History of Art: River Valley Civilizations
In this course we will learn about History of Art: River Valley Civilizations.
The Origins of “Art”
What is Shelter?
The shelter has always been one of the three basic needs of mankind since the very inception, to protect themselves from other people, weather, harsh climatic conditions, wild animals and even to provide rest. The earliest form of shelter was to find one, it came as an instinct to the sapiens. They used to find shelter in trees and under huge boulders but as the threats grew, the Hominids knew that they needed something more permanent as the animals outwitted them and developed the skills to climb trees. More so ever climbing up on the trees could not protect them from the rains and the harsh cold. They soon moved to find existing niches in mountains and hillocks that we know as caves that provided much more stability, security, and comfort.
Caves can be defined as natural rock-cut shelters, usually formed as a result of constant erosion by water in natural bedrock. These can be classified as the first form of dwellings in the prehistoric era.
The shelters had grown to be more personal and values of permanence and lineage had started to chip in. They were now “Dwellings”.
A Dwelling is not just a place to live, it is more than just an abode, it’s a habitat. A place that defines and shapes up the character of an individual. This shift in the character of dwelling is reminiscent of the first thread in the mankind culture patchwork quilt.
Considering the hand to mouth conditions of the Pre-Historic man, what do you think must have swayed his interests in the creative field.
How did Prehistoric man manage to express or need to indulge in what we categorize today as “Arts”? Why did the prehistoric man manage to leave behind such cultural heritage of rock art or even felt the need?
One of the scientific reasons being Brain performance is directly associated with several “higher” functions such as language and creative expression.
Human ancestors as a group fall under the category – Hominids. The species that evolved in the Lower stage of the Palaeolithic period include Australopithecus, Homo Habilis, homo Erectus and Homo Ergaster.
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