The Ancient World essays

The Ancient World essays The art of expression can be traced back to early time periods in which simple cave men spat paint upon the walls. Some would argue that modern art is sometimes no better; however, this archaic art form allows us to get a glimpse into our ancestors. The first period that left us hints into their world was the Paleolithic Period which lasted about from about 40,000-8,000 BC. Cave drawings are characteristic of the Paleolithic Period, also known as the Old Stone Age. Drawings found in Lascaux, France show exaggerated bulls superimposed upon one another to show supposed depth perception. Simple sculptures are also found from the Paleolithic period. The objects found are usually pregnant women with enlarged breasts and thighs, which were perhaps used for their magical qualities to ease childbirth. The next period, called the Neolithic, or New Stone Age, lasted from about 8000-2300 BC. Starting in the New Stone Age, man started to change earth to accompany him, which is seen at t he famous Stonehenge. This megalithic sculptures are the earliest of architecture and show the mysticism and knowledge the ancients possessed, for the stones are arranged in astronomical positions. The earliest view of civilization is seen in ancient Mesopotamia. Before even the Egyptians, the Sumerians ruled the world. The Sumerians, whom lived between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, benefited richly from the irrigated fields they created. The Sumerians were the first to use writings and make large buildings. Their writing, called cuneiform, was used to records contracts and track money, since Mesopotamia was such a booming metropolis at the time. The Sumerians also penned down their religion which gives us insight into ancient beliefs. Their temples, large stepped pyramids called ziggurats were often made of brick and were used as alters many times. [Editors note: I just rebooted my computer from locking up after losing about 150 words,...