Pre-historic art

 This is article is part of the

 Arts of the ancient world

 European art history

 Islamic art history

 Arts of the Far East

 Contemporary art

Table of contents

1 Pre-Historic Art of Europe 2 Pre-Historic Art of Asia 3 Native Arts of Africa 4 Native Arts of the Americas 5 Native Arts of Oceania

Pre-Historic Art of Europe

Before the start of the Bronze Age in Europe, from the 5th millennium BC to the 2nd millennium BC, the main artistic legacies of the European peoples were megalithic monuments. While the most well-known of these is Stonehenge, such monuments have been found throughout most of Europe, notably at Carnac, France, at Skara Brae in the Orkney Islands, in Portugal, and in Wiltshire, England, the area of Stonehenge, the Avebury circle, the tombs at West Kennet, and Woodhenge. One tomb found in New Grange, Ireland, has its entrance marked with a massive stone carved with a complex design of spirals. Many of these monuments were megalitic tombs, and archaeologists speculate that most have religious signifigance.

During the 3rd millennium BC, however, the Bronze Age began in Europe, brining with it a new medium for art. The increased efficiency of bronze tools also meant an increase in productivity, which led to a surplus - the first step in the creation of a class of artisans. Because of the increased wealth of society, luxury goods began to be created, especially decorated weapons. Examples include ceremonial bronze helments, ornamental ax-heads and swords, elborate insturments such as lurer, and other ceremonial objects without a practical purpouse.

Pre-Historic Art of Asia

Native Arts of Africa

Native Arts of the Americas

Native Arts of Oceania

Starting from its first settlers from Asia, the natives of Australia, often known as Aborigines, have been creating distincive patterns of art. Early known artworks of the Aborigines are mostly rock paintings. Many are called X-ray paintings because they show the bones and organs of the animals they depict. Some aboriginal art seems abstract to modern viewers; aboriginal art often employs geometrical figures and lines to represent landscape, which is often shown from a birds-eye view. For instance, in aboriginal symbology, a swirl stands for a watering hole.

Like the aborigines of Australia, the natives of Polynesia left behind a distinct artistic heritage. While many of their artifacts were made with organic materials and thus lost to history, some of their most striking achievements survive in clay and stone. Among these are numerous pottery fragments from around Oceania, from the late 2nd millennium BC. Also, the natives of Polynesia left scattered around their islands stone platforms and sculpures of ancestor figures, the most famous of which is located at Easter Island.