Did Homo erectus make paintings?
By 40,000 years ago, and probably much earlier, anatomically modern humans — Homo sapiens — were painting on cave walls in places as far apart as Europe2 and Indonesia3. But until the discovery of the shell engraving, nothing approximating art has been ascribed to Homo erectus.
Did Homo erectus have rock art?
Up until now, the earliest evidence of geometric art was found carved into rocks in South African caves. These date back to 70,000 to 100,000 years ago. She says that if the marking were made by an homo sapiens then it would easily be called early art (see “World’s Oldest Artwork Discovered in Indonesia“).
Did Homo ergaster make art?
Homo ergaster may well have been the first hominid to use a ‘human’ voice – a proto-language – based on the evidence of the cervical vertebrae. Even though there is no archaeological evidence, its well-evolved brain and physical capabilities suggest it may have made use of symbolic thought, such as figurative art.
What is the first evidence of art?
The origins of art are therefore much more ancient and lie within Africa, before worldwide human dispersal. The earliest known evidence of ‘artistic behaviour’ is of human body decoration, including skin colouring with ochre and the use of beads, although both may have had functional origins.
What is the first painting ever?
Experts estimated that some of these paintings could be as much as 40,000 years old. In fact, one painting — a red disk painted on the wall of the El Castillo Cave in Spain — was estimated to be 40,800 years old and regarded as the oldest painting ever.
Who is the oldest artist in the world?
List of centenarians (artists, painters and sculptors)
| Name | Lifespan | Age |
|---|---|---|
| William Pachner | 1915–2017 | 102 |
| I. M. Pei | 1917–2019 | 102 |
| Katherine Plunket | 1820–1932 | 111 |
| Don Potter | 1902–2004 | 102 |