The Utilitarian Art of the Mesolithic Age

Otherwise known as Middle Stone Age, the Mesolithic Age covered a brief span of around 2,000 years. While it served as an important bridge between the Upper Paleolithic and Neolithic Ages, the art of this period was, well, sort of boring. From this distance, its not nearly as fascinating as the discovery of (and innovations in) the art of the preceding era. And the art of the subsequent Neolithic era is exponentially diverse, besides being more well-preserved and offering us thousands of examples of itself, instead of a handful. Still, lets briefly cover the artistic events of the Mesolithic Age because, after all, its a distinct era from any other. Animal Husbandry During this period, most of the glacial ice in the Northern Hemisphere had retreated, leaving behind geography and climates familiar to us in the present day. Along with the glaciers, certain foods disappeared (the wooly mammoth, for example) and the migration patterns of others (reindeer) changed as well. People gradually adapted, assisted by the facts that more temperate weather and diverse edible plants were there to aid in survival. Since humans didnt have to live in caves or follow herds any longer, this era saw the beginnings of both settled communities and farming. The Mesolithic Age also saw the invention of the bow and arrow, pottery for food storage and the domestication of a few animals—either for food or, in the case of dogs, for help in the hunting of food. MesolithicArt Pottery was beginning to be produced at this time, though it was mostly utilitarian in design. In other words, a pot just needed to hold water or grain, not necessarily exist as a feast for the eyes. The artistic designs were mainly left up to later peoples to create. The portable statuary of the Upper Paleolithic was largely absent during the Mesolithic Age. This is likely a result of people settling down and no longer requiring art that could travel. Since the invention of the arrow had occurred, much of this periods carving time seems to have been spent knapping flint, obsidian and other minerals which lent themselves to sharp, pointy tips. The most interesting Mesolithic Age art that we know of consists of rock paintings. Similar in nature to the Paleolithic cave paintings, these moved out of doors to vertical cliffs or walls of natural rock, often semi-protected by outcroppings or overhangs. Though these rock paintings have been found in locations ranging from the far north in Europe to southern Africa, as well as elsewhere around the globe, the largest concentration of them exists in eastern Spains Levant. While no one can say with certainty, the theory exists that the paintings locations werent chosen at random. The spots may have held sacred, magical or religious significance. Very often, a rock painting exists within close proximity to a different, more suitable spot upon which to paint. Characteristics of Mesolithic Art Between the Upper Paleolithic and Mesolithic eras, the biggest shift in painting occurred in the subject matter. Where cave paintings overwhelmingly depicted animals, rock paintings were usually of human groupings. The painted humans typically seem to be engaged in either hunting or rituals whose purposes have been lost to time. Far from being realistic, the humans shown in rock painting are highly stylized, rather like glorified stick figures. These humans look more like pictographs than pictures, and some historians feel they represent the primitive beginnings of writing (i.e.: hieroglyphs). Very often the groupings of figures are painted in repetitive patterns, which results in a nice sense of rhythm (even if were not sure what theyre meant to be doing, exactly).

Ursula K. LeGuins The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas Essay

Ursula K. LeGuins The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas Works Cited Not Included In The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas, Ursula K. LeGuin makes use of colorful descriptions and hypothetical situations to draw us into a surrealistic world that illustrates how unsympathetic society can be. LeGuins ambiguity of how the story will go is purposeful; she cunningly makes her case that each of us handles the undesirable aspects of the world we live in differently, and that ultimately, happiness is relative. As we explore this peculiar world of Omelas, we are prompted to ask ourselves, What do I think is the `perfect society? What is happiness to me?, and most importantly (to me), Would I walk away from Omelas? While we explore these†¦show more content†¦But we do not say the words of cheer much any more. ...All smiles have become archaic (1264). Why are the smiles archaic? This passage suggests the people of Omelas no longer know what happiness is, that happiness is more of an action that a reaction. As we contemplate this we can imagine oblivious smiling faces with staring, empty eyes. This notion festers in our side like a rotting sliver, creating an uncomfortable unease before we know what isnt right with Omelas, while we immerse ourselves in the opulent description of what seems to be the perfect utopian society. I do not know the rules and laws of their society, but I suspect that they were singularly few (1264) Here, LeGuin hands us the reins so that we might guide ourselves through Omelas, yet nudging us along by reminding us that [these] were not simple folk, not dulcet shepherds, noble savages, bland utopians (1264), they are ...mature, intelligent, passionate adults (1264) ....like us? Shall we have modern technology or not? If so, not as much that it ruins the perfection of this utopia. Suddenly the uneasy undertow comes full circle and washes us ashore as we are encouraged to amalgamate sexual desire and religion: I fear that Omelas so far strikes some of you as goody-goody. Smiles, bells, parades, horses, bleh. If so, please add an orgy. If an orgy would help, dont hesitate. Let us not, however, have temples from whichShow MoreRelated The Need for a Pariah Exposed in Those Who Walk Away From Omelas1043 Words   |  5 PagesThe Need for a Pariah Exposed in Those Who Walk Away From Omelas  Ã‚   Affirmative action is perhaps the political hot potato of the decade. Its divisiveness has escalated racial tensions all across the nation, in forums political and academic. It also creates problems on a daily basis for millions of Americans in the workforce, education, housing, and so forth. Affirmative action, by its very definition, uses discrimination to attempt to create equality. Its ultimate goal is to make everyoneRead MoreMy Strengths And Weaknesses Of The Foreign Environment That Is College971 Words   |  4 Pagesme, but being able to see what I did wrong and going back to correct these aspects really built up my eye for error. The meme analysis was our chance to evaluate similar pictures that we see and usually laugh at on social media. This assignment was one of my favorites because we were asked to analyze the memes ultimate purpose. The question â€Å"Why was it funny?† really could spark a debate. The amount of background knowledge needed to understand a meme may not be the first thing you think about when

A million dollars or a knighthood what would you choose and why Free Essays

I hardly hesitated for a second before deciding my answer to this question. I would choose the money every time. Not that I am a particularly greedy person or that I don’t appreciate the ability of a title to ensure a decent table in a restaurant or a better seat on a plane. We will write a custom essay sample on A million dollars or a knighthood: what would you choose and why? or any similar topic only for you Order Now But the latter only works if the other person is impressed by a title. Money is much more versatile. And it grows. With the proper advice and investments I could not only meet my own needs, but I could make even more money and so be able to help a wider number of good causes. Even if all I did was invest the money in a luxurious house I would be helping others because of the number of people involved – lawyers, estate agents, builders, garden designers etc. All this isn’t what I’d really do though. I would buy a mobile home and travel first before deciding where to settle. I would be able to do something really useful such as fund a new well in a remote village or buy animals and seeds for a third world agricultural project.   Many charities have a titled person as a sponsor, just because, in some cases at least, they think that a title on the headed notepaper will impress. I am still to be convinced. And if I wanted status I could always use a little of the money to buy an ancient title such as the ones advertised on the web site Noble Titles Their prices start from only  £2,000 and I would by far above any Sir and still have plenty of money in my pocket. Titles do not pay bills, not do they fill larders, ensure commonsense or anything else really worthwhile, though I do admit that money does not quite do all of those. The title Sir was often bestowed by a grateful sovereign on some brave hero. I am just not that brave and will settle for the money. Where do I sign? How to cite A million dollars or a knighthood: what would you choose and why?, Papers