Paleolithic Period

c. 2.5 million to c. 10,000 BCE

Ancient cave painting of multiple human handprints in white, black, and red colors on a rocky reddish-brown surface.

The Paleolithic Period or “Old Stone Age” is distinguished by the use stone tools and the world’s earliest art

Basics

Foundations in historical thinking

Ancient calendar stone with text "BC vs. AD, BCE vs. CE" overlay, juxtaposed with a historical manuscript in the background.
What do BCE/BC and CE/AD mean?

Important terms and concepts

BC vs. BCE

AD vs. CE

Caves

Paintings on cave walls are some of the most famous examples of art made in the Paleolithic period

Important terms and concepts

Paleolithic

Ocher/Ochre

Pigment

Cave painting

Prehistoric cave painting depicting various animals, including possibly a large feline or predator, painted with natural pigments on a stone surface.
Ocher and prehistoric painting
Ancient cave wall with white and black handprint cave paintings of human hands.
Cave of the Hands, Argentina
A digital illustration featuring abstract line drawings of various cultural and artistic icons, including a Greek statue, an Aztec or Mayan warrior, and a decorative tribal mask, with a green banner in the center stating "Coming Soon" in yellow text. The background is dark blue, and the icons are enclosed within yellow-green circles. The artwork has a modern, graphic style with bold outlines and simplified shapes.
Hand axes/Bifaces

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