Art Part 2

The beginnings of Art (from the beginning

of human history to 1500 A.D.

The history of art is a long affair. It is a story

filled with glory, creativity, and shifting
civilizations throughout the ages of time. Art
can have spontaneous characteristics at times,
which is why art manifests itself readily is
pronounced diversity. This work defines art
from the dawn of human history to the end
of the classical era of world history. The
ancients not only mastered art. They
continue to inspire our generation too. Now,
we live in a new time and we are blessed to
have this opportunity to learn about ancient
art and the beautiful essence of art in general.

Introduction
Art is all around us. It inspires
our souls. From graffiti to
abstract works, it has the
qualities of multifaceted
interpretations and
uniqueness. It focuses our
minds in creating or
witnessing creative expression.
Art is beauty, because art
personifies the essence of
beauty (which involves
diversity, color, contrast,
rhythm, tolerance, and a love
of truth). Also, it is always
important for anyone to
acknowledge the unsung
artists who constantly sacrifice
their time to establish
masterpieces. Many of these
unsung artists are in the streets
painting images, some are in
Facebook, and others show
their works in museums or art
galleries internationally. Not
to mention that art history is
essential to study. From the
beginning of human history
(which included the paintings
of prehistoric animals and
various ancient sculptures) to
near 2020, art has been
expressed throughout
continents. There are a myriad
of nationalities who have
shown great artistic
expression. Human beings of
every background represent
artists too. The hieroglyphs of
ancient Egypt, the statues of
Nubia, the architecture found
in ancient West Africa, the
ancient Shang dynasty artwork
of China, and the Renaissance
paintings as found in Europe
definitely outline the breadth
of the long legacy of art
history. In our generation, it is
important to also respect and
acknowledge the classic art
displayed by people of color
too. The reason is that in
Western society, many of us
know about European artists
and movements, yet it is also
important to show the
contributions of artists from
Africa, Australia, India, China,
Oceania, and other places
globally. Diversity is our
strength.
Therefore, we appreciate the
works of Augusta Savage,
Jacob Lawrence, Aaron
Douglas, and so many other
people who used their dreams
and made them real. Art isn't
just appreciated by Americans.
It's loved, expressed, and
honored among the whole of
the human race globally.
Lovers of art are diverse and
some travel thousands of miles
just to look at their favorite
works of art. Photography,
digital works, and many other
genres deal with art too. Art is
never monolithic. So, I like to
discover information. I like to
research for the sake of
advancing my own sense of
inquisitive inquiry. In that
sense, my consciousness is
grown. During this generation,
we all seek justice (as we know
that the Dream is not yet
fulfilled, but we still believe in
the Dream for ourselves, for
our families, for our friends,
and for our posterity) and art
is a sacrosanct reflection of the
diverse human creative energy.
In any democratic society, art
must flourish triumphantly in
order for total human freedom
to exist. We also desire our
glorious imagination to be
maintained and one way to do
it is the continual investment
in art. That is why art is very
important and art history
makes us aware of past plus
present artistic genius. We
want future artists to develop
in a great level as we love the
arts. We believe in justice and
honest, innovative human
expression concretely.
 The Beginnings of Art
Global art started since the beginning of human history. The concept of art history doesn't just deal with
the history of art. It deals with the feelings, the expressions, and the living of ancient human beings from
the beginnings of human history to the present. It deals with the constant changes over the course of
millennia of humans using sculpture, painting, architecture, and other aspects of art creation. Scholars
believe that oldest decorative forms we can recognize as art come from Africa and may date back to
100,000 B.C. In contrast, the oldest cave paintings known are about 40,800 years old. The Paleolithic Age
(from ca. 3.3 million B.C. to 8,000 B.C.) or the Old Stone Age involved human beings using hunting and
gathering. Many humans lived in caves back then. So, cave paintings were developed. There were also
statues like the famous Venus of Willendorf statue which was found between 28,000 B.C. and 25,000 B.C.
It was found near Willendorf, which is a village in Lower Austria. It is also near the town of Krems. The
statue is made up of limestone. There were human made objects in southern Africa, the Western
Mediterranean, Central and Eastern Europe, Siberia, India, and Australia. There were wood and bone tools.
Much of art back then used paint in red, iron oxide, clay, and black in manganese oxide. A lot of cave
paintings were found in the Franco-Cantabrian region too. Many of the images show ritualized images.
Some show animals. There were works like the Man from Brno and the Venus of Brassempouy. There is the
Venus of Laussel too, which is an Upper Paleolithic carving. Many art images of that era included reindeer,
horses, bison, birds, lions, woolly rhinoceros, etc. There were African ancient art like African rock art found
in the Nile River valley and Mali in about 10,000 years ago. There was the Apollo 11 Cave complex in
Namibia with seven stone plaquettes painted with figures of animals have been recovered from a horizon
dated to between 22,500 and 27,500 years ago.

