TwoMillionYearsofArtinHumanEvolution

JamesHarrod,Ph.D.AdjunctInstructorinArtHistory,MaineCollegeofArt,Portland,Maine

Director,CenterforResearchontheOriginsofArtandReligionoriginsnet.org(pleistocenecoalition.com)

AH224PaleolithicArt,Spring2012

4MemeModel:2MYEvolutionofArt,Symbol&MythEra and Techné Four Meme Model (JamesHarrod)

Oldowan EO ~2.6 to 2.0 Ma ‘Classic’ ~2.0 to 1.4 Ma Developed ~1.7 to 1.2 Ma

‘Rudimentary Symbolic’ = 2.0-3.5 yrs // human = great ape cognition (A. Russon 2004) = Australopithecus (similar cognitive level by triangulation to common great ape ancestor) First ‘art object’: ‘animacy in stone’; ‘animated spirit that inhabits the body’

Conceptual-Symbolic Modeling = Homo habilis/rudolfensis (out-of-Africa) First Metaphor = ‘core-seed-sustenance-essence in interpersonal interaction’; ‘rhomboids of the mind’ First Ethos = carnivore axis First Joke:’ hit the baboon head’ anvil (drill cupules)

Acheulian (sensu lato) EA ~1.7 to 1.0 Ma MA ~1.0 Ma to 500 ka LA ~650 to 200 ka FA ~300 to 150 ka

Complex Idea Modeling = Homo erectus/ergaster (out-of-Africa) Biface pairing of complementary shapes (contraria sunt complementa, Niels Bohr; coincidentia oppositorum, C. G. Jung; ‘co-poiesis’, Bracha Ettinger) Sheath, the Womb Source of Animacy (Life-Giver) & Vehicle, Cutting Spirit, Energy of Initiative (Death-Giver) colorants, marking traditions, mortuary practice, adornments, anthropomorphs & zoomorphs

Middle Paleolithic / Middle Stone Age EMP ~300 to 40 ka MMP ~150 to 60(100) ka LMP ~60 to 30/35 ka

Mythic I &II EMP =archaic Homo sapiens / MMP = Homo sapiens sapiens (out-of-Africa) Beings of the Dreaming, Creatrix of Life-Forms, stone arrangements, landscape art, image representation, mortuary practices with grave goods; geometric ‘signs’

I. ‘Gaia’ (M. Witzel) = Khoisan

II. ‘Gondwana’ (M. Witzel) = ‘Southern Route’ Africa to SE Asia & Australia

Upper Paleolithic / Later Stone Age EUP ~150 to 60 ka MUP ~40 to 20 ka LUP ~25 to 10 ka

Mythic III = Homo sapiens sapiens (out-of-SW-Central-Asia)

‘Eurasian’ (Y. Berezkin) ‘Laurasian’ (M. Witzel) = Shamanic

6 Worlds Shamanism; Soul Journey, Soul Retrieval; Mother-of-Animals, Master-of-Animals; Geometric Protolanguage, UP(E) array of 12 female and 12 male spiritual transformations (J. Harrod)

Templeton (2010, 2002): genetics = 3 waves out-of-Africa – 1.9 Ma; 650 ka; 130 ka; 1 out-of-Asia (recent)

UpperPaleolithic/LaterStoneAgePalaeoart

4thMemeoftheEvolutionofArt,Symbol&MythEra and Techné 4th Meme: Mythic III = Homo sapiens sapiens

Upper Paleolithic / Later Stone Age EUP ~60 to 150 ka MUP ~40 to 20 ka LUP ~25 to 10 ka

Mythic III: ‘Laurasian’ (M. Witzel) = ‘Shamanic’ mythologies

•  6 Worlds: Upper, Middle and Lower Worlds and central Axis Mundi (M. Eliade)

•  Soul Journey and Soul Retrieval; psychopomp

•  Mother-of-Animals, Master-of-Animals

•  Upper Paleolithic (European), UP(E), subset of geometric signs used under application of combinatory matrix to generate array of 6 female and 6 male spiritual transformation processes, their respective symbolization and mythologies (Harrod 2004 a,b online OriginsNet.org; Harrod 1997; Harrod 1987 Valcamonica Symposium paper)

Meme#4UpperPaleolithic/LSA:Mythic III Shamanic,‘Laurasian’(M.Witzel)

6‐WorldsShamanism(SoulJourney,SoulRetrieval),Mother‐of‐Animals,Master‐of‐AnimalsEarthdiveremergence;UP(E)arraysoffemaleandmalespiritualtransformations

Upper(MilkyWayStar)WorldLife‐GiverDeath‐Giver

2UpperWorlds(skyworld&celestial,starworld)

(GreatSpirit,tutelaryspirit)

creatorbeingsspiritsofthedeaddreamintobeingreturn‐to‐homelandscape,alldormant,incubatinglifeformspre‐emergenceinterconnected‘negativecapability’usingsacredpower(inversepower)

2MiddleWorlds(thisworld&parallel,ghostworld)

waterholequicksand(generativity)(vortex,abyss)

2LowerWorlds(worldbeneathearth&waterworld)

