1) The earliest known artists were Cro-Magnon peoples from 30,000 BCE who lived in caves and hunted animals. 2) In 1879, Maria de Sautuola discovered prehistoric cave paintings in Altamira Cave in Spain, the first such paintings ever found. 3) Cave paintings from the Stone Age have been found across Western Europe, depicting animals like bison, horses, and hand prints, though the exact purpose is unknown but may have been related to hunting magic, spirituality, or memory.

1. Pr ehi st or i c Ar t
35,000 B.C.E. to 1,500 B.C.E.

2. The
Beginning
of Art
Prehistory- before writing.

3. Who were the artists?
• Cro-Magnon peoples from 30,000 BCE are
currently known as the world’s first artists.
• They lived in caves when it was cold.
• Hunted animals for food, clothing, tools, and
shelter.

4. The First Discovery…
• In the autumn of 1879, Spanish nobleman and
amateur archeologist Marcelino Sanz de
Sautuloa and his young daughter, Maria, set
out to explore a cave in the hillside of
Altamira, not far from the family estate in
northern Spain. As a gentleman scholar, De
Sautuola took a serious interest in finding out
more about the prehistoric past.

5. Little Maria was small enough to see into the narrow
opening of the cave in their backyard.
What she saw changed history…

6. Making history…
• Maria had just become the first modern
human to set eyes on the first gallery of
prehistoric paintings ever to be discovered.

7. The Altamira Cave

8. Cave paintings
• Cave Paintings are found all over the world.
Western Europe, primarily Southern France
and Northern Spain, are rich with caves
containing Stone Age wall paintings.

9. The Art
• Rock paintings have been found to include line
drawings in charcoal and red ochre, painted
images, and negative images, which are
formed by painting the rock area around an
object, such as a hand.

10. How were they made?
• These Paleolithic artists made paint out of
natural substances such as red and yellow
earth, different colored minerals, and black
charcoal. They would grind these into a
powder and mix with water (scientists have
found cave water works really well for this).

11. Subjects of Paintings
Aurochs- an ancient bull Horses Fish(rare)
Rhinoceroses and bison
Also- ibex
goats
hyenas
turtles
people
human hands
marks that represent a calendar

12. Why were they made?
• We don't know why the painters made cave paintings. The theories
include:
-Hunting "magic"
-Part of their spiritual beliefs
-Ceremonial - coming of age
-As an aid to memory and pass on
This one
is from
Lascaux,
France.

13. The Lascaux
Caves

14. Lascaux Caves
15,000-13,000BCE
Researchers think that
this horse was part of a
magic hunting ritual.
They believe that the
artists threw spears at
the horse because there
are marks on the walls
of the cave.

15. Hall of the Bulls
Many rooms with paintings…

16. • To explore online go to:
• http://www.lascaux.culture.fr/#/en/00.xml
• An amazing interactive site!!!

17. Las Cuevas de Las Piletas 28,000-8,000 BC
Located in Southern Spain
One of
the
caves
still
open to
the
public.
I went there!!

18. Prehistoric Sculpture
These bison were carved out of rock.
Each one is about two feet long.
12,000 BCE
This bison was carved out
Of a reindeer horn. It’s
About four inches long.
12,000BCE
Much more difficult than painting!

19. Stonehenge
A prehistoric rock monument.
Made of monoliths- large rocks.
Very mysterious-align with the sun-
cast shadows during solstices and may
have been a type of calendar.

20. Created over time
Around 2000 BCE.
There are other
Stones circles but
This is the most famous.