The Blombos cave in South Africa yielded hatched patterns incised on pieces of ochre dated to as early as
70,000 years ago, which has been classified as "art" in some publications. In Australia, human beings
painted human figures on rocks in Western Australia dating to over 17,000 years ago. Gabarnmung, or
Nawarla Gabarnmung, is an Aboriginal archaeological and rock art site in south-western Arnhem Land, in
the Top End of Australia's Northern Territory. The rock shelter features prehistoric paintings of fish,
including the barramundi, wallabies, crocodiles, people and spiritual figures. Rock paintings existed in the
Americas in central Andes, Ecuador, and northern Chile from ca. 10,000 B.C. There were early art in the
rock paintings of the Toquepala Caves from 9,500 B.C. The Mesolithic period was from 8,000 B.C. to 6,000
B.C. This is also known as the Middle Stone Age. During this time, cultures were diverse worldwide. This
was the time of when human agriculture developed. During this period, human beings formed cave
paintings, engravings, and ceramics. They enacted this art for self-expression, a reflection of their lives, and
for other purposes. During this time, people used stone tools or microliths. Cave art and rock art existed on
the Mediterranean coast of Spain. There was a Mesolithic pendant found in England too. The Mesolithic
period had a warmer climate than the Paleolithic Age. The Man of Bicorp painting showed a person
gathering honey from a beehive and it was found in an 8,000 year old cave near Valencia, Spain. The Dance
of the Cogul painting was found in El Cogul, Catalonia, Spain.

An Outline of the Three Stone Ages

Age The Paleolithic Age The Mesolithic Age The Neolithic Age
Date Ca. 3.3 million B.C. – 8,000 8,000 B.C. - 6,000 B.C. 6,000 B.C. – 3,000 B.C.
B.C.
Characteristics • Humans used rough or • People made pottery • Human beings used
chipped stone tools and cave paintings. objects from wood
• People painted on cave • People hunted animals (after the Ice Age). They
walls and it consisted and gathered planted in made complex pottery
heavily of painted order to store it for later and baskets. Some built
animals use. shelters and tombs.
• Humans hunted • Many individuals settled • People started to
animals, gathered nuts, in villages near rivers advance family,
berries, and grains and lakes. Some used cultivate farming (like
• People used fire, bows and arrows (plus having cereals and
developed languages hooks and barbs grains), and create
and used simple tools including interlocking permanent villages.
for hunting and shelter. blades). Others had • People also raised and
• Hunter-gatherer simple tools. Humans herded animals.
societies flourish with started to tame or • Built mud brick houses
people living in clans. domesticate animals. and places of worships
• Society evolves from developed. Specialized
hunter gatherer to food jobs were formed.
production. • Complex tools made up
of cooper and bronze
were formed.
 Art in the Neolithic Age
The Neolithic Age came about from 6,000 B.C. to 3,000 B.C. Back then, there were more complex societies,
religion was expressed, and agriculture started to flourish in a higher level. The rock art of the Iberian
Mediterranean Basin—dated between the Mesolithic and Neolithic eras—contained small, schematic
paintings of human figures, with notable examples in El Cogul, Valltorta, Alpera and Minateda. This kind of
painting was also similar to paintings found in northern Africa
(Atlas, Sahara) and in the area of modern Zimbabwe. Such rock
paintings of domesticated animals were found in the Sahara and
Southern Africa as early as 7,000 B.C. Neolithic painting was
schematic, reduced to basic strokes (like men in the form of a
cross and women in a triangular shape). There are also cave
paintings in Pinturas River in Argentina, especially the Cueva de las
Manos. In portable art, a style called Cardium. Pottery was
produced, decorated with imprints of seashells. New materials
were used in art, such as amber, crystals found in rock, quartz and
jasper. During this period, the first traces of urbanistic planimetry This is a reconstruction of Neolithic
appeared, such as the remains in Tell as-Sultan (Jericho), Jarmo house in Tuzla, Bosnia and
(Iraq), and Çatalhöyük (Anatolia. That's another word for Turkey). Herzegovina.

The Neolithic Art also focused on agriculture and complex architecture too. There were more cultivation of
wild and domestic crops and the use of domesticated animals. Neolithic is also known as the New Stone
Age. The Neolithic cultures existed worldwide not just in the Near East. Pottery is part of art too and that
was found during this age. Gobeki Tepe has the oldest human made place of worship in the world. It is
found in 10,000 B.C. It has reliefs of animals decorated on the pillars. Fertility figures and terra cotta
pottery has been found at Tell-Halaf (in northern Syria) and Tell al-Ubaid (on the coast of the Persian Gulf).
Halafian pottery had complex geometric and animal motif on them too. Stonehenge in England is known as
a megalithic henge. Its meaning has been debated. It aligned during the sunrise of summer solstice and the
sunset of the winter solstice. Some believe that it was used as a large calendar to astronomically determine
the growing season and harvest. Megaliths existed worldwide form Malta to Easter Island.

