Materials, Processes, and Techniques in Prehistoric Art
Chloe Davis
7 min read
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Study Guide Overview
This study guide covers Global Prehistory (30,000-500 BCE), focusing on materials, processes, and techniques used in art creation. It examines key artworks like the Camelid Sacrum, Running Horned Woman, Beaker with Ibex Motifs, Anthropomorphic Stele, Jade Cong, and Terra Cotta Fragment, analyzing their cultural context, function, and form. The guide also highlights key themes such as ritual, symbolism, materials, and cultural diversity, and provides practice questions and exam tips.
#AP Art History: Global Prehistory - Night Before Review 🚀
Hey there, future art historian! Let's get you prepped for the exam with a super-focused review of Global Prehistory. We'll break down key artworks, connect the dots, and make sure you're feeling confident. Let's do this! 💪
#1. Introduction: Setting the Stage (30,000 - 500 BCE)
This period covers a HUGE span of time and cultures, so let's nail down the basics:
- Materials: Think natural! Rock (sandstone, limestone, granite), clay, bone, ivory, shells. Pigments like ochre, charcoal, and manganese for color. 🎨
- Processes: Carving, modeling, pottery making (using the wheel and kilns). Rock art involved pecking and carving. 🔨
- Techniques: Engraving, relief, painting, stippling, cross-hatching, and early attempts at perspective.
- New Tech: Metalworking (bronze, gold, silver) emerged later, allowing for new artistic possibilities. ✨
Remember that art from this period often had ritualistic or symbolic purposes, reflecting the beliefs and practices of the cultures that created them.
#2. Key Artworks: Deep Dive 🔍
Let's explore some must-know pieces. Remember, AP loves to ask about context, function, and form, so we'll cover all the bases.
#2.1. Camelid Sacrum in the Shape of a Canine
- Culture: Moche (Pre-Columbian South America)
- Material: Camelid (llama/alpaca) sacrum bone.
- Function: Likely used in religious ceremonies or burials. 💀
- Form: Carved to resemble a canine (dog-like) animal. The natural curve of the bone was used to create the form.
The sacrum bone was considered sacred by many cultures because of its role in the reproductive process.
#2.2. Running Horned Woman
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