Dating & Methods
This term refers to the time before written records.
What is prehistory?
This cave in France contains the Hall of Bulls
What is Lascaux?
This major development allowed humans to settle permanently rather than remain nomadic.
What is agriculture?
This term describes giving human qualities to non-human forms.
What is anthropomorphic?
Four common prehistoric materials include stone, bone, clay, and this red earth pigment.
What is ochre?
This principle states that lower layers of soil are older than higher ones.
What is the Law of Superposition?
Artists at Lascaux used charcoal, ochre, and this mineral to create black pigment.
What is manganese?
This climate change made the world more hospitable after the Ice Age.
What is warming temperatures?
This female figurine from Central Mexico is known for having two faces, possibly symbolizing duality.
What is the Tlatilco Female Figurine?
Lapita pottery was decorated using this stamping method.
What is dentate stamping?
This archaeological method places artifacts in sequence without assigning exact calendar dates.
What is relative dating?
This stylistic convention shows animals in profile with twisted horns to reveal multiple perspectives.
What is composite view (twisted perspective)?
This Neolithic culture created ritual jade objects found in elite burials in southeastern China.
What is the Liangzhu culture?
The horns and scale of the Running Horned Woman may suggest this spiritual role.
What is a deity, goddess, or shamanic figure?
This Mexican artifact demonstrates additive carving and abrasion techniques applied to bone.
What is the Camelid Sacrum?
This layering process helps archaeologists establish chronological order.
What is stratification?
One major theory suggests Paleolithic cave paintings were created for this purpose related to hunting success.
What is hunting magic?
The square exterior and circular interior of this object may symbolize earth and heaven.
What is a jade cong?
These ritual jade objects were found arranged around bodies in high-status burials.
What are jade congs?
This construction technique was used at Stonehenge to secure posts and lintels.
What is mortise and tenon?
Findings in these two academic fields have helped scholars better understand prehistoric art.
What are archaeology and anthropology?
(Also accepted: science/social science)
This Neolithic Saharan rock painting depicts a large horned female figure possibly associated with ritual or fertility.
What is the Running Horned Woman?
This monumental stone structure in England was built in phases over roughly 1,000 years.
What is Stonehenge?
This carved stone from Papua New Guinea may depict a fetal echidna and possibly functioned as both ritual and utilitarian object.
What is the Ambum Stone?
Pigment was sometimes applied in caves by blowing it through these hollow objects.
What are bones (hollow bones used as spray tools)?