Art during the Bronze and Iron Ages

Art during the Bronze Age was beautiful and diverse. This era of ancient history was characterized by
complex civilizations, art, the growth of urban communities, advanced writing (from pictograms from early
humans to hieroglyphics in ancient Egypt, cuneiform in Sumer, the alphabet in Phoenicia, Sanskrit in India,
and the oracle bone script in ancient China), and international trade. Art was found worldwide in Africa,
Europe, Asia, the Americas, Oceania, etc. Cooper and bronze was used to create artistic masterpieces.
There were mass migrations in Africa, Europe, and the Mediterranean region. The usage of metallurgy was
established to form various objects, tools, etc. Scholars denote the Bronze Age from 3,000 B.C. to ca. 600
B.C. The Sahara dried up just before 3,000 B.C. By that time, farming communities left the Sahara and more
civilizations grew throughout the African continent. The unification of the Egyptian Kingdom into one
existed by ca. 3,100 B.C. and the earliest of the Nubian kingdoms was centered at Kerma in present-day
Sudan and dominated trade networks linking central Africa to Egypt for almost one thousand years
beginning around the time of the early Bronze Age. The Nile River was a large river that carried resources
from south to the northern Nile Delta next to the Mediterranean Sea. By July, rains and melting snow
would cause water to travel from east Africa to the Nile River. The river by October receded and it caused
fertile black mud called silt, which was used for farming. Wheat and barley fields existed in ancient Egypt.
According to the Greek historian Herodotus (from the 5th century B.C.), Egypt was the "gift of the Nile."
Upper Egypt is in Southern Egypt and Lower Egypt is located in Northern Egypt. The Early Dynastic age in
ancient Egypt lasted from 3,150 B.C. to 2,686 B.C. This was when the Upper and Lower Egyptian areas were
unified into one. Scholars believe that a king named Narmer was the first king of the unified Kingdom. He
had the double crown and white and red representing this union. Pharaohs, to ancient Egyptians, were
seen as gods from the heavens. The ancient Egyptian culture was heavily polytheistic and theocratic. Many
ancient Egyptians worshiped the pharaohs constantly. That is why pharaohs were buried in pyramids as
tombs to prepare them for the afterlife. The class structure in ancient Egyptian society had pharaohs in the
top (along with the Queen and the royal family). The upper class had wealthy landowners, government
officials, priests, and army commanders. Below that was the middle class including merchants and artisans.
The base of the class pyramid included people who were the poor, working class. They included farmers
and laborers. Most ancient Egyptian people were in the poor, working class status. The Old Kingdom lasted
from 2,686 B.C. to 2,181 B.C. It was a time of great technological development, art, and language
flourishing. During this time, the Great Pyramids were constructed.

The ancient Egyptian pyramids and paintings back then were crafted with great precision. The Great
Pyramids of Giza were finished during the Bronze Age. One of the greatest structures was the image of
Pharaoh Tutankhamun. His mother was Queen Anhkenseamun. King Tut wanted to oppose Pharaoh
Akhenaten's monotheist movement of the worship of the sun (or Aten). Ancient Egyptian civilization had
many complex arrays of architecture, art, and religious infrastructure. One fact of ancient Egypt was that it
wanted tradition to be maintained including on how its art was expressed. The First Intermediate Period
(2181–1991B.C.) revolved around a transition. The city of Thebes grew in power. Memphis was always a
strong city in ancient Egypt. The first great metropolis in world history probably was the city of Memphis.
The Middle Kingdom (2134–1690 BC) was highly prosperous too. It had irrigation production programs.
Mentuhotep II and his Eleventh Dynasty successors ruled from Thebes, but the vizier Amenemhat I, upon
assuming kingship at the beginning of the Twelfth Dynasty around 1985 BC, shifted the nation's capital to
the city of Itjtawy, located in Faiyum. The last great ruler of the Middle Kingdom, Amenemhat III, allowed
Semitic-speaking Canaanite settlers from the Near East into the delta region to provide a sufficient labor
force for his especially active mining and building campaigns.
 Queen Hatshepsut was
the second woman
pharaoh of ancient Egypt.
She lived from ca. 1507
B.C. to 1458 B.C.
Imhotep was a great architect, physician, and adviser. His genius was
well known throughout his life. During the late 27th century B.C., he
was the main architect of the stepped pyramid of Djoser. Djoser was
the second pharaoh of the 3rd Dynasty. Imhotep is well known as a
great scribe, astronomer, poet, and engineer. Being a polymath was
his specialty. Many of the ancients worshipped him because of his
great knowledge of medicine.

