Ancient Cave Paintings

By Beth Ottosen

Question:

What are the different art materials and techniques used by ancient people? How did the people use this technology?

Hypothesis:

People used what they had around them to make their materials. People living in the desert would have to use different natural resources than those living in the forest.

Paint Materials:

Many different resources were used to make paint. Some of the most common were: Charcoal (from fire and burnt bones) Iron Oxide (red) Ground Calcite (white) Limonite and Hematite (yellow, red, umber)

Ways to Paint:

Large Areas: Fingertips Moss/ Lichen Feathers (blending) Hollow bones (like blow pens)

Details: Twigs (lines) Brushes made with horse hair (larger lines)

Moss/ Lichen:

Large pads of moss and lichen were found and harvested to use for covering large areas of rock like backgrounds.

Similar art material today: Sponges

Hollow Bones:

Hollow bones were used to cover large areas. By filling the hollow cavity with paint, the painter was able to spray a fine layer of paint onto large areas of rock.

Similar art Material today: Blowpens

Twigs and Brushes:

Were used to draw the outlines of pictures as well as fine details. Twigs were used for finer details, while brushes were used for larger areas.

Pictures:

Cave paintings depict many different pictures of huters and animals such as: Bison Big cats like lions or cougars Horses Deer

Why They’re Important:

The cave paintings are the only form of “written” records that we have about people during ancient times. Some paintings tell stories about hunting, or natural disasters. The paintings show how people lived, and how advanced they were. They were able to make paint, painting materials, build scaffolding, and create paintings that have lasted for thousands of years.

Bibliography:

Books: World book encyclopedia

Interview: Lamers, Merriam. “Cave Paintings.” Personal interview. 1 May. 2010. Hellebuyck, Adam. "Cave Paintings." Personal interview. 28 Apr. 2010.

Internet: "Lascaux." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 23

Apr. 2010. <http://www.ancienthistory.abc-clio.com>. "Pigments through the Ages - Prehistory." WebExhibits. Web. 23 Apr. 2010.

<http://www.webexhibits.org/pigments/intro/early.html>. Hutchinson, Leslie. "The Legacy of Cave Paintings." Science and Its Times. Ed.

Neil Schlager and Josh Lauer. Vol. 7: 1950 to Present. Detroit: Gale, 2001. 39-41. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 23 Apr. 2010.

"The Art Instinct «." Slow Painting. Web. 23 Apr. 2010. <http://slowpainting.wordpress.com/2009/02/04/the-art-instinct/>.