Neolithic Art

Neolithic Art, the art and architecture of the long prehistoric period stretching roughly from 7000 bc to 2000 bc. The Neolithic period began when the seminomadic way of life of the hunter-gatherer gave way to that of the settled pastoralist; it ended when the discovery of bronze led to the more advanced Bronze Age.

Pottery was the prime medium of Neolithic art; other important artistic expressions were statuary of the universally worshipped Mother Goddess and megalithic stone monuments devoted to religion or cults of the dead. Neolithic pottery has been found throughout the regions inhabited by Neolithic peoples, from the Middle East through North Africa and the Mediterranean to Europe and the British Isles. It is usually rather plain, with simple decorations—triangles, spirals, wavy lines, and other geometric forms—incised on its rough or polished surfaces. Depending on the particular culture of its origin, such pottery may be cast in forms that mimic baskets, gourds, bells, or leather sacks.

The most important Neolithic stone monuments are the menhirs (large upright stones, also called megaliths) of Brittany, in France, and the great stone circles of England, the most important of which is Stonehenge, dating from about 3000 bc to about 1000 bc. These are extremely significant landmarks in the development of culture, because they represent the beginnings of architecture in the West.