REMEMBERING ANCIENT EGYPT

Polytheism
was hugely Spanning over three millennia, Ancient Egypt has shown a full range of human
part of expression from writing to technological development. It was a civilization that was
ancient ahead of its time in terms of science, the arts, culture, architecture, mathematics,
Egypt. Ra, astronomy, economics, and other aspects of human living. Its pyramids, its games, and
Isis, and
other gods its cities like Memphis & Thebes were numerous and powerful. Its spirituality was
primarily composed of polytheism where the pharaoh (or the leader of ancient Egyptian The Rosetta
and
goddesses society) was deified. Women were prominent in its lands as well as priestesses, scholars, Stone helped
were and other leaders. To this very day, we discover more secrets as it pertains to the scholars to
worshipped translate
everyday workings of ancient Egypt. Now, it is the perfect time, as we approach 2020, to
during that Egyptian
time. outline a summary of its legacy. Yes, black African people did live in ancient Egypt too.
hieroglyphics
more
accurately. It
was based on
a decree
issued at
Memphis,
Egypt in 196
B.C.
Egyptian hieroglyphics include about Rameses II was one of the most famous
1,000 distinct characters. They are pharaohs of the New Kingdom. He expanded
made up of logographic, syllabic, and Egypt into a larger empire. He fought the
alphabetic elements. The image on the Hittites of Turkey and formed a peace treaty
left is found at Amanda in a temple with them. He fought in Libya, Nubia, and
founded by Tuthmosis III. The image on Syria. He lived to be 66 years old and his
the right shows hieroglyphics from the father was Seti I. Queen Nefertari was his
Great Hypostyle Hall in Karnak (from wife.
the days of Seti I from the 13th century
B.C.). Ancient Egypt had diverse culture with feasts, sports, and festivals. They had
music and dancing. Many used linen for clothing. Jewelry and cosmetics
were commonly worn by the upper class. Family members lived in a mud
brick homes. Also, most ancient Egyptians were farmers and they were tied
to the land. Senet or a board game was common back then. Bread, dates,
figs, fish, fowl, and other food were eaten by the ancient Egyptians.
 The image to the left shows the images of Temple of Ramesses II at the Abu
Simbel Temple complex. The image to the right shows Queen Ankhesenamun
The Second Intermediate Period (1674–1549 BC) saw Semitic invaders called the Hyksos conquering ancient
Egypt and ruling it with their leaders for years. The Hyksos used chariots to conquer Egyptian territory.
Queen Ahhotep helped to drive out the Hyksos. The cousins to the Hyksos are the ancient Hebrews, who
are another Semitic people. Later, Kamose won a victory over the Hyksos too. The New Kingdom (1549–
1069 B.C.) saw ancient Egypt reached its peak of civilization and culture in that civilization. The ancient
Egyptians used bronze weapons and chariots to conquer more territory. Queen Hatshepsut was a pharaoh
too during the New Kingdom. She ordered the trading expedition in Punt near Somalia. She sent 5 ships to
Punt to get myrrh, frankincense, and fragrant ointments for cosmetics and religious purposes. Thutmose III
won victories in Syria and Palestine. Ramses II fought the Hittites (who had an ancient empire in modern
day Turkey) and made a historic peace treaty with them after their clash at Kadesh in ca. 1285 B.C.
Massive buildings like the Great Temple at Abu Simbel with 4 statues of Ramses II existed during this time.
The Third Intermediate Period (1069–653 B.C.) saw a slow decline of the Egyptian empire. Invaders from
Libya and the Sea Peoples (from the Mediterranean Sea) attacked ancient Egypt as well.

Also, Ancient Nubia had great art. The Nubians were known rivals to the ancient Egyptians. Many ancient
Nubians or Kushites allied with the Hyksos (or the enemy of the Egyptians). The Nubians and Egyptians
fought each other in various battles and conflicts. They developed their own civilizations. The Nubians were
also influenced by ancient Egyptian culture in their pyramids and religious belief systems. Kush's capital was
in Napata. The Kushite king Piye left his Nubian capital of Napata and invaded Egypt around 727 B.C. Piye
easily seized control of Thebes and eventually the Nile Delta. He recorded the episode on his stela of
victory. Piye set the stage for subsequent Twenty-fifth dynasty pharaohs, such as Taharqa, to reunite the
"Two lands" of Northern and Southern Egypt. The Nile valley empire was as large as it had been since the
New Kingdom. The Twenty-fifth dynasty ushered in a renaissance period for ancient Egypt. Religion, the
arts, and architecture were restored to their glorious Old, Middle, and New Kingdom forms. Pharaohs, such
as Taharqa (who was a black Nubian man), built or restored temples and monuments throughout the Nile
valley, including at Memphis, Karnak, Kawa, Jebel Barkal, etc. The Bible mentions Taharqa’s name too. This
time was during the Twenty-fifth dynasty when there was the first widespread construction of pyramids.
Many of these pyramids were constructed in modern day Sudan in the Nile Valley.
The Middle Kingdom had advanced pyramids too. Piye made various unsuccessful
attempts to extend Egyptian influence in the Near East, then controlled by Assyria.
In 720 B.C., he sent an army in support of a rebellion against Assyria, which was
taking place in Philistia and Gaza. However, Piye was defeated by Sargon II (an
Assyrian leader) and the rebellion failed. In 711 B.C., Piye again supported a revolt
against Assyria by the Israelites of Ashdod and was once again defeated by the
Assyrian king Sargon II. Subsequently, Piye was forced from the Near East.

As mentioned by the article of "The Land of Nubia" by Janice Kamrin, Associate

Curator, Department of Egyptian Art; and Adela Oppenheim, Curator, Department
of Egyptian Art:
These beautiful black
"...Key to our understanding of the region is the work of the women, from thousands
Archaeological Survey of Nubia, which began in September 1907. Also of years ago, were Black
adding immeasurably to our knowledge of Nubia was the Nubian Salvage Nubian human beings.
Project carried out at the behest of the Egyptian government between
1960 and 1964, when plans to build the High Dam at Aswan threatened
to submerge the monuments of Lower Nubia, including the Temple of Dendur. This UNESCO-
sponsored initiative involved more than 70 separate archaeological missions from 25 different
countries. Ancient Nubia had a complex series of political interactions and cultural exchanges with
Egypt, largely based on its position as an intermediary between the Mediterranean world and sub-
Saharan Africa, which made it a key transit point for luxury goods such as ivory and exotic objects
(fig. 2). Of great importance was gold, a commodity found in the Nubian deserts and greatly prized
by the Egyptians. Relations of trade and warfare are known as early as the beginning of the
Dynastic Period in Egypt (ca. 3100 B.C.) and continued throughout the Old Kingdom (ca. 2649–2100
B.C.)..."

