4 th Grade. Prehistoric art is defined as art produced in preliterate cultures and continuing until the development of writing or other methods of record-keeping.

Prehistoric Art4th Grade

In the Beginning……..Prehistoric art is defined as art produced in preliterate cultures and continuing until the development of writing or other methods of record-keeping

Cave paintings are some of the great mysteries of the world

Many experts have been baffled as to their true meanings but it is certain that, without language or writing, they were the main way early man communicated

How are Primitive paintings made?

Paints were made by crushing minerals into powder and putting them on damp surfaces like rocks

These early artists sometimes painted deep in caves

To provide light, they made lamps from hollow stones filled with animal fat and moss or fur that was set on fire

Where is Primitive Art found?

Cave paintings can be found around the world in many areas including:

Europe Africa Asia The Americas – even in

Washington State! Australia

- Europe - Cave paintings in Lascaux, France

In 1940, four teenage boys accidentally discovered the most famous cave art in Europe

- Africa- Cave paintings in Africa

Africa has some of the earliest paintings and rock engravings to have been securely dated

Nearly 30,000 years old, some were discovered in 1969 in a cave near Twyfelfontein, Namibia

- Asia - Cave paintings in Afghanistan

Some of the earliest oil paintings are found in the Bamian caves outside of Kabul, Afghanistan

- The Americas- Cave paintings in North and South America

Cave paintings can be found in the countries of Columbia and Peru in South America

Many places in North America have cave paintings from Native American tribes

In prehistoric times, the Wanapum Native Americans inhabited the region in Washington State along the Columbia River and created cave paintings there

- Australia - Aboriginal cave paintings in Australia

In 2003, more than 200 well-preserved paintings were discovered in a 4,000-year-old Aboriginal rock art site at Eagles Reach, near Sydney, Australia

Aboriginal LifeUntil 1788 , the only inhabitants of Australia were the Aborigines

They had lived there for over 40,000 years and it is thought that there was as many as 300,000 of them there at the time

Today there are only 150,000 Aborigines representing 1% of the population of Australia

The Aborigines did not grow crops but survived by hunting, fishing and gathering food

Aborigines learned to live with long periods of drought which could last up to eight months

Aboriginal Dot ArtOne of the classic styles of Aboriginal artwork is the dot paintings utilizing thousands of painted dots

Aboriginal AnimalsKangaroo

Dingo

Kookaburra

Platypus

Tasmanian Devil

Koala

Emu

Art ActivityUsing black paper, brightly colored paints, and Q-tips and paint brushes, create your own Aboriginal Dot Painting

Select a native Australian animal as your main feature

Cover at least 85% of the paper with dots or lines

Leave blank the areas that you want to remain black