the humanistic tradition introduction. paleolithic culture (ca. 6 million--10,000 b.c.e.)

The Humanistic Tradition

Introduction

•Paleolithic Culture (ca. 6 million--10,000 B.C.E.)

A key issue:

•Creation or evolution?

• Hominids: near human or proto-human

• Homo habilis: tool-making human

• Homo erectus: upright human

• Homo sapiens: symbol-making (e.g. burial rites)

http://www.answers.com/topic/hominid

hominid

http://www.wsu.edu/gened/learn-modules/top_longfor/timeline/timeline.html

Evolution?

http://www.angelfire.com/tx4/funhouse/pics/evolve2.jpg

www.keyvan1.com/ ecard/show.asp?catid=8

•Just kidding!!

•The Ice Age: (ca. 3 million--10,000 B.C.E.)

Food for Thought

• What constitute art in antiquity?

• What were the functions of art in the ancient world?

Lascaux caves, Dordogne, France

http://www.spacetoday.org/SolSys/Earth/OldStarCharts.html

http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/arcnat/lascaux/en/index4.html

Lascaux caves, Dordogne, France

http://www.bradshawfoundation.com/chauvet/page3.html

Pech-Merle caves, Lot, France

http://almez.pntic.mec.es/~jmac0005/Bach_Arte/Teoria/Fotos/20.jpg

Venus of Willendorf, Austria

http://www.angelsandearthlythings.com/d-84.html

The Venus of Laussel, Laussel, France

Stonehenge, Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, England

http://www.gvhs.muhsd.k12.ca.us/Academic_Programs/Visual_Arts/Teachers/Bolton/images/stonehenge.jpg

Stonehenge, Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, England

http://webpages.charter.net/rodpowell/images/Stonehenge.jpg

•Neolithic Culture

(ca. 8000-4000 B.C.E.)

•Major factor: the rise of agriculture

•What changes allowed the transition from nomadic to sedentary societies?

•Birth of Civilization (1)

--Birth of City: rural → urban/commercial

irrigation system

--Example:

Sumer in Mesopotamia

http://www.wwnorton.com/college/history/ralph/ralimage/map2meso.jpg

Ancient Mesopotamia

•Birth of Civilization (2)

--Birth of writing:

pictograph

--Example:

Cuneiform: Sumer

Hieroglyph: Egypt

Cuneiform → “wedge” form

http://www.upenn.edu/museum/Games/cuneiformorigin.gif

http://www.bible-history.com/babylonia/cuneiform_tablet_writing_close_black.gif

hieros = holy, glyphs = carving

http://www.khm.de/mg/grundkurse/textverarbeitung/texte/Egypt_Hieroglyphe2.jpg

http://www.themage.net/Egyptians/hieroglyph%20stone.JPG

The Rosetta Stone

http://www.bgst.edu.sg/realia/o17.JPG

Discovery of the Rosetta Stone

• “The Rosetta Stone, which provided the key to deciphering the writings of Ancient Egypt, was discovered near the town of Rosetta (now Rashid), located in the Nile Delta about 40 miles northeast of Alexandria, by a Frenchman, Pierre Bouchard, on 15 July 1799. Captain Bouchard, an engineer officer in Napoleon's expedition to Egypt, was supervising the reconstruction of an old fort . . . .” http://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu/permex/egypt/egypt.htm

hieroglyphs

Demotic: simplified hieroglyphs

Greek

http://www-helix.inrialpes.fr/IMG/jpg/correspondance.jpg

British Museum, London

http://www.mike-reed.com/images/Travel%20Journal/England/080%20-%20British%20Museum%20-%20London,%20England%20-%20Rosetta%20Stone.JPG

•Birth of Civilization (3)

--Advances in metallurgy:

more durable tools & weapons (than stones & bones)

--Example: bronze casting

Myth• 1. Myths are grounded in sensual

evidence, therefore rich in visual imagery.

• 2. Myths are closely related to morality, rituals, and religious beliefs.

• 3. Similarities of earlier myths: “the genesis of first life forms from water”

The Flood MythSome resources:

• http://history-world.org/floods.htm

• http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/flood-myths.html

• http://www.uh.edu/hti/cu/2000/v05/05.htm

•The End