By 671 B.C., the Assyrians conquered ancient Egypt. Tantamani (Assyrian UR-daname), Tanutamun or
Tanwetamani (Egyptian) or Tementhes (Greek) (d. 653 BC) was a Pharaoh of Egypt and the Kingdom of Kush
located in Northern Sudan and a member of the Nubian or Twenty-fifth dynasty of Egypt. He was a black
Nubian man. His prenomen or royal name was Bakare which means "Glorious is the Soul of Re." He was the
son of King Shabaka and the nephew of his predecessor Taharqa. Tantamani died in 653 BC and was
succeeded by Atlanersa, a son of Taharqa. He was the last ruler of the 25th Nubian dynasty in Egypt. Later,
the Kushite royal family moved into Meroe, which was near to the Red Sea. It had great trade among Africa,
Arabia, and India. Nubia had a long history of trade, religion, and culture. The kingdom based in Meroe had
black women leaders called Candaces from the days of B.C. to the times of the Roman Empire. Amanirenas
(also spelled Amanirena) was a queen of the Meroitic Kingdom of Kush. She was one of the most famous
kandakes, because of her role leading Kushite armies against the Romans in a war that lasted five years,
from 27 BC. to 22 BC. Ancient Nubia worshiped gods like Amon and Isis. Nubian art still inspires us with its
beauty and power.

There is the Neo-Sumerian period that had the famous three dimensional Statue of Gudea. On 745 B.C.,
Tiglath-Pileser III was the new king of Assyria. He transformed Assyria into an empire. Bronze pottery
dominated ancient China. Ancient Chinese civilizations back then was based in the Yellow River valley and
other villages plus cities developed throughout ancient China too. There were many bronze images from
the Shang and Zhou dynasties.

There was the priest king images of the Indus Valley civilization of Mohenjo-Daro. Classical Indian
civilizations spread from the Indus Valley area to the Ganges River Valley including the rest of the Indian
subcontinent. The Himalayas, the Hindu Kush, and the Indian Oceans were boundaries of the Indian
territory. Indigenous peoples of ancient India experienced the migration of the Aryans. The Aryans were
Indo-European speaking peoples who migrated and invaded the Indian sub-continent. Later, there was the
caste system in ancient India. Varnas were formed to organize society based on skills. Jatis were governed
by birth. Many cultures have a top down and birth based caste system. The Mauryan Empire was one of the
most famous Indian civilizations. One great leader named Asoka had great political power who became the
Emperor of the Mauryan Empire in ca. 252 B.C. The Mauryan Empire helped to
spread Buddhism. It had free hospitals, veterinary clinics, and complex roads. The
Gupta Empire is seen as a Golden Age of classical Indian culture. It had
mathematics including the concept of zero. They advanced medicine with the
setting of bones. They studied astronomy like finding the Earth being round. They
developed new textiles and literature. One famous emperor of the Gupta Empire
was Samudragupta of 335 A.D. India is the birthplace of Hinduism. Hinduism
believes in many forms of one God. It is a polytheistic religion. It believes in
reincarnation and karma. Their sacred writings are found in the Vedas and
Upanishads. Trade route spread Hinduism throughout Asia and worldwide over
the millennia. Siddhartha Gautama (or Buddha) founded Buddhism. He lived in
India in present day Nepal. The Buddha believed in the four noble truths and the These sculptures show
the Terracotta army
eightfold path to enlightenment. Asoka sent missionaries to spread Buddhism
from China from ca.
throughout India and China.
210 BC. It depicts the
armies of Qin Shi
Petroglyphs existed in the Nordic Bronze Age (from ca. 1700-500 B.C.). The Huang (259-210 B.C.) or
Americas had large structures and urban communities too during this era of the first Emperor of
ancient world history. People know about the large heads from the Olmecs from China.
ca. 1400 B.C. during the Preclassic era. The Olmec civilization had advanced
roadways, large temples, and other forms of complex infrastructure. The Iron Age of art had more visible
images. The Iron Age lasted from ca. 1200 B.C. to 600 B.C. depending on the region. There were creative
paintings in the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations. Greek pottery flourished. Etruscan art existed. The
ancient Greeks wanted to use reason to decipher what the natural world consisted of. This is why they have
shown naturalistic images of human beings. During the Iron Age, the ancient Greeks talked about the issues
of philosophy, mathematics, theater, science, and democracy. Classical Greek peoples lived in the Aegean
Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, the Dardanelles, the Balkan plus Peloponnesus peninsula. They
were found in Asia Minor, Athens, Sparta, Troy, and even in Macedonia. Greece was the first major
civilization of Europe. Ancient Greeks traded as far as North Africa and Spain.

