The Creative Revolution Paleolithic Cave Art 35 000

The Creative Revolution Paleolithic Cave Art 35, 000 BC – 14, 000 BC Western Europe • • • 200+ sites Famous sites: Chauvet , France Lascaux, France Altamira, Spain

Chauvet Cave, France 32, 000 B. C.

Carbon 14 dating of charcoal and animal bones established age of Cave Art sites. Paint made out of charcoal , rocks and minerals mixed with animal fat. Black made from charcoal or Black Hemalite White made from chalk. Yellow , red and brown made from Ocher

Why did Paleolithic Man make Cave Art? The paintings are believed to have a religious purpose. Religious leaders known as Shamans were painted at Les Trois Friers and Lascaux. The paintings may have been visions the Shamans had during trances they entered into trying to contact the spirit world during religious ceremonies. The animals they painted were the largest in their world and NOT their main sources of food.

Ice Age Southern Europe

Ice Age: 100, 000 BC – 10, 000 BC Ice Age (The earth was colder)

Muskox: Chauvet Cave

Horses: Chauvet cave

Cave Bear and Leopard Chauvet Cave

Cave Lions: Chauvet Cave

Wooly Rhino, Bison, Mammoth Chauvet Cave

Running Bison and Fighting Rhinos Chauvet Cave

Aurochs: Ancestor of all Cattle

Roufignac, France 22, 000 B. C. Mammoths

Lascaux, France 17, 000 B. C. Hall Of Bulls

Altamira, Spain 14, 000 BC

European Bison

Altamira: High Point of Cave Art Highly Detailed Dramatic Action

“In 20, 000 years, we have learned nothing!” Pablo Picasso

Why were the Cave Art sites abandoned Circa 14, 000 B. C. ? Humans began building stone temples. The archaeological dig at Gobekli Tepli in Turkey has unearthed stone structures filled with carvings of animals. Gobekli Tepli has been dated to 11, 000 B. C. The Neolithic Age had begun.

Saharan Rock Art 8, 000 BC to 4, 000 BC Saharan Desert 2010 AD The Saharan 8, 000 BC The Saharan was a Steppe (Savannah) in the Ice Age.

Neolithic Rock Art 8, 000 BC- 2, 000 BC People and domestic animals appear

Hippos: Tassili d’ Ajjer Saharan Desert

Elephant: Libya

Giraffes and Elephants Tassili d’ Ajjer

Herding Domestic Cattle Tassili d’ Ajjer

African villagers Tassili d’ Ajjer

Tassili d’ Ajjer: Villagers, Jellyfish, Domestic Goat, Man riding Camel

Cave of Swimmers, Egypt

Tassili d’ Ajjer: Herding Domestic Camels