Paleolithic

The Paleolithic Period This is the earliest period recorded in Man’s creative endeavours. The Palaeolithic is the early Stone Age from 32,000 to 11,000 year ago. The Chauvet Cave in the Ardeche valley in France discovered in 1994 dates back to the earliest recorded time 32,000 years ago. Nowadays however artefacts are being unearthed that suggest that Neanderthals may have also been able to creatively express themselves. Palaeolithic Art was first discovered in the 1860s by the Frenchman Edouard Lartet, he found small carved objects, figurines made out of bone, stone and clay. Other Art of this period is Cave Art. The Art is usually of animals, humans, (hunting scenes) signs and symbols. The red pigment used to paint Cave walls was made from Iron Oxide and the black pigment from Charcoal, also used were various plant and animal oils. This period in Man’s evolution was before the development of farming, when he was still a Hunter Gatherer living in Nomadic tribes, applying skills with Stone tools, hence the ‘Stone Age’. The !860s was to herald many discoveries in Europe and North Africa and brought into vogue the very popular Victorian hobby of Fossil collecting.