Prehistoric Art Timeline

Timeline of Art History

Prehistoric Art

2.5 million years BCE -2000 BCE

43,900 BCE

16,000 - 14,000 BCE

3000 BCE

4000 - 3000 BCE

4,200 - 3500 BCE

40,000 BCE

Warty pig, (Sus celebensis)

Stonehenge

The Lion Man

Anthropomorphic stele

Hall of Bulls

Bushel with ibex motifs

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Neolithic Era

Paleolithic Era

c. 10,000 BCE - 2000 BCE

c. 2.5 millions years BCE - 10,000 BCE

43,900 BCE

Warty pig, (Sus celebensis)

The oldest cave art ever discovered. The cave painting was uncovered in South Sulawesi in the Maros-Pangkep caves in Indonesia.

3000 BCE

Stonehenge

A prehistoric monument of a circular arrangement of massive standing stones, located in England.

40,000 BCE

The Lion Man

The Lion Man is a sculpted figure made from mammoth ivory and stands 31 centimeters tall. The sculpture was found in a cave in southern Germany.

4000 - 3000 BCE

Anthropomorphic stele

A free-standing stone sculpture, approximately three feet high found in Saudi Arabia.

4200 - 3500 BCE

Bushel with ibex motifs

Pottery found in Iran with paintings of mountain goats.

14,000 - 16,000 BCE

Hall of Bulls, Lascaux

Cave paintings found in southwestern France in Lascaux.

What does BCE and CE mean?

In more recent times, there has been a move toward using BCE (Before the Common Era0 and CE (Common Era) as a secular alternative tof BC and AD. The use of BCE and CE does not change the actual years; it simply replaces the religiously oriented terms. BCE (Before the Common Era): Similar to BC, it denotes years before the assumed birth of Jesus Christ. CE (Common Era): Similar to AD, it denotes years after the assumed birth of Jesus Christ. For this course, we will mainly use BCE and CE however, you may come across BC and AD and so it is important to understand what both notations mean.

As you will see throughout this course, dates are denoted with BCE and CE. What does it mean? The original notation of time used BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini, Latin for "In the Year of Our Lord") and is traditionally associated with the Christian calendar. In this system: BC (Before Christ): It counts the years backward from the traditionally recognized birth year of Jesus Crist. For example, 500 BC means 500 years before the assumed birth of Christ. AD (Anno Domino): It represents the years after the birth of Jesus Christ. For example, 500 AD means 500 years after the assumed birth of Christ.