Ancient Greece had a polytheistic religion and they used it to offer explanation of nature and human nature
in general. They had free and enslaved peoples. Enslaved people in ancient Greece had no power or
political rights. A large part of Western literature, art, and architecture is based from ancient Greek culture.
On 776 B.C., the first Olympic Games were held in ancient Greece. Many families owned slaves
disgracefully. Between the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars, there was the golden age of Pericles. He
promoted democracy to most adult males having an equal voice. He helped to rebuild Athens. Athens and
Sparta competed against each other for land and resources plus political power. Macedonians Philip and his
son Alexander the Great ironically formed an empire to spread Greek culture from western India to North
Africa. Hippocrates and Archimedes worked in science. Euclid and Pythagoras focused on mathematics.
Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle promoted philosophy. Phidias was a great sculptor. Herodotus and
Thucydides were early historians. Homer was a poet of the Iliad and Odyssey. Aeschylus and Sophocles
wrote about drama. The Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian architectural types flourished in ancient Greece.
Egyptian and Persian art flourished during the Iron Age too.

There was the growth of human civilizations in Africa, Europe, Asia, the Americas, etc. By 400 B.C., there
were Central Mexican and Mayan peoples thriving. The city of Teotihuacan was a city that had great art
including Xochicalco and El Tajin. These sites boasted grand sculpture and architecture. Other Central
Mexican peoples included the Mixtecs, the Zapotecs, and people in the Valley of Oaxaca. Maya art was at
its height during the “Classic” period. In ca. 500 B.C, the Nok civilization (found in Nigeria) had
many terracotta artwork. In general, the Nok culture lasted from 1,000 B.C. to 500 A.D. Sculptures of
people and animals are found in the Nok culture. Ancient African art, like all art in general, was created
because of a diversity of reasons and motivations. Some African art was purely abstract. Some was created
to outline religious or spiritual beliefs. Some were formed to express human creativity.

Art Afterwards
After the age of the Iron Age, the Roman Empire reached its peak. Ancient Rome had architecture dealing
with columns and the arch. There were also mosaic images throughout Italy and the rest of Europe. Much
of ancient Roman art were influenced by the Etruscans. Dome structures existed. The ancient Romans were
heavily influenced by the art and cultural components from ancient Greece and ancient Egypt. Many
ancient Romans were engineers (places like roads, arches, the Pantheon, Colosseum, the Forum, and
aqueducts outline ancient Roman architecture). Before Rome became an empire, its society was made up
of patricians and plebeians plus slaves. Patricians were the wealthy people who were eligible to hold public
office and had most of the resources. The plebeians were the poorer human beings who didn’t hold office
during the early Roman Republic. Slaves were captured during war or born to enslaved parents. Some were
forced into slavery by failure to pay debts. Slavery is totally evil period. The Roman gods include Jupiter,
Juno, Diana, Minerva, Venus, etc. The Roman Republic was limited. It didn’t promote the rights of women,
non-Romans, and others. Slavery wasn’t abolished either. Only plebian men and patricians including
selected non-Romans had total citizenship under the ancient Roman Republic. Its government was a
representative democracy (like the United States of America) which means that people elected other
people to represent them. It had assemblies, the Senate, and consuls. Its law was found in the Twelve
Tables. The Twelve Tables advanced the concept of “innocent until proven guilty.” Ptolemy promoted
science. Virgil wrote literature. Ancient Rome defeated Carthage over trade completion. Hannibal invaded
the Italian Peninsula too. The Punic Wars (between Rome and Carthage) lasted from 264 to 146 B.C. The
Roman Republic ended over many issues like migration into cities, the devaluation of Roman currency,
inflation, unemployment civil wars, and other issues. After the Roman Republic ended, Julius Caesar
promoted his authoritarian power. He traveled as far as France (where he defeated the Celtic French leader
Vercingetorix who lived from 48 B.C. to 46 B.C.. He was of the Averni tribe) and England. He or Gaius Julius
Caesar was assassinated on March 15, 44 B.C. by Senators for fear of Julius Caesar’s growing power. There
was the triumvirate or 3 men governing Rome until Augustus became the first major ancient Roman
Emperor. Before that time, Augustus Caesar defeated Marc Anthony.

The Roman Empire expanded and grew into the Pax Romana era. It had roads. It had prosperity
economically. There was a uniform system of money. There was civil service, but slavery was abundant.
There were diverse peoples in the Roman Empire including black people as well. By the 300’s A.D., the
Roman Empire declined. It was growing too large having a difficulty to govern. Its economy was too
dependent on the military and there was the devaluation of Roman currency. The military relied on non-
Romans and many of these people wanted to have no allegiance to the Roman Empire. Epidemic diseases
spread. Civil conflict grew. Germanic migrations, settlements, and invasions weakened the Roman Empire.
The Roman Empire was divided into West and East by Emperor Diolectian on 285 A.D. The Eastern Roman
Empire was ruled by Constantine in Byzantium (which became Constantinople). The Western Empire ruled
until 476 A.D. Back then, the last Western Roman Emperor was Romulus Augustus. He was forced to
abdicate (or leave) the throne by Odoacer. Odoacer was a half Hunnish and half Scirian chieftain of the
Germanic Heruli people. Odoacer returned the imperial regalia to the Eastern Roman Emperor Zeno in
Constantinople in return for the title of dux of Italy. The Eastern Roman Empire evolved into the Byzantine
Empire and flourished until 1453.

