They’re how old?! Two of humanities oldest examples of artistic expression – By: Marissa Moore

For most of this blog, we have been discussing the topic of modern art in many different ways. As you may have already guessed, I am just a tiny bit partial to this genre and time period. However, as much as I would love to go on and on, (believe me, I do so love to do that) about the interesting aspects modern art has produced over recent years, there are just as many interesting facts about art starting from the very beginning!

Since humanity began to grow and change on our own path into the fascinating creatures that were are today, art has been found right there used as an expressionist tool alongside us. Prehistoric sculpture and cave art have been found that serve as incredible proof that humans have felt the urge to leave a lasting mark, to create a unique identifier, to express themselves long before modernity or language existed.

These ancient art caves and statues have been found from Europe to Africa and even recently, as far as Indonesia. Today, we will take a short journey together into the Paleolithic era and study three examples of the oldest pieces of art our innovative ancestors created.

1.  Bhimbetka and Daraki-Chattan Cupules

       Found in two quartzite caves in the Madhya Pradesh region of central India, these cave carvings are the oldest representation of prehistoric art ever found. These examples of artistic expression have been dated to at least 290,000 BC but with evidence it may have been created as far back as 700,000 BC. These hollowed out shapes covering the smooth cave walls are known in the archaeological world as petroglyphs. The term ‘petroglyphs’ (derived from the Greek word "petra" meaning stone, and "glyphein" meaning to carve) is used to describe any image created on a rock surface by scouring, scratching, engraving, chiseling, carving or any similar method. Cave paintings in comparison, would not be petroglyphs as they are merely applied to the surface.

It is a great display of workmanship with the cupules, or cup-shaped depressions, made in a noticeably mesmerizing pattern. Even this far back, humanity was already showcasing the distinct ability to understand abstract thought.

2. Blombos Cave Engravings

        Skipping just a bit ahead of the previous Bhimbetka and Daraki-Chattan cupules cave art, is the similarly amazing Blombos Cave engravings. First discovered in 2002, the rock engravings have been dated to about 70,000 BC. These engravings are one of the earliest examples of beautiful sub-Saharan African art. The cave contains two pieces of ochre rock, pictured above, which have been engraved with geometric, abstract signs and a series of beads made from nassarius kraussianus shells. Nassarius kraussianus is the scientific name given to the commonly titled tick shell species of sea snail found in the surrounding area, shown below. 

This beautiful and intricate display is both striking and informative. This level of art tells us that these prehistoric humans were capable of generating and understanding abstract thought which they so painstakingly translated into the art we are luckily still able to see today. In fact, the Blombos Cave engravings may not look too dissimilar from well-known modern artist Jackson Pollock and his painting Blue Poles, pictured below. What do you think? Perhaps the lines between modernity and our prehistoric thinking are not as removed as it would seem.

References used for this article:

http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/prehistoric/bhimbetka-petroglyphs.htm

https://www.ancienthistorylists.com/pre-history/top-10-oldest-art-ever-discovered/