The first non-functional human-made objects that could be clearly classified as art date back to the Upper Paleolithic (c. 50,000 to c. 12,000 years ago) in Europe. Although Upper Paleolithic art is mostly associated with rock art, besides the famous cave paintings of France and Spain, the art of the Late Stone Age also includes carefully carved animal figurines, Venus figurines, perforated beads and shells, decorated tools, flutes, and other portable objects. This gallery features 15 images of the world's oldest artworks.
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Image Gallery
Cave Painting in the Altamira Cave
Bison depicted at the Cave of Altamira in Cantabria, Spain, dated to the Upper Paleolithic period.
Questions & Answers
What is the Paleolithic art period?
- The Upper Paleolithic (Late Stone Age, c. 50,000 to c. 12,000 years ago) is the period in human prehistory when we see the emergence of art. Upper Paleolithic art is usually divided into two categories: rock/cave art and portable art such as animal and anthropomorphic figurines.
Did any paintings survive from the Paleolithic period?
- Yes, there are surviving cave paintings from the Paleolithic period. The most famous ones include Altamira Cave in Spain, and Lascaux Cave and Chauvet Cave in France.
License & Copyright
Based on Wikipedia content that has been reviewed, edited, and republished.
Original image by Rameessos. Uploaded by Cristian Violatti, published on 06 January 2015. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: Public Domain. This item is in the public domain, and can be used, copied, and modified without any restrictions. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.
