This blog is about prehistoric art, art from the Stone Age of all times, from the Neolithic period to the Bronze Age, and about ancient Egyptian art.
The prehistoric art of ancient Egypt will be primarily about prehistoric art in general, but also about ancient Egyptian art.
Prehistoric art is a massive subject which includes Paleolithic art, Mesolithic art, Neolithic art, Vinča signs, Neolithic Venus figurines, Neolithic cave paintings, Egyptian hieroglyphs, Egyptian architecture and others. As such it should not only be considered on its own but also in connection with the other forms of ancient Egyptian art.
Tone:matter-of-fact
There are over 700 pieces of prehistoric art in Ancient Egypt. The art is found on the walls and ceilings of tombs, temples and other sites that date as far back as 10,000 years ago. The art was not just confined to the walls of tombs in Ancient Egypt, but also included statues, which were frequently placed outside the tombs.
The prehistoric art in Ancient Egypt has been divided into a number of different categories based on the subject matter and the style they use. The first two types are portable art and non-portable art. Portable art refers to smaller sculptures, including amulets and figurines that were often placed in tombs. Non-portable art refers to wall paintings and carvings that could not be removed from their location.
The third type of prehistoric art in Ancient Egypt is known as tomb-chapel art. This is considered to be a combination of both portable and non-portable art, since it includes several wall paintings that have been moved from their original location.
Portable prehistoric art includes pieces such as scarabs and figurines, which were often made using alabaster or ivory due to these materials being widely available during those times. It is thought by many experts that some figurines depicted animals
Prehistoric art, one of the first forms of art in human history, was a product of creativity and imagination. The earliest prehistoric art pieces are often made out of materials like clay, stone or wood. These ancient art works were usually in the form of figurines, or representations. These images were mostly deities or animals that were meant to represent the forces of nature. Most prehistoric art depicts hunting scenes, fertility rites and magical practices.
Towards the end of prehistoric times, the depiction of the human body became more detailed in form. The workmanship improved as well, as did its themes. It was no longer restricted to magic and religion; it began to depict everyday life too.
The stone age lasted approximately 2 million years, till around 10 thousand BC. It ended with the beginning of agriculture and animal husbandry at around 10 thousand BC.
The art of pre-dynastic Egypt is thought to have been created by the Badarian Period (4500-4000 BCE) and then developed further into the Naqada I culture. It first appeared in the form of engraved designs on small, smooth pieces of slate, known as ostraca. These were then assembled into composite objects, known as shabti, which served as a substitute for the deceased in labouring in the afterlife. However, by Naqada II times (3500-3100 BCE), this had been replaced by small figures known as ‘shabaka’, which served a similar purpose.
The most common material for these early objects was limestone although hard sandstone was also used. Statues made from this material tended to be coloured blue or black and white whilst red was used for smaller figures. Polychrome vessels made from alabaster were also carved during this period, frequently depicting hunting or agricultural scenes.
Prehistoric art is the oldest form of art recorded, dating back to before written history. Art has been important to every culture from the beginning of time, and prehistoric art exists in the form of cave drawings, paintings, and carvings. Prehistoric art comes from a period of time when humans were not yet aware that they were living on earth. Prehistoric art was often created utilizing organic materials such as clay as well as natural pigments that were derived from plants and minerals.
Prehistoric art has come to represent more than just basic human activity. It holds strong symbolic meaning and spiritual significance. Prehistoric art is similar in its motives to modern art but is much more simplistic and basic in its presentation. The two types of art share the desire to express feelings or beliefs through an aesthetic medium but differ greatly in their presentation methods.
The paintings with their bright colours and elaborate designs are striking and unique. The artisans of Ancient Egypt were renowned for their skill in stone, metalwork, ceramics and textiles, but few of these survive because most were made from perishable materials such as wood or papyrus. By contrast, the natural pigments used for painting on walls and tomb-chapels have survived remarkably well over the millennia.
Cultural exchange between Egypt and Mesopotamia in the 4th millennium BCE led to the development of a purely Egyptian style of painting which has been termed “Ancient Egyptian classic art” by scholars. This is best known from its wall paintings in tomb-chapels and rock-cut tombs in Upper Egypt. It uses bold outlines, which though simplified are carefully graduated in size to define forms, together with bright colours on a white background.
This was replaced in the 3rd millennium BCE by a more realistic style which exaggerated the forms of plants and animals (an effect called “high relief”), often adorning burial chambers with scenes of people making offerings or tending flocks and fields. The low relief was easier to execute than the highly skilled wall paintings required previously, while being less durable when exposed to sunlight after exhumation.
The art of prehistoric man can be found in caves, on rock walls and on the ceilings. The paintings are often associated with the earliest known human music and dances. Prehistoric man lived in small groups and moved from place to place throughout the year to follow the herds of animals they hunted for food. The art is seen as a method of storytelling, a form of communication in a primitive society.
The paintings of animals are also thought to be part of magical rituals intended to ensure that the herds would return each year. The art was made using natural materials such as charcoal or ochre mixed with animal fat or blood which was then painted onto the walls with a variety of different shaped brushes made from animal hair or plant fibres.
