Art History

• Chapter 1 Notes - Prehistoric Period
o Paleolithic Period – "Old Stone Age"
 Old and primitive period
 Around 50,000BC
 Artwork consisted of cave paintings
 Brutal period
 Average life expectancy was about 20 years
o Neolithic Period – "New Stone Age"
 Begins around 9,000BC
 Neolithic Revolution
• Agriculture
o Allows people luxury of staying in one place; stability and performance
o Cornerstone of civilization
• Domestic Architecture
o Wigwam, Huts, Lean-to's
o Native American Indians were considered "Neolithic"
• Refined tools
o Spears, Bows and Arrows
• Domesticated Animals
o Hallmark of luxury, stability, and permanence
• Pottery – clay art
o Bowls and containers
o Exquisite decoration
• Aesthetics – the love of beauty, the need for beauty
o Separates man from the animals
o Civilization
 Around 5,000BC
 Literacy
• Writing and reading
 "Urban" Life
• Division of labor – farmers, merchants, kings, priest, etc.
 Organized Religion
• Before civilization, there was just shamanism
 Monumental architecture
• Great Wall, Coliseum
o Cradles of Civilization
 Cannot trace civilization back any further
 All started around same time
 Alls started independently
 Mesopotamia – present day Iraq
• Earliest Cradle
• Around 4,000BC
 Egypt
• Around 3,000BC
 Southern India
• Around 3,000BC
 China
• Around 2,800BC
• Composed of two separated and distinct cradles of civilization

• Chapter 2 – Egyptian Art
o Egypt – Latin named coined by Romans
o Around 2,800-2,200BC
o Originally divided into tow separated kingdoms
 Upper kingdom
 Lower kingdom
o Around 3,000BC two kingdoms merged into one
 Remained intact for 3,000 years
o Pg. 49 – Palette of King Narmar
 Celebrated reunion of two kingdoms
 Narmar is the legendary founder of Egypt... [continues]

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