| Key to Art History |
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1. Prehistoric refers to the time before we began recording events in writing. 2. Prehistory is divided into two main periods, Paleolithic and Neolithic, with a transitional period called the Mesolithic . 3. These periods are known as "stone ages" because during this time tools and hunting weapons were made from stone. 4. Since there is no written record of events dealing with this period of human history, we have to learn about people living at that time through the study of their art, artifacts, architecture and other remnants of their culture. 5. Towards the end of the Paleolithic period (which extended from the beginning of tool use to about 10,000 B.C.), people began to make painted and sculpted images. 6. Most of the objects and painted images that have survived from the Paleolithic period have been found in caves, some of which are located in the area around the Pyrenees mountains. The most famous is near the French city of Lascaux. 7. During the Neolithic period, artists seemed to have abandoned naturalistic representation in favor of great architectural stone and earth works. Stonehenge in England and Newgrange in Ireland are two famous examples. 8. Stonehenge, and other great stone and earth works, are believed to have been calendars that helped early farming cultures determine the best time to plant and harvest crops. The enormous amount of time and labor invested in these projects certainly reflects the vital nature of such information to these people.
[ Prehistory Overview
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