Glossary
Ancestor veneration
The custom of revering deceased ancestors, often involving rituals and offerings, based on the belief that they can influence the living.
Example:
The faces on the Jade Cong are believed to represent ancestors, suggesting a practice of ancestor veneration among its creators.
Animalistic
Possessing characteristics or qualities associated with animals, often referring to features that are not purely human.
Example:
The horns on the Running Horned Woman give her an animalistic appearance, suggesting a connection to the natural world or spiritual beings.
Anthropomorphic
Attributing human characteristics or forms to non-human entities, such as animals, objects, or deities.
Example:
The Anthropomorphic Stele depicts a figure that is human-like but not fully human, making it an anthropomorphic representation.
Bronze Age
A prehistoric period characterized by the use of bronze, an alloy of copper and tin, for tools and weapons, following the Stone Age.
Example:
Stonehenge was built during the Bronze Age in England, a period of significant technological and social development.
Deities
Gods or goddesses; divine beings worshipped in a religion.
Example:
The circular patterns and lines on the Jade Cong might represent the faces of deities, connecting the object to spiritual beliefs.
Dentate stamping
A decorative technique involving pressing a tool with a toothed or serrated edge into a soft surface, such as clay, to create a pattern.
Example:
The anthropomorphic images on the Terra-Cotta Fragment were created using dentate stamping, leaving distinct impressions on the surface.
Dualism
The concept that reality or existence is composed of two fundamental, often opposing, principles or forces.
Example:
The two faces on the Tlatilco Female Figurines might symbolize dualism, representing opposing forces or aspects of existence.
FFCCs
An acronym in AP Art History standing for Form, Function, Content, and Context, used as a framework to analyze artworks.
Example:
When analyzing the Great Hall of Bulls, students must consider its FFCCs to understand why ancient people painted animals deep inside a cave.
Funerary
Relating to a funeral or the commemoration of the dead. Funerary objects are items placed in graves or associated with burial rituals.
Example:
The Bushel with Ibex Motifs served a funerary function, buried with the deceased to accompany them in the afterlife.
Geometric
Characterized by or composed of straight lines, circles, or regular shapes, as opposed to organic or natural forms.
Example:
The linear necks of the birds in the Bushel with Ibex Motifs contrast with the curved horns of the ibex, showcasing geometric designs.
Incised
To cut or carve a design or inscription into a surface.
Example:
The Terra-Cotta Fragment is decorated with incised lines, created by cutting into the clay surface before firing.
Motifs
A recurring dominant idea, design, or feature in an artistic work.
Example:
The Bushel with Ibex Motifs is adorned with repeated animal motifs, including the prominent ibex.
Neolithic
Refers to the New Stone Age, a prehistoric period marked by the development of agriculture, settled communities, and the domestication of animals.
Example:
The Bushel with Ibex Motifs was created during the Neolithic period, reflecting the settled agricultural society of Susa.
Nomadic
Describing a lifestyle where people move from place to place, typically in search of food, water, or pasture for livestock, rather than settling permanently.
Example:
The portability of the Apollo 11 Stones aligns with the nomadic lifestyle of the hunter-gatherer societies that created them.
Paleolithic
Refers to the Old Stone Age, a prehistoric period characterized by the development of the earliest stone tools and a hunter-gatherer nomadic lifestyle.
Example:
The Apollo 11 Stones are a prime example of art from the Paleolithic era, reflecting the mobile nature of its creators.
Pestle
A tool with a rounded end, used for crushing or grinding substances in a mortar.
Example:
The Ambum Stone, while possibly religious, may also have functioned as a pestle for grinding food or pigments.
Pictograph
A pictorial symbol for a word or phrase, or a drawing representing an object or idea.
Example:
The Running Horned Woman is a pictograph, conveying meaning through its visual representation rather than written language.
Post-and-lintel
A basic architectural system consisting of vertical elements (posts) supporting horizontal elements (lintels).
Example:
Stonehenge is a monumental example of post-and-lintel construction, where massive vertical stones support horizontal ones.
Profile perspective
A view of an object or figure from the side, showing only one side of the face or body.
Example:
The Running Horned Woman is depicted in profile perspective, a common artistic convention in prehistoric art.
Ritual scarification
The practice of creating scars on the body for aesthetic, social, or spiritual reasons, often as part of a rite of passage or religious ceremony.
Example:
The white dots covering the Running Horned Woman might represent body paint or ritual scarification, indicating a ceremonial context.
Sacrum
A triangular bone at the base of the spine, formed by the fusion of several vertebrae. In some cultures, it held symbolic or sacred significance.
Example:
The Camelid Sacrum in the Shape of a Canine derives its name from the specific bone, the sacrum, used as its artistic medium.
Stratification of labor
The division of work and responsibilities within a society, often based on factors like gender, age, or social status.
Example:
In the Great Hall of Bulls, the depiction of women gathering and men hunting suggests an early form of stratification of labor by sex.
Superimposed
Placed or laid over something else, often creating layers of images or designs.
Example:
The numerous animal figures in the Great Hall of Bulls are superimposed, indicating that the cave was used repeatedly over a long period.
Symbolic
Representing or standing for something else, often an abstract idea, quality, or concept.
Example:
The clothing and accessories of the Running Horned Woman are likely symbolic, conveying deeper meanings about her identity or role.
Therianthrope
A figure that combines human and animal forms, often found in prehistoric art and associated with shamanistic beliefs.
Example:
The mysterious figure in the Apollo 11 Stones might be a therianthrope, suggesting a spiritual connection between humans and animals.