Comparing The Paleolithic, Neolithic, And Greek Art Movements

The hunter-gatherer society living in the Paleolithic Era transitioned and evolved to become farming people during the Neolithic Era, with different economic and social characteristics. During both ages, one similarity is that both societies developed forms of language and the generation of artistic technologies. However, they differ as the Neolithic Era founded the basis of artificial selection and the domestication of crops and animals, deviating from the basis of hunting and gathering seen in the Paleolithic Era. Historical evidence shows that there was an increase in economic and social elements during the Stone Ages, with bonds between the development of fire and innovative tools.

Several critical developments distinguish civilizations from even the most advanced Paleolithic and Neolithic societies that preceded them. Some critical developments include inequality based on gender, status based on class, and lastly the beginning of written literature and more complex calendars. Specifically, one main critical development was inequality based on gender.

1. There are numerous instances of the Etruscan artists taking their cue from Greek artists. The tendency was so prevalent that at one time historians considered Etruscan art as wholly derivative. The Etruscans did copy a lot of Greek art in both technique and design. One of those instances is in their construction of their temples. There is a definite similarity in both technique and design. The Etruscans incorporated columns in their temples long after the Greeks started doing so, and the similarities did not end there. There were sculptures and paintings inside the temples that were patently Greek in design. The Etruscans traded with Greece and attacked it several times, so there were several points of interaction and copying.

Probably one of the most popular art forms, is the amazing work they could do with blue and white porcelain. They were very skilled in this new art form, and were the only civilization that could make these beautiful pieces. Still to this day, it is hard for anyone

The Paleolithic and Neolithic periods displayed major cultural differences in religion, lifestyles, government, and technology. “Culture is the way of life of a group of people. Culture includes common practices of a society, its shared understandings, and its social organizations are always changing” (McDougal, World History: Patterns of Interaction, 2004) The Paleolithic time period was full of inventions and was a time where new technology and lifestyles were blossoming through all cultures. Tools made out of pressure flaked stone and rock were created during this period to help with everyday tasks. The Paleolithic period was also the period where the creations of fires were discovered along with religion and languages. The Neolithic age, however, was more technologically improved, than the Paleolithic age. This was the start of the agricultural revolution and the start of civilizations and societies. These two periods were ever changing.

The first way art changed was when humans began to develop a system of agriculture. This ensured that humans did not have to move place to place, which gave them time to focus on other things (though it prevented them from making frequent cave paintings, as they no longer needed the caves to dwell in). Weapons were easier to make, and come across, although the types of weapons changed, along with the kind of materials and metals they were made from. In Paleolithic times, people used flint, hunting spears, and even animal bones as weapons. When the Neolithic period began, they used blades, hammers, and chisels instead. They used these as their tools for farming and hunting, as they no longer needed to worry about being so accessible to predators. As Neolithic people no longer had to search for food and water, they needed items to carry the things they collected back to their villages. This is when pottery becomes popular, not only to carry the people’s items but also to advertise their beliefs through religion.

When looking at the architectural plans of the palace there appears to be no logical order to its arrangement. With no central axis, the rooms seem as if they were placed in random spots making the navigation of the palace confusing. The maze-like design of the complex (Fig. 7) lead Evans to think the palace complex was the labyrinth. When examining the ground floor of the palace, Evans discovered a meander pattern decorating the floor. The pattern only ran in one direction, towards the center of the palace. The center was an open courtyard where the ritual sport of bull leaping most likely took place. The myth states that the battle of Theseus and the Minotaur took place in the center of the Labyrinth, making a connection the central court of Minos’ palace. “The labyrinth, whose linear form is the meander [pattern], represents a difficult passage; it was confusing [and] hard to follow… but eventually lead back to the

The Paleolithic era began about 2.6 million years ago; this was considered the Old Age. The Neolithic era began about 10,000 BC where it was named the New Age. There were several differences that existed between the men who lived in these two ages. The Paleolithic man consisted of nomads who hunted and gathered their food to survive. Their hunting tools consisted of chipped and dull stones and wooden weapons. Their shelter consisted of huts and skin tents, and they were characterized as a tribal society. On the other hand, the Neolithic men were characterized by farmers who resided in permanent settlements, as opposed to wandering around. Their shelter was made up of bricks supported by timber, which seems to be a lot more durable

