Ice Age Art and Archaelogy
Join us on a journey through 30,000 years of Ice Age art history! The fascination with Ice Age art is nothing new. The first archaeological excavations in the Swabian Jura began 160 years ago. The artistic objects were found together with numerous everyday objects in the sediments at the entrance to the caves.
Ice age art in the Swabian Jura in German Sign Language: lion headLandesmuseum Württemberg
Ice Age Art - Introduction
Mammoth ivory artefacts from the Geißenklösterle (40,000 years before present)Landesmuseum Württemberg
Europe's oldest Works of Art!
The migration of modern humans from Africa coincides with the period of the oldest works of art found in Europe: small animal figures from mammouth ivory in the Swabian Jura in Germany.
Closely observed!
Another example is the cave paintings in the Grotte Chauvet in France. People in the Swabian Jura and in France observed nature and their works of art are detailed and realistic. They testify to close observation by Palaeolithic people.
Lion's head
Cave lions are frequently represented in both figurines and cave paintings.
The lion's head: enlarged copy, original size and cave painting (2024)Landesmuseum Württemberg
Far away, yet similar
The two places are 550 kilometres apart, but the artworks are very similar:
...the erect ears,
...the overemphasised tear ducts below the eyes, and the highly detailed snout.
Ice age art in the Swabian Jura in German Sign Language: Art to goLandesmuseum Württemberg
Everyday Life and Art
Life during the Upper Palaeolithic Period
In the Upper Palaeolithic Age, people also lived in the valleys of the Swabian Jura. Palaeolithic people set up their camps in the foothills of the caves.
Art to Go…
Their lives were characterised by high mobility. Accordingly, tools and other utensils were adapted to this way of life and were taken along on the migrations. This is also visible in their small figurines, some had eyelets and could be worn as pendants like the figure shown, others may have been carried in a pouch.
... and to Touch
People also liked to hold figurines in their hand. The snout of the bear from the Geißenklösterle, has been rounded by frequent touching.
Ice age art in the Swabian Jura in German Sign Language: Celebrating in the Ice AgeLandesmuseum Württemberg
Festivities and Art
Celebrating in the Ice Age
Celebrations were just as important for the people of the Upper Palaeolithic as they are for us today. Celebrating and personal interaction strengthened cohesion and served as a means of communication between different groups. Feasts included music, dancing, and probably communal meals.
Dancing Women
Accordingly, dancing people can also be found among the Ice Age figures. They are all women, depicted abstractly from the side and without head, in a slightly squatting position, which emphasises their buttocks.
Abstract Depictions
Only a few women have arms or breasts. In addition to the sculptural figures, there are also representations of women carved on slates and animal bones.
Ice age art in the Swabian Jura in German Sign Language: Inspiration and MaterialLandesmuseum Württemberg
Mammoth ivory
Mammoth, an impresive Animal
The preferred material of Ice Age artists was mammoth ivory. With a shoulder height of 3.50 m and tusks over 4 m long, weighing more than 100 kg, mammoths were very impressive animals.
Structure of a Mammoth Tusk
From the outside to the inside a mammoth tusk comprises enamel, dentin and the root cavity. Dentin served as the raw material used to carve figurines.
Inspiration for the Ice Age Art
The mammoth impressed the people of the Ice Age. They often depicted mammoths in works of art. Long storage in the ground causes the tooth bone to become brittle. This is why many works of art from the Ice Age are incomplete today.
Ice age art in the Swabian Jura in German Sign Language: half man, half lionLandesmuseum Württemberg
Half Man - half Lion
Lionman relief from the Geißenklösterle Cave Relief of a lionman (40,000 years before present)Landesmuseum Württemberg
Hybrid Creatures
Hybrid creatures, comprising human and lion, have been a motif since the beginning of Ice Age Art. One example of this is a figure that is half human and half animal, presumably a cave lion. The human part and the animal part are difficult to distinguish from each other.
The half-relief shows such a lion man: The strong neck, the stocky arms and legs and the barely discernible tail are all lion-like in design. Due to its upright posture, however, the creature looks like a human being and, with its arms stretched upwards, is reminiscent of an ancient worshipping figure (Latin: adorant).
Back to the Future
From realistic depictions of animals to fascinating images of hybrid creatures and abstract female figures... this was our journey through 30,000 years of Ice Age art history. Thank you for joining us on this journey, we hope you enjoyed it.
Concept/text: Dr. Fabian Haak, Niela Katsi
Editorial/realization: Anna Gnyp
