art 3,000 BC- 30 BC (31 Dynasties) Amarna Period 1085

Egyptian society was based on the concept of harmony known as ma'at which had
come into being at the dawn of creation and sustained the universe. All Egyptian
art are based on perfect balance because it reflects the ideal world of the gods. The
same way these gods provided all good gifts for humanity, so the artwork was imagined
and created to provide a use. No matter how beautifully a statue may have been
crafted, its purpose was to serve as a home for a spirit or a god. An amulet would have
been designed to be attractive but aesthetic beauty was not the driving force in its
creation, protection was. Tomb paintings, temple tableaus, home and palace gardens
all were created so that their form suited an important function and, in many cases, this
function was a reminder of the eternal nature of life and the value of personal and
communal stability. For almost 30 centuries—from its unification around 3100
B.C. to its conquest by Alexander the Great in 332 B.C.—ancient Egypt was
the preeminent civilization in the Mediterranean world. The main sources of
information about ancient Egypt are the many monuments, objects and artifacts
that have been recovered from archaeological sites, covered with hieroglyphs
that have only recently been deciphered. The picture that emerges is of a
culture with few equals in the beauty of its art, the accomplishment of its
architecture or the richness of its religious traditions. Ancient Egyptian art
reached a high level in painting and sculpture , and was both highly stylized and
symbolic. Much of the surviving art comes from tombs and monuments, and thus there
is an emphasis on life after death and the preservation of knowledge of the past.

All Egyptian reliefs were painted, and less prestigious works in tombs, temples, and
palaces were just painted on a flat surface. Stone surfaces were prepared by
whitewash, or, if rough, a layer of coarse mud plaster, with a smoother gesso layer
above; some finer limestones could take paint directly. Pigments were mostly mineral,
chosen to withstand strong sunlight without fading. The binding medium used in painting
remains unclear; egg tempera and various gums and resins have been suggested. It is
clear that true fresco , painted into a thin layer of wet plaster, was not used. Instead the
paint was applied to dried plaster, in what is called fresco a secco in Italian. After
painting, a varnish or resin was usually applied as a protective coating, and many
paintings with some exposure to the elements have survived remarkably well, although
those on fully exposed walls rarely have. Small objects including wooden statuettes
were often painted using similar techniques.

Many ancient Egyptian paintings have survived due to Egypt’s extremely dry climate.
The paintings were often made with the intent of making a pleasant afterlife for the
deceased. The themes included journey through the afterworld or protective deities
introducing the deceased to the gods of the underworld (such as Osiris). Some tomb
paintings show activities that the deceased were involved in when they were alive and
wished to carry on doing for eternity. Egyptian paintings are painted in such a way to
show a profile view and a side view of the animal or person—a technique known as
composite view. Their main colors were red, blue, black, gold, and green.
The Early Dynastic Period of Egypt immediately followed the unification of Lower and Upper
Egypt around 3100 BC. It is generally taken to include the First and Second Dynasties, lasting
from the Protodynastic Period of Egypt until about 2686 BC, or the beginning of the Old
Kingdom.

Sculpture

The monumental sculpture of Ancient Egypt is world famous, but refined and delicate
small works exist in much greater numbers. The Egyptians used the distinctive
technique of sunk relief, which is well suited to very bright sunlight. The main figures in
reliefs adhere to the same figure convention as in painting, with parted legs (where not
seated) and head shown from the side, but the torso from the front, and a standard set
of proportions making up the figure, using 18 “fists” to go from the ground to the hair-line
on the forehead. This appears as early as the Narmer Palette from Dynasty I, but
elsewhere the convention is not used for minor figures shown engaged in some activity,
such as the captives and corpses. Other conventions make statues of males darker
than females. Very conventionalized portrait statues appear from as early as Dynasty II
(before 2,780 BCE), and, with the exception of the art of the Amarna period of
Ahkenaten and some other periods such as Dynasty XII, the idealized features of rulers
changed little until after the Greek conquest.

By Dynasty IV (2680–2565 BCE) at the latest, the idea of the Ka statue was firmly
established. These were put in tombs as a resting place for the ka portion of the soul.
The so-called reserve heads, or plain hairless heads, are especially naturalistic, though
the extent to which there was real portraiture in Ancient Egypt is still debated.

Early tombs also contained small models of the slaves, animals, buildings and objects –
such as boats necessary for the deceased to continue his lifestyle in the afterworld –
and later Ushabti figures. However, the great majority of wooden sculpture has been
lost to decay, or probably used as fuel. Small figures of deities, or their animal
personifications, are commonly found in popular materials such as pottery . There were
also large numbers of small carved objects, from figures of the gods to toys and carved
utensils. Alabaster was often used for expensive versions of these, while painted wood
was the most common material, normally used for the small models of animals, slaves,
and possessions that were placed in tombs to provide for the afterlife.

Very strict conventions were followed while crafting statues, and specific rules governed
the appearance of every Egyptian god. For example, the sky god (Horus) was
essentially to be represented with a falcon’s head, while the god of funeral rites (Anubis)
was to be always shown with a jackal’s head. Artistic works were ranked according to
their compliance with these conventions, and the conventions were followed so strictly
that, over three thousand years, the appearance of statues changed very little. These
conventions were intended to convey the timeless and non-aging quality of the
figure’s ka.
The monumental sculpture of Ancient Egypt is world famous, but refined and delicate small
works exist in much greater numbers. The Egyptians used the distinctive technique of sunken
relief, which is well suited to very bright sunlight. The main figures in reliefs adhere to the same
figure convention as in painting, with parted legs (where not seated) and head shown from the
side, but the torso from the front, and a standard set of proportions making up the figure, using
18 “fists” to go from the ground to the hair-line on the forehead. This appears as early as the
Narmer Palette from Dynasty I (c. 31st century BCE), but there, as elsewhere, the convention is
not used for minor figures shown engaged in some activity, such as the captives and corpses.
Other conventions make statues of males darker than females. Very conventionalized portrait
statues appear from as early as Dynasty II (before 2,780 BCE).