Palaeolithic Collection (#6)

Hunting for food in the later Ice Age (Last Glacial Period), showing a family of cave dwellers with bow and arrow. At this time there was no English Channel

Mammoth, 1907 (stone)
MAE340646 Mammoth, 1907 (stone) by Dalmau, Miguel (fl.1907); 350x550 cm; Parc de la Ciutadella, Barcelona, Spain; (add.info.: Mamut; ); ePaul Maeyaert; Spanish, out of copyright

Man whose skull was discovered in Rhodesia in 1921 (litho)
979410 Man whose skull was discovered in Rhodesia in 1921 (litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Man whose skull was discovered in Rhodesia in 1921)

Weapons and tools of Primitive man (engraving)
962199 Weapons and tools of Primitive man (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Weapons and tools of Primitive man)

Rhodesian Man (litho)
979411 Rhodesian Man (litho) by Forestier, Amedee (1854-1930) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Rhodesian Man. Illustration from The Outline of Science, The Waverley Book Company Ltd)

The Stone Age, returning from a bear hunting, 1882 (oil on canvas)
PCT164357 The Stone Age, returning from a bear hunting, 1882 (oil on canvas) by Cormon, Fernand (1854-1924); 146x190 cm; Musee des Beaux-Arts, Carcassonne, France; (add.info.: L Age de pierre)

REINDEER PERIOD ARTISTS
Artists of the Reindeer Period (part of the palaeolithic era) Date: circa 10, 000 BC

Cave painting of a bison from the Altamira cave, Spain, 1933-1934. Print from Wonders of the Past, volume III, 1933-1934

Paleolithic Quartz Flake Tool from Olduvai, 1 to 2 million years old

Female Head from Brassempovy, France, Upper Paleolithic, (c20th century)
Female Head from Brassempovy, France, Upper Paleolithic, Gravettian Period (c20th century). Mammoth Ivory

Paleolithic Polishing Stone for Sharpening Bone Harpoons from Dordogne, c50, 000BC-c10, 000 BC
Paleolithic Polishing Stone for Sharpening Bone Harpoons from Dordogne, c50, 000-10, 000 BC. Paleolithic age is a prehistoric period of human history distinguished by the development of the most

Paleolithic cave-painting of Bison from Lascaux, France. c50, 000-c10, 000 BC
Paleolithic cave-painting of Bison from Lascaux, France, 50, 000-10, 000BC. Paleolithic age is a prehistoric period of human history distinguished by the development of the most primitive stone

Paleolithic Flint Handaxe from Chelles, 500, 000 to 100, 000 BC, (c20th century). Seine et maine France: Chellean, lower levels

Cromagnon Skull Upper Paleolithic from France, c50, 000BC-c10, 000 BC
Cromagnon Skull Upper Paleolithic from France, c50, 000-10, 000 BC. Paleolithic age is a prehistoric period of human history distinguished by the development of the most primitive stone tools

Paleolithic Engraving on bone of a Man from Mas d Azil, France, c50, 000BC-c10, 000 BC
Paleolithic Engraving on bone of a Man from Mas d Azil, France, c50, 000-10, 000 BC. Paleolithic age is a prehistoric period of human history distinguished by the development of the most primitive

Neanderthal woman, artwork. The bones of of her right hip joint are shown here. Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis) inhabited Europe and western Asia between 230, 000 and 29, 000 years ago

Neanderthals hunting Irish elk, artwork. Group of Neanderthal hunters attacking a male Irish elk (Megaloceros giganteus). The Irish elk was one of the largest deer that ever lived

Homo heidelbergensis skull (Cranium 5) C015 / 6921
Homo heidelbergensis skull (Cranium 5). Excavated in 1992 from the Sima de los Huesos pit in the Atapuerca foothills in Spain, this fossil skull dates from around 400, 000 years ago

Otto Bader, Soviet archaeologist
Otto Bader (lower left, 1903-1979), Soviet archaeologist, making notes at an archaeological dig in the Crimea area of Russia, on the shores of the Black Sea

Mammoth ivory sculptures. Female figures carved from tusks of the woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius). The woolly mammoth was a large, elephant-like mammal with a thick, hairy coat

Mammoth bone hut excavation, Ukraine
Mammoth bone hut being excavated by archaeologists near the village of Mezhyrich, Ukraine. The mammoth bones are seen around the archeologists and have been numbered

Homo heidelbergensis family, artwork. Also known as Heidelberg Man, these early humans are part of the genus Homo. This is the same genus as modern humans, but this species of humans went extinct

Cro-Magnon man and woman, artwork C017 / 7258
Cro-Magnon man and woman, artwork. They are wearing animal skins and necklaces, and are carrying tools and weapons. Cro-Magnons are a form of early modern humans (Homo sapiens sapiens)

Stone Age (Magdalenian) bullroarer. This device, here covered in carved lines, was swung through the air to make a roaring sound, and was thought to have been used in fertility rites

Venus of Brassempouy, Stone Age figurine. This 3.65-centimetre-tall prehistoric figurine fragment was excavated in 1894 from a cave near Brassempouy in the Landes region of south-western France

Prehistoric flint knife

Stone Age (Magdalenian) bone disc. These objects, decorated with figures of animals, were carvings made on thin discs of bones, often cut from shoulder blades

