166 Art and Spirituality

Key Idea: Human art and culture can be dated to as far back as 290,000 years. However a major cultural explosion took place about 35,000 years ago. Until recently, it was believed that art and spiritual beliefs first developed with the arrival of modern humans, particularly in Europe. However ancient artworks dating to nearly 300,000 years ago can be found outside of Europe. The beginning of a period 35,000 years ago marks a dramatic cultural development occurring simultaneously over large parts of western and eastern Europe. Growing evidence suggests Neanderthals too were culturally sophisticated. The stimulus for the new cultural development was probably a need to represent ideas about the unknown, such as death, hunting success, and fertility, in a concrete way. A wide range of materials were used to do this. Ivory, bone, clay, and stone were used to create sculptures, and the walls of rock shelters and caves were adorned with drawings, paintings, and basrelief (sculptures that stand out slightly from the rock wall).

The evolution of art

José-Manuel Benito PD Venus of Berekhat ` Art requires at least some form of abstract thought.

To take an image in the mind and draw it or model it in real life first requires the formation of the idea and then the use of technical skill and imagination to shape an object or draw an image. ` Some archaeologists think that the first art was opportunistic. The image shown left is a drawing of a figure known as the Venus of Berekhat. It is a small statue just 3.5 cm high. It is thought a rock that looked vaguely human was used as a start and then shaped further (although this is debated). The statue is dated to about 230,000 years old. ` Similarly, rock painting may have developed from simply adorning the body with pigments. The oldest known site where ochre (a red pigment) was used is dated at 164,000 years old in South Africa.

Body paint

Art and spiritualism

Artistic expression of spiritual ideas

3D

Ancient paintings were created using natural pigments such as charcoal, manganese oxide, and ochre, which were applied to grease smeared on the rock surface. Although we can never be certain of what the artist was thinking at the time, it is likely that much of the ancient art had a religious or spiritual purpose. This can be hypothesised because: ` many paintings occur in places that are difficult to access, e.g. deep in caves and often on the cave roof. ` many paintings in some way represent animals that were hunted or fertility (e.g. female genitals represented as "pubic triangles"). ` many figurines represent pregnant females or attributes in women related to fertility.

Burial

` The oldest known intentional human burial is dated at 100,000 years, in Israel. Artefacts found with the bodies suggest a ritual of sorts. Burials became more common as ancient humans spread over the globe. Burials also became more elaborate, at least for some. Recent comparisons of burial sites show that the majority were plain with simple everyday items left with the body. Relatively few graves contained lavish or ornate materials which suggests some people had greater status than others. ` The leaving of personal items in the grave may indicate religious or spiritual beliefs of what happens after death. ` The Neanderthals of Europe and Southwest Asia buried their dead with signs of ritualisation. The position and orientation of the body are consistently the same and some graves included grave goods such as tools or animal bones (although the validity of grave goods with burials is disputed).

Mesolithic tomb, France (modern human)

Bronze age begins in Europe 3200 BC Neolithic era begins in Europe 4000 BC

Earliest Japanese art. 14,000 BC

Earliest of the European Venus figurines (37,000 BC). Oldest known parietal art (cave paintings) Cave of El Castillo, 39,000 BC.

Earliest musical instruments. There is debate over the dating of various flutes but the oldest are at least 43,000 years old.

José-Manuel Benito CC 2.5

0 AD

25,000 BC

50,000 BC

Iron age begins in Europe 1500 BC

Earliest example of pottery. Found in Xianrendong Cave. Dated to 18,000 BC. 25,000 BC. Earliest ceramic art.

Ubirr rock paintings. Earliest known art in Australia (and Oceania) dated to 30,000 BC.

The earliest Asian art is dated to 38,000 BC, found in the Sulawesi Cave in Indonesia.

Neanderthal artists create the La Ferrassie Cave Cupules in France, dated to 60,000 BC.

This Aurignacian (Upper Palaeolithic) flute, made from an animal bone, is about 43,000 years old. A similar flutelike piece of cave bear bone has been found at a Neanderthal hunting camp in Slovenia. The bone, also dated at about 43,000 years ago, suggests that Neanderthals may have made music but there is debate over the dating.

Bhimbetka petroglyphs, India, dated to at least 290,000 BC. Consist of depressions (cupules) hammered into the rock of the Bhimbetka cave.

100,000 BC

200,000 BC

300,000 BC

Earliest African art, the Venus of Tan-Tan, dated to 100,000 BC. Most Venus figurines (right) are small (approx 10 cm high) figurines of women with exaggerated breasts, buttocks, and body fat. They may have represented desirable traits among women to enhance fertility and survival.

Venus of Berekhat, dated to 230,000 BC. The oldest known mobiliary art (figurines).

Venus of Willendorf (30,000 years old) 3D

1. What evidence is there that much of the ancient art found so far had a religious or spiritual purpose?

2. What might the various Venus figurines have represented?

3. What evidence is there that personal status may have played a part in ancient human society?

4. The earliest examples of musical instruments are about 43,000 years old. Explain why it is likely musical instruments were probably used well before this date:

5. Clearly, early humans devoted great effort to art and ceremony. How might these skills have been adaptive?