(spiritanimals)

EuropeanUpperPaleolithicAgePeriod From(yearsago) To(yearsago)

InitialUP(BohunicianandBachokirian) 50,000 40,000

Proto‐AurignacianCItephra/HEIV~39‐40kya

45,000 40,000

Aurignacian 40,000 28,000

Gravettian 28,000 22,000

Solutrean 22,000 17,000

Magdalenian 17,000 13,000

LateMagdalenianYoungerDryas12.8‐11.5kya;impact~12.9kya

13,000 10,000

MesolithicAge 10,000 5,000

NeolithicAge 9,000 5,000Chalcolithic/MegalithicAge

5,500 3,700

BronzeAge 5,000 3,000

IceAgeEurope(MarshackA.TheRootsofCivilizationfig.)

EURASIAN—GRAVETTIAN~34‐22kya

TYPICALSYMBOLICARTANDRITUALTRANSFORMATIONSITES

MacrolanguageFamily:(U5‐mtDNA?)Pre‐Finno‐Ugric?;(RO=mtDNAandH17’29?)Pre‐Sumerian‐Basque?&(N*/N1=mtDNA)Pre‐NE‐Caucasic

CougnacandPechMerle,France

L: Pech Merle red dots, hands, entrance to side chamber with female-bison combi R: Pech Merle red dots, entrance to Le Combel

Redmegaloceros,ibex,marks,‘FriezeoftheMegaloceros’,Cougnac,Lot,France,~25‐19.5kya

Tracing,MichelLorblanchet.LorblanchetM,LabeauM,VernetJL,FitteP,ValladasH,CachierH,ArnoldM.1990.PalaeolithicPigmentsintheQuercy,France.RockArtResearch7,1:4‐20.314CredpigmentdatesconversionOnlineCalPal=~28.7calkya(JBH)

FemaleandMaleIbex,Cougnac.25‐19.5kya

Dolni‐Vestonice,CzechRepublic

NecklacesL:ArcticFoxTeeth;C:Shells;R:OwlPendant.Dolni‐Vestonice,Gravettian~29calkyaT:youngbovid;C:bear;L:imprintofloom‐woventextileonfragmentfiredloess.

Allphotos:DonHitchcock2008,apparentlyoriginals,display,DolníVěstoniceMuseum.

FiredLoessfigurines.Dolni‐Vestonice,Gravettian~29calkyaT:youngbovid;C:bear;L:imprintofloom‐woventextileonfragmentfiredloess.White,Randall.2003.Prehistoricart:thesymbolicjourneyofhumankind:Fig.96‐98.CandR:bear,lion,mammoth,rhino,mustelid(?mink)photos:DonHitchcock2008,apparently

originals,display,DolníVěstoniceMuseum.

Ivorysculptures.Dolni‐Vestonice,Gravettian~29calkyaL:‘stickwithbreasts’,8.5cm;TopC:‘simplehumanface’,4cm;BottomC:‘breasts’,W2cm;R:‘abstractfemalefigure’,8cm.White,

Randall.2003.Prehistoricart:thesymbolicjourneyofhumankind:Fig.99‐102.

Sunghir,Russia

S1AdultandDoubleChildS2andS3Burials.Sunghir,Russia,Gravettian~24kyaS1~60yearsold(~19or23kya);S2boy~12‐13andS3girl~9‐10yearsold(~26or24kya)Dates:Kuzmin,Burretal2004.Recreationillustrations,LiborBalákfromDonsmaps.com

3burials,13,000ivorybeadsindozensofstrands.Experimentsshoweachbeadtakes1hourtomake;S1beadwork3,000hours;S2andS35,000hourseach.Strandofivorybeadswithinterlockingfoxteeth.Adultmanwears24polishedmammothivorybracelets,somewith

tracesblackpaint,somered.Aroundhisneck,small,flatschistpendantpaintedred,withsmallblackdotononeside.WhiteR.2003:141‐145.

Kostenki,Russia

View,KostenkiVillageandtheDonRiverValley(ViewofvillageofKostienkifromhighground.DistantloopofDonindistance.Photo:VladimirGorodnjanski,2006.Don’sMaps(online)

View,Kostenki12andKostenki1,K14andK16towardsourceendoftheravine,andtheDonRiverValley(Holliday,Hoffeckeretal.2007.GeoarchaeologyoftheKostenki‐BorshchevoSites,DonRiverValley,Russia.Geoarchaeology22,2:fig.3,4)

TypesofArtandTools,Kostenki1‐1,DonValley,Russia‐‐Gravettian~27‐28calkya(Holliday,Hoffeckeretal2007)Kostenki1arttypesDonsmapsfromSinitsyn2007afterPraslovandRogachev1982

‘Longhouse’,Kostenki1‐1,DonRiverValley,Russia‐‐Gravettian,~27‐28calkya(Holliday,Hoffeckeretal2007)Excavatedinthe1930s.~35mlongby~16mwide;9hearths,16peripheralpits,4‘sleepingareas’and12as‘caches’,entirefloorcoveredwith‘internalstoragepits’;Kleinnotconvinceditissinglestructure;6femalefigurinesoflimestone(marl)andivoryandmanyfragmentaryremainsoffigurines(KleinRG1973.Ice‐AgeHuntersoftheUkraine)

