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4 min read•june 18, 2024
Sylvia Rodriguez
Sylvia Rodriguez
The study of prehistoric art offers a unique glimpse into the ancient cultures and societies that existed before the invention of writing. These early artworks, often made from materials such as stone, bone, and clay, provide valuable insights into the religious beliefs, social structures, and technological advancements of the time. This guide will focus on three specific prehistoric artworks: the Apollo 11 Stones, the Ambum stone, and the Tlatilco female figure, and will explore the cultural influences that shaped them.
Apollo 11 Stones:
Apollo 11 Cave Stones, Namibia, quartzite, c. 25,500–25,300 B.C.E. Image courtesy of State Museum of Namibia.
The Ambum stone:
Ambum Stone, c. 1500 B.C.E., greywacke, 20 x 7.5 x 14 cm, Ambum Valley, Enga Province, Papua New Guinea (Australia National Gallery, Canberra)
Tlatilco female figure:
Double-faced female figurine, early formative period, Tlatilco, c. 1200–900 B.C.E., ceramic with traces of pigment, 9.5 cm. high (Princeton University Art Museum)
Cultural Influences:
To summarize:
The Ambum stone is a prehistoric sculpture that was discovered in the Ambum Valley of Papua New Guinea. It is believed to date back to around 1500 BCE and is thought to have been created by the Kukukuku people, a tribe that inhabited the area at the time. The sculpture is significant because it is one of the oldest examples of figurative art from the region and it is believed to have been used in ritual or ceremonial contexts.
The Apollo 11 Stones were discovered in Namibia in Africa, date back to around 25,000 BCE and are considered one of the earliest human-made art forms. Adorned with intricate geometric patterns & allusive to the San people's style, these artifacts offer insights into the spiritual and natural world beliefs of the time which reflected the hunter-gatherer lifestyle of the indigenous groups in Southern Africa.
The Tlatilco female figure is a pre-Columbian sculpture that was discovered in Tlatilco, Mexico. It is believed to date back to around 1200 BCE and is thought to have been created by the Tlatilco culture, a civilization that flourished in the region during the Formative period. The sculpture is significant because it is an early example of figurative art from the region and it is thought to have been used in ritual or ceremonial contexts.
In general, all of these artworks are significant because they provide insights into the cultural and religious beliefs of the people who created them. They are also important because they help to paint a picture of the prehistoric era, showing how people lived, what they believed in and how they expressed themselves through art.
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