Analyzing Artwork from the Paleolithic Period
Eviscerated Bison in the Lascaux Caves
In this picture we see a human figure and an eviscerated
bison, which were painted on a wall of the Lascaux cave in France. The
painting was discovered at the bottom of a 26-foot-deep shaft near a chamber
known as the Apse. Paleolithic artists created this painting approximately
11,000 to 18,000 years ago.
This painting, located in the recesses of a deep cave, shows a great black bison lowering its head to gore a man. The bison is wounded by a barbed spear crossing its body, and its insides are spilling onto the ground. The man lies prone in front of the bison and appears to be wearing a bird mask. Next to him is a long staff topped by a bird that may be a spear thrower, a Paleolithic hunting tool. Nearby is a second staff, which is short, barbed, and topped by a cross. The figure of the man is drawn in a relatively crude style, which is different from the more naturally rendered animals see in other Lascaux paintings. Paintings of humans are not common in Paleolithic art, and this figure is the only human depicted in Lascaux. |
What historians believe:
Most scholars believe scenes such as this one are linked to hunting rituals and were an attempt by Paleolithic artists to influence the spirit world. Paleolithic people were good hunters who followed migrating herds in order to kill a great number of animals at one time. Artists may have created this painting to invoke "hunting magic," by which they hoped to increase the chances of a successful hunt. It is also possible that the artwork depicts an actual event in the real world or that it was created for decorative reason. Some scholars believe that the painting was used in a ritual in which a person or animal was sacrificed. Other suggest that the bird mask worn by the man and the bird atop the spear were part of a ceremony that reenacted a mythological story about these animals.
Most scholars believe scenes such as this one are linked to hunting rituals and were an attempt by Paleolithic artists to influence the spirit world. Paleolithic people were good hunters who followed migrating herds in order to kill a great number of animals at one time. Artists may have created this painting to invoke "hunting magic," by which they hoped to increase the chances of a successful hunt. It is also possible that the artwork depicts an actual event in the real world or that it was created for decorative reason. Some scholars believe that the painting was used in a ritual in which a person or animal was sacrificed. Other suggest that the bird mask worn by the man and the bird atop the spear were part of a ceremony that reenacted a mythological story about these animals.
Traced Copy of a Rock Painting in Pahi, TanzaniaIn this picture we see a traced copy of a rock painting from Pahi,
Tanzania, showing a slender figure playing a flute or pipe. The figure is 34
inches tall and painted in red ochre. Not enough evidence remains in the soil
layers at Pahi to date the rock paintings accurately, but scholars believe the
paintings are part of a tradition that probably began at the end of the
Paleolithic period.
This rock painting shows an elegant and stylized human figure. The flute player's body is elongated and has four-fingered hands. Musical notes drip from the end of his flute. The musician may be wearing a headdress. Scholars believe the figure's taillike attachment is a back apron, a garment still worn by men in parts of southern Africa. This suggests that the musician is a male. Like many figures in Tanzanian paintings, this figure does not have a face. Scholars believe that Paleolithic artists feared showing a person's face in works of art because doing so would diminish that person's power. The reddish-brown color of the painting suggests that the artist used an ochre pigment, which is a brown-red iron ore. The artist may have colored the light or white background of the original painting with bird droppings. Researchers have found sticks of pigment mixed with animal fat strewn about many ancient Tanzanian sites, and they believe that Paleolithic artists used them to create their paintings. What historians believe: Most historians believe that paintings such as this one were created to honor the spirit world. Tanzanian artwork shows many stylized depictions of figures dancing, singing, and playing musical instruments. Elders of modern-day local tribes have told scholars that spirits still dwell in them. Historians also theorize that Paleolithic artists created this rock painting for use in a secret ritual in which they used music to contact spirits. |
Clay Bison SculpturesIn this transparency we see a pair of clay bison sculptures that were found
in the Tuc d'Audoubert cave in France. The bison sculptures, which are 23 inches
long, are approximately 10,000 to 14,000 years old.
These sculptures, found in a small, low cave chamber, are an impressive example of Paleolithic sculpture. The pair of bison are sculpted from gold-colored clay and then detailed with simple carved lines. Paleolithic artists used these lines to depict the bison's facial features and coat marking, including their manes and the fringes of fur below their powerful necks. The bison are depicted standing and seem to be at rest. What historians believe: Historians have two main theories about why these sculptures were created. Many scholars believe that the bison sculptures were used as part of an important ceremony, such as an initiation ceremony, that was held deep inside the earth. Initiation ceremonies were likely rites of passage that marked a young person's transition to adultood. As evidence, scholars point to footprints of young people found near the sculptures. A few historians believe that the bison sculptures were created to inform bands of hunter-gatherers who wandered into the cave that the region belonged to a certain clan. |