Stonehenge Research Paper

Lauren Johnson
Grafton
Fine Arts Survey
8 October 15
FAS Unit Four Questions
1. What is Stonehenge? What is known about this monument (such as the date it was created and what the monument might have originally looked like)?
a. One of the most well-known monuments found in England. Stonehenge was likely built between 3000 BCE and 2000 BCE. Stonehenge consists of an outer ring of smaller stones which surround the inner cromlech. The innermost stones of this monument form a horseshoe shape that is aligned with the rising sun on the summer solstice.
2. What are portal tombs? How do they compare to passage tombs?
a. One of the most common forms of megalith architecture in Europe. Portal tombs are constructed with several upright stone blocks with
Monuments created during the Neolithic period were often made out of large blocks of stone. Many of these large stones weighed up to several tons and could measure fifteen or more feet in height, which probably made it extremely difficult for prehistoric people to move these stones to the site of the monument and then erect and arrange many of these stones in intentional ways.
9. Choose one piece of art shown in the unit and write an art critique of the piece. Write at least two paragraphs for your critique.
a. The Altamira Cave in Spain is an example of some of the earliest art known to man, cave paintings. The painting is rather simple with only the use of red and black coloring. Considering the tools the prehistoric people had, it is an accurate description of a bison. The artist used lines and color to help give the figure definition. The use of lines gives the figure a sense of strength that would not be present if those lines were not used.
b. This painting could have been used as a way to hunt more efficiently. In the image, the body of the animal is cleared painted. This could have helped the prehistoric people find places to aim their hunting spears and tools. This painting gave me an idea of how the prehistoric people viewed their surroundings. I found it very interesting and