The Medieval art period (and before that era too) saw early Christian art. Paleochristian art lasted from
260 and 525 A.D. There has been Christian art found from the 2nd century onward as well. Back before 100
A.D., Christians were small in number and heavily persecuted by the Roman Empire. The founder of
Christianity was Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Christianity was monotheistic and believed that Jesus is the Son of
the living God. It has roots from Judaism. They believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Early church
council formulated doctrines. The New Testament continued the stories of the life and teachings of Jesus
Christ, his apostles, and his other followers. It was popular by its simple message, appeal to the poor, and
martyrs inspired its vitality too. During the time of Tiberius, Jesus Christ was crucified. The armies of Titus
led a destruction of Jerusalem as predicted by the Lord Jesus Christ in 70 A.D. Later, Christians used fresco,
mosaics, sculptures, and manuscript illuminations. Much of it was found in Catacombs of ancient Rome and
other locations throughout the Roman Empire. They used the image of the peacock, grapevines, and the
“Good Shepherd” to signify Jesus Christ. In the Dura-Europos church (in Syria), of about 230–256 A.D.,
which is in the best condition of the surviving very early churches, there are frescos of biblical scenes
including a figure of Jesus, as well as Christ as the Good Shepherd. The building was a normal house
apparently converted to use as a church. Other symbols like the fish were used to denote Christianity. The
Ante-Nicene Period of 325 A.D. and afterwards saw a further expansion of Christianity in Europe and
throughout the world. The Emperor Constantine made Christianity as a religion not to be persecuted any
more. Christianity was later the official state religion of the Roman Empire (by Emperor Theodosius I in 395
A.D.).
I believe in the separation of church and state.

An Overview of World History

(This is a story about all of us regardless of color, creed, sex,
age, nationality, or background)

Part 1 Prehistory
Part 2 Ancient History (3,000 B.C. – 500 A.D.)
Part 3 The Post-Classical Period (500 A.D. – 1500 A.D.)
Part 4 The Early Modern World (1500 A.D. – 1800 A.D.)
Part 5 Late Modern Period (1800 A.D. – 1914 A.D.)
Part 6 The Era of Two World Wars (1914 A.D. – 1945 A.D.)
Part 7 Contemporary History (1945 A.D. – the present)

“Of all our studies, it is history that is best qualified to

reward our research.”
-Malcolm X
 Timelines of Ancient Human Civilizations and Cultures
(from 500 B.C. to 600 A.D.)
Bantu migrations and Khoisian cultures
Africa The Kingdom of Kush (based in Meroe)
The Kingdom of Aksum
Carthage
Queen Amanirenas of Kush was a
great leader. She fought the Roman
Empire with bravery and
steadfastness. She reigned from
40 B.C. - 10 B.C.

Parthian Empire
The Middle The Sasanian Empire
East The Achaemenid
Empire

The Maurya Empire

South Asia The Gupta Empire
The Sunga The image to the left is a Chinese
Empire ceramic statue of a seated woman
holding a bronze mirror, Eastern
Han period (25–220 AD).
Qin Dynasty
East Asia The Han Dynasty N. and S. Dynasties
Jin Dynas
Jin Dynasty

The Mayan Civilization

Olmec The large Olmec head is dated from
The civilization 1,200 B.C. to 900 B.C. It is found in
Americas Chavin civilization (in San Lorenzo. The Olmec civilization is
Peru) known for writing, the concept of
zero, a ball game, a calendar system,
and other contributions.
Hellenistic culture
Europe The Roman Empire
Augustus was the first Roman Emperor and The Byzantine Empire
he lived from 63 B.C. to 14 A.D. He was a
military leader and a relative of Julius
Caesar (of the plebian gens Octavia). His
family was wealthy and he was part of the
Pax Romana era.
Oceania and Aboriginal Peoples of Australia
Australia Oceanic and Pacific Islander human beings