Prehistoric hominin females, artwork. From left to right: Flores Man (Homo floresiensis), Cro-Magnon (European Early Modern Humans or EEMH, Homo sapiens sapiens)

Venus of Dolni Vestonice, Stone Age. Close-up of the mask or head of the Venus of Dolni Vestonice figurine. The whole object is an 11-centimetre-high ceramic (clay and loess) figurine

Stone Age (Magdalenian) harpoons. These specimens were found in the Rascano cave, Mirones, in the Cantabria region of Spain

Stone Age (Magdalenian) harpoon. This specimen was found in the Rascano cave, Mirones, in the Cantabria region of Spain. It dates from the time of the Magdalenian culture

Australopithecus africanus pelvis, STS-14 C015 / 6919
Australopithecus africanus pelvis (STS-14). This fossil specimen was discovered in 1947, in Sterkfontein, South Africa. The entire specimen consists of the pelvis, part of the vertebral column

Australopithecus africanus skull (STS-5) C015 / 6916
Australopithecus africanus skull. This is specimen STS-5, also known as Mrs Ples. It dates from around 2 million years ago and was discovered in Sterkfontein, South Africa, in 1947

Prehistoric carved horse, Vogelherd Cave C015 / 6740
Prehistoric carved horse. Prehistoric carving in mammoth ivory of a wild horse. This Stone Age (palaeolithic) artefact (50 millimetres long)

Prehistoric carved bird, Hohle Fels cave C015 / 6741
Prehistoric carved bird. Prehistoric carving in mammoth ivory of a water bird. It is thought to be a diver, cormorant, or duck

Sima de los Huesos fossils C015 / 6587
Sima de los Huesos fossils. Researchers with a display of fossil bones of Homo heidelbergensis from the Sima de los Huesos (Pit of Bones) site, Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain

Prehistoric cave paintings, Chauvet C016 / 0576
Prehistoric cave paintings, Chauvet, France. These cave paintings of various animals are found in the Chauvet Cave, France. This is the site of the earliest known cave paintings (as of 2011)

Neanderthal couple, artwork C016 / 5791
Neanderthal couple, artwork. Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis) inhabited Europe and western Asia between 230, 000 and 29, 000 years ago

Ivory and bone tools, Upper Palaeolithic C016 / 5026
Ivory and bone tools, Upper Palaeolithic. These items date from between 18, 000 and 30, 000 years ago. From upper left to lower right they are

Lascaux II cave painting replica C013 / 7375
Lascaux II replica of a Lascaux cave painting. This is the unicorn figure in the Great Hall of the Bulls. The original Lascaux cave was closed to the public in 1963

Restoring Lascaux cave paintings replica. The original Lascaux cave was closed to the public in 1963, with the Lascaux II replica opening nearby in 1983

Homo habilis hunting, artwork C013 / 6549
Homo habilis group using tools to share a kill, artwork. H. habilis is thought to have lived approximately 2 to 1.6 million years ago in East Africa

Homo neanderthalensis (Ferrassie 1) cranium cast
Cranium cast of an adult male Neandertal Man (Homo neanderthalensis) discovered at La Ferrassie, Dordogne, France, by D Peyrony and L. Captian in 1909. The original specimen dates back 70, 000 years

Mousterian tools
A slide scraper and a pointed tool made from black flint of Mousterian age, 40, 000 - 55, 000 years old (Middle Palaeolithic), from Le Moustier, France

Homo habilis tools
A collection of pebble tools (Oldowan) discovered at the Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. They date back to about 1.8 million years ago

Modern human. Model of an early human (Homo sapiens) or Cro-Magnon man. Cro-Magnon is the earliest European example of Homo sapiens

Neanderthals in summer, artwork. Like modern humans, Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis) are members of the Homo genus. They inhabited Europe and western Asia between 230, 000 and 29, 000 years ago

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"Unveiling the Mysteries of Palaeolithic: Journey into the Ancient World" Step back in time and explore the captivating world of Palaeolithic, a period that dates back thousands of years. From intricate cave paintings to enigmatic figurines, this era has left behind an extraordinary legacy for us to unravel. One remarkable site is Lascaux II, where a replica of its famous cave painting transports us to a time when early humans expressed their creativity on stone walls. These Stone-Age cave paintings found in Chauvet, France offer glimpses into their daily lives and spiritual beliefs. Speaking of Chauvet, it seems this region was truly an artistic hub during the Stone Age. The abundance and diversity of these ancient artworks continue to astound researchers today. Each stroke tells a story - stories that have survived centuries. But Palaeolithic isn't just about art; it's also about fascinating creatures that once roamed our planet. Take the Siberian unicorn or Elasmotherium sibiricum as an example – an awe-inspiring creature captured in illustrations from 1908. Such discoveries remind us how diverse life on Earth used to be. The Venus figurines are another intriguing aspect of this era. Whether it's the Venus of Brassempouy or the iconic Venus of Willendorf, these Stone Age masterpieces provide insights into human perceptions of beauty and fertility at that time. And let's not forget our ancestors. Homo rudolfensis (KNM-ER 1470) and Homo habilis (KNM-ER 1813) represent important milestones in human evolution during Palaeolithic times. Their remains shed light on our own origins and how we became who we are today. Lastly, there are carvings like those from Magdalenian culture – intricate works etched onto stone surfaces with precision and skill. These carvings serve as evidence for sophisticated craftsmanship and the cultural significance of art in Palaeolithic societies.