Gravettian Ritual Art Space

Kostenki1,DonRiverValley,Russia‐‐Gravettian,~27‐28calkya(Holliday,Hoffeckeretal2007)Limestone(marl)andivorysculptures–mammoth,horse,feline,bear,birds,indet.zoomorphs;vulvasculptureslocatedbetweenhearths4and7,whilefemalestatuettesdispersedoverentirehabitation,includingcached;zoomorphsintwogroups,withaboutequalarea,hearths6‐10carnivores(feline,bear),hearths1‐5,mostlymammoths(IakovlevaL.2004:49,addinganimals,afterP.P.Efimenko)

Gravettian Ritual Art Space – Distribution of Zoomorphic Sculptures

Kostenki1,DonRiverValley,Russia‐‐Gravettian,~27‐28calkya(Holliday,Hoffeckeretal2007)Limestone(marl)andivorysculptures–mammoth,horse,feline,bear,birds,indet.zoomorphs;vulvasculptureslocatedbetweenhearths4and7,whilefemalestatuettesdispersedoverentirehabitation,includingcached;zoomorphsintwogroups,withaboutequalarea,hearths6‐10carnivores(feline,bear),hearths1‐5,mostlymammoths(IakovlevaL.2004:49,addinganimals,afterP.P.Efimenko)

Gravettian Ritual Art Space: Zoomorphic Sculptures

SchematicofSomePitContents.Kostenki1,Avdeevo,Gagarino,Gravettian~27‐28calkyaBasedonpitdescriptionsinWhite,Randall.2003.Prehistoricart:thesymbolicjourneyofhumankind:138‐142;combinedwith

zoomorphlocationsinIakovleva2004.KostenkiIdate:Holliday,Hoffeckeretal2007

KostenkiI‐1,DonRiverValley,Russia‐‐Gravettian~27‐28calkya(Holliday,Hoffeckeretal2007)

Gravettian Ritual Art Space Female Spiritual Transformation #5: ‘Double Goddess’ and Her Animal Quaternion

Wolverine

Waterbird

Mammoth Lion

Predator Prey

‘DecoratedMattock’,Chevrons(Zigzag),2Bi‐Lines.

KostenkiI‐1,DonRiverValley,Russia,Gravettian~27‐28calkya(Holliday,Hoffeckeretal2007)AbramovaZA.1995.L’artpaléolithiqued’EuropeorientaleetdeSibérie:Fig.66.13

Female Spiritual Transformation #5: ‘Double Goddess’ Transform Signs

Femaleand‘anthropomorphic’statuettes,KhotylevoII,Russia.Gravettian~27‐28calkya(Holliday,Hoffeckeretal2007)AbramovaZA.1995.L’artpaléolithiqued’EuropeorientaleetdeSibérie:Fig.30and31combined

‘DoubleFemale’statuette,KhotylevoII,DesnaRiver,Russia.Gravettian~27‐28calkya(Holliday,Hoffeckeretal2007)GavrilovKN.2010.AnewfemalefigurinesfromthesiteKhotylevo2:Fig.5,6.Paper,L’artpléistocènedanslemonde,IFRAOIRAC2010.

Mezhirich mammoth bone hut, Gravettian shrine with decorated mammoth skull and with figurines

(B. Johnson, Buffie. Lady of the Beasts pl 13)

‘DecoratedMammothTusk’,Mezhirich,RosavaintoRosRiver,Ukraine.Epi‐Gravettian~13‐16kya(Iakovleva2004)Interpretation:The6‐WorldsofShamanicCosmos(JamesHarrod).Othersinterpretasearliestmapwithhutsandriver.

Nosource,butcompareAbramovaZA.1995.L’artpaléolithiqued’EuropeorientaleetdeSibérie:Fig.13.1

2‘DoubleFigurines’,Grimaldi,NWItaly.Epi‐Gravettian~14‐19kya(Bisson,TisneratandWhite1996)

Humanfemale,obverse‘uncertain,notreptile,probablycarnivore,notfeline:foxorwolf,ormartenorwolverine)BissonandBolduc1994.JennettKD.2008.FemaleFigurinesoftheUpperPaleolithic:Fig.13,Thesis,TexasStateUniversity.CollageafterBissonMS,BolducP.1994.

CurrentAnthropology35,4:458‐468;sketch:Mussi2002;color:www.civiilization.ca/archeo/paleofig/imags/palfig6a.gif;palfig5a.gif;palfig7a.gif

‘DecoratedMammothSkull’,DwellingNo.1,Mezhirich,DonBasin,Ukraine

Epi‐Gravettian~13‐16kya(Iakovleva2004)‘Reconstructionmammothskullpaintedwithredochre’,W:60cm,afterPidoplichko;BahnPandVertutJ.1997.JourneyThroughtheIceAge:fig7.6

Female Spiritual Transformation #2: ‘Tree of Life / Vulva-Seed Source / Birthgiver’