Western Art History, 35000 BCE - 1800 CE

By drz
  • Period: 35,000 BCE to

    Art history

  • Hall of Bulls, Lascaux Caves
    16,000 BCE

    Hall of Bulls, Lascaux Caves

    The Hall of Bulls is a room in the Lascaux Caves that depicts animals such as bulls, horses, lions and others. The animals are depicted as overlapping, thereby suggesting 3D space. They were painted onto the walls of the cave using charcoal and ochre (an earthen pigment). Scholars cannot know the function of such paintings, but there are many hypotheses. Some say that the drawings were used to educate young hunters. Others say it was for spiritual reasons.
  • The development of writing
    3000 BCE

    The development of writing

    The Sumerians are thought to be the first to develop a system of writing...
  • Pyramid of Khufu, constructed by Pharaoh Khufu, c. 2551-2528 BCE, H: 481 feet, base: 750 ft. per side, located in Giza, Egypt
    2551 BCE

    Pyramid of Khufu, constructed by Pharaoh Khufu, c. 2551-2528 BCE, H: 481 feet, base: 750 ft. per side, located in Giza, Egypt

    The Pyramid of Khufu is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids at Giza. Like all pyramids in Egypt, it was Khufu's burial place. It held his mummified body, along with everything he would need in the afterlife, such as boats that would deliver him to the afterlife. In addition to boat models, actual boats were found disassembled. While pyramids were never meant to be penetrated, today they draw many tourists and archeologists to Egypt.