ANCIENT PRIMAL ART

OF EUROPE & AFRICA

By: William Horlor

Uadi Nesseret Rock Shelter: Northern Tassili, Algeria

“Martian” – Northern Tassili, Algeria

THE WHITE

MARTIAN –

Northern Tassili, Algeria

Sorcerer of Trois Fréres Cave:France

Palimpset : “The Bison Man”Trois – Fréres Cave, France

Cave locations in Europe

“Spotted Horses”: Pech-Merle Cave - France

“Spotted Horses” : Detail

“Spotted Horses” : Detail

Bison – Altamira Cave, Spain

Bull – Altamira, Spain

“The Mask”

Altamira, Spain

A natural formation of stone, transformed into

sculpture by paint.

Lascaux

Cave Floor Plan

Lamp – Lascaux Cave, France

The Hall of the Bulls – Lascaux, France

“Composite Animal” – Lascaux, France

Horses and an Auroch – Lascaux, France

The Axial Gallery

– Lascaux, France

The Axial Gallery – Lascaux, France

A Przewalskis’ Horse

A Przewalskis’ Horse in its winter coat.

“Robot” – Lascaux, France

“Falling Horse”

– Lascaux, France

“Black Stag” – Lascaux, France

“Swimming Deer” - Lascaux, France

“The Pit” - Lascaux, France

“Bird Headed Man” - Lascaux, France

“Bird Headed Man” - Lascaux, France

“Bear Skull” : Two Views - Chauvet Cave, France

Bear Motíf - Chauvet, France

OwlCave

Markings -

Chauvet, France

Rhinos & Bears - Chauvet, France

“Lions Hunt Bison” - Chauvet, France

Lions: Detail - Chauvet, France

Bison -

Chauvet, France

Horse - Chauvet, France

Horses - Chauvet, France

Horses: Detail - Chauvet, France

Rhino - Chauvet, France

Rhino: Detail - Chauvet, France

“Facing Rhinos” - Chauvet, France

“Moving Rhinos” - Chauvet, France

“Moving Rhinos”: Detail - Chauvet, France

Bisons: Clay Sculptures - Le Tuc d'Audoubert Cave, France

PORTABLEPRIMAL ART

Portable art refers to artistic productions which can be carried, rather than parietal art which is

permanently set on a fixed surface, such as a cave wall.

Swabian Jura Mammoth

The figure of the woolly mammoth is tiny, measuring just 3.7 cm long and weighing a mere 7.5 grams, and displays skillfully detailed carvings. It is unique in its slim form,

pointed tail, powerful legs and dynamically arched trunk. It is decorated with six short incisions, and the soles of the pachyderm's feet show a crosshatch pattern.

The geological context of the discoveries and radiocarbon dating indicate that the figurines belong to the Aurignacian culture, which refers to an area of southern France

and is associated with the arrival of the first modern humans in Europe. Multiple radiocarbon dates from sediment in the Vogelherd Cave yielded ages between 30,000 and 36,000 years ago, the University of Tübingen reports. Some methods give an even older

date.

Source: Preoccupation Archaeologyhttp://www.preoccupations.org/archaeology/index.html June 23, 2007

Lion Man

Hohlenstein Stadel Cave:

S. Germany,30,000 BCE

Woman from Brassempouy,

“Hooded Head”:

France, c. 23,000 BCE

“The Woman with the Horn”

c. 20,000 BCE

Laussel Shelter, Dordogne,

France

Diamond Shaped Statuettes, c. 24,000 BCE : Lespugue, France

Figurine of

Willendorf

c. 32,000 BCEAustria

Portrait of a Young Man:

La Marche Cave,France :

c. 13,000 BCE

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon: Picasso, Cubism

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon - Picasso

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon:

Details