Knossos was excavated by Arthur Evans in 1900. The archaeological evidence suggests that it was first built around 2000 BC. Additionally, it also suggests that it was destroyed by an earthquake and rebuilt around 1700 BC. On the eastern side of the complex, the palace had four storeys; On the western side of the complex, the palace had three storeys. Additionally, it had a massive central court and storage areas. Knossos is an important site because it tells us about the economic, political and social features of Minoan society. Arthur Evans incorrectly believed that Minos lived at Knossos.

Five miles off the northern coast of the island of Crete, located between two streams, is the capital of the Minoan empire Cnossos (sometimes spelled Knossos). The Minoans built two palaces in Knossos. The First was built around the beginning of the Middle Minoan period (2000-1580 BCE). This palace was made of “isolated structures built around a rectangular court.” This palace was destroyed in 1720 BCE by an earthquake. After it was destroyed a second grandeur palace was built. It “measured some 750 square meters in area.” This palace had administrative and ceremonial quarters and a basement for storing “wheat, oil, and treasure.” After 1400 BCE the second Palace was destroyed by fire. During its existence the Palace served as the political

One main reason is that the Paleolithic men were much healthier than the Neolithic men in the ways that, Paleolithic men were foragers and they moved their food which led them to not staying in one spot permanently. This means that sickness and diseases were not easily passed on. Unlike the Neolithic men who did have permanent settlements and had illness passed around quite easily. Also it says in the passage Old Stone Age vs. New Stone Age that "The adoption of grains in the Neolithic era coincided with a shortening of stature, thinner bones and crooked, cavity - ridden teeth." Since Paleolithic Era did not domesticated grains they only ate wild grains they were taller,

The Palace at Knossos served as a landmark with mythological implications as it was said to be the home of King Minos and also gave rise to the important myth of Theseus. The maze like system of the palace was used to tell the story of Theseus who slew the Minotaur while being hunted by the creature in the Palace’s labyrinth. The Palace was also used for storing goods like wine, grain, oil, and honey which were kept in large jars in the magazine rooms. Furthermore, the palace complex served as a government building as it had administrative and workrooms on the north and south of the east-west corridor. Interestingly, the palace may have also had an entertainment room as there is a theateresque design with steps that may have been used as seating, although its purpose is not entirely known.

The first scholars that existed named the whole period of human devolvement the “Stone Age.” The stone age is divided into three periods which are Paleolithic which means the old Greek age, Mesolithic and Neolithic which is the new Greek age. The Paleolithic and Neolithic stone ages have many great differences and has changed greatly between the two periods.

1.Three major cultural changes or contributions to the humanities that occurred between the Paleolithic period and the and the Neolithic period are the different techniques developed to hunt, the importance of the human figures, and the architecture. Different techniques to hunt were shown by looking at wall paintings, in the Paleolithic era paintings were found in deep caves and showed a realism of the animals they depended on for food, where as the Neolithic era paintings were located on smooth limestone, beneath cliff hangs, and in rock shelters these paintings showed the animals that they depended on for food also but these paintings showed the animals being hunted by human figures with bows and arrows. This shows that somewhere between the two eras humans developed a more efficient way to hunt and human figures became more important. Human figures were rarely known before the Neolithic era, wall paintings did not show them and sculptures of them were very rare except few female figures found from the Paleolithic age. In the Neolithic age, paintings not only showed the importance of human figures hunting but it showed them dancing, and fighting as a community. Architecture is not known from before the Neolithic period, very little survives because it was made out of material that disappeared long ago. The most famous piece of architecture from that era is the Stonehenge, not only was the Stonehenge believed to serve as a religious purpose, it also was known as a clock

Do you ever wish you could go back in history? If you answered yes then you should learn more about the Paleolithics and the Neolithics. These two cultures are extremely different, but were basically the founding fathers for the way we’ve evolved and live today.