500 400 300 200 100 0 100 200 300 400 500 600

B.C. A.D.
Classical Chinese civilizations were centered on the Haung He or the Yellow River. During this time
(between 500 B.C. and 500 A.D.), China faced many invaders form the north. Chinese people built the Great
Wall for the purpose of protecting its lands. The Great Wall of China was built by Quin Shi Huangdi.
Confucianism and Taoism were powerful philosophies of classical Chinese civilizations. During this time,
ruling families called dynasties governed China. Also, Chinese civil wars were abundant when
disagreements would arise. Chinese rulers were viewed as divine by many of the people in the area. The
rulers believed that the Mandate of Heaven gave them the power to rule as long
as their rule was righteous. China had civil service system where people passed
tests in order to join jobs. China was involved in inventing paper, porcelain was
traded, and silk was abundant in Chinese dynasties. Confucianism influenced the
social order of classical China in many ways. Confucianism believed that humans
are essentially good, not bad, it wanted respect for elders, it believed in harmony,
it followed ancestor worship, and it promoted learning. Also, Confucianism
desired folks to follow established authority. Taoism focused on humility, inner
peace, living a simple life, and harmony with nature. The Ying and Yang concept
representing opposites is found in Confucianism and Taoism. Chinese forms of
Buddhism spread in China, Southeast Asia, and the rest of Asia in general. On 280
A.D., Emperor Wu formed the Jin dynasty. This caused a temporary unity of China
This is a statue of after the devastating Three Kingdoms period.
a woman from the
Nok civilization The Axum Kingdom (of modern day Ethiopia) was one of the earliest Christian
(in the Motherland kingdoms on Earth. It is known for its intricate, large buildings. It has stone
of Africa). It is 48 palaces and enormous granite funerary monoliths. One famous king of Axum was
cm. tall and it’s Zoskales. He lived in ca. 500 A.D. He ruled the ancient city of Adulis. The Nok
dated from 900 to culture in Nigeria existed from 1,000 B.C. to 200 A.D. It was very advanced and
1,500 years ago. used terracotta heavily. The Middle Ages started by ca. 500 A.D. It has been a
time where many nations in Asia and Africa were stable including the Americas.
Yet, Europe experienced political upheaval and many conflicts. The Roman Empire ended and the Eastern
Roman Empire had its capital in Constantinople in Turkey.

The Middle Ages existed after the Roman Empire ended. During this time, the Pope crowned the emperors
of Europe. Many missionaries spread Christianity to Germanic tribes. The feudal system grew with the
Catholic Church dominating most of the lands of Europe (because secular authority declined). Many
monasteries preserved Greco-Roman literature and culture. Germanic tribes accepted the Latin alphabet in
many cases. Some converted to Christianity. Germanic tribes grew into the Vikings (as found in
Scandinavia), the Angles plus Saxons (who lived in England), and the Franks (who lived in France and
Germany). The Pope anointed Charlemagne (who was a Frankish King) back in 800 A.D. Many religious
leaders worked to handle the needs of the people in Europe. There was Byzantine art, Anglo-Saxon art,
Viking art, etc. Islamic art and Gothic art dominated the world. Islam was another monotheistic faith
created in the Middle East. Its founder was Muhammad, whose followers call him a prophet. His followers
spread his message fast. Muhammad lived in Mecca and Medina. Muslims worship God as Allah. They
believe in the Quran. They believe in the five pillars of Islam and they believe in the Old Testament
prophets. They consider Jesus Christ as only a prophet not the Son of the living God. After Muhammad's
death in 632 A.D. the Islamic empire grew across continents in Africa, Europe, and Asia at its peak. After the
death of Ali, Muslims divided based on Sunni and Shia division based on who would rightfully succeed
Muhammad. This is similar to the Orthodox and Catholic divisions or the Catholic and Protestant division in
Christianity. Muslims quickly conquer Jerusalem and Damascus. Islamic capital later moved into Baghdad by
the Abbasids. Muslims were defeated at the Battle of Tours in France. Islamic religious faith spreads into
Spain, India, Iran, the rest of the Middle East, and into Southeast Asia (like in Indonesia). The Early Islamic
civilization made many contributions to the human race like architecture, mosaic, the alphabet, the growth
of university, and the translation of anci4nt texts into Arabic. Some Muslims created Arabic numerals
(adapted from India including the concept of zero), algebra, used medicine, and expanded geographic
knowledge.

The Zimbabwe civilization was a complex culture found on the Zambezi River, the Limpopo River, and the
Indian Ocean coast. It traded with Asia along Indian Ocean trade routes. The West African kingdoms of
Ghana, Mali, and Songhai were found on the Sahara, and in the Niger River region. The West African
Kingdoms traded in gold and salt along the trans-Saharan trade. The city of Timbuktu was a great center of
trade and learning. Many of these Kingdoms embraced either traditional African religions (like animism) or
Islam. By 1500 A.D., art has continued to inspire human inquiry and certainly deal with a journey
throughout the visual experience. It is important to also honor art made by people of diverse
backgrounds. Art, which has been made by people of color and women too, is very important to respect
and analyze succinctly as well.

By Timothy
 *This is another future series that I’m going to do in the year of 2018. 1968 is such an important year
that I will mention information about its composition. That year had scientific achievements, grief, and
other tumultuous occurrences. It’s a year that was one of the most important years in human history.

1968: A Year that Changed the World

No one should omit the importance of the year 1968. How we debate, live,
and think about the world today in 2018 totally has been influenced by the
events of 1968 from assassinations, political developments, and to cultural
changes.

Part 1 From January 1, 1968 to April 4, 1968

Part 2 From April 4, 1968 to June 6, 1968
Part 3 From June 6, 1968 to December 31, 1968

The 1968 Olympics was
when there was the raising
of the fists in the air by 2
courageous black men.
Their names are Tommie
Smith and John Carlos.
They supported the
Olympic Project for Human
Rights (OPHR). Sociologist
Harry Edwards founded the
OPHR. One Australian man,
who was Peter Norman,
supported the protest from
both men.
The Prague Spring of 1968 The August 1968 police riot
represented courageous in Chicago was a display of
people fighting against cruel police brutality. Many
Stalinism. These human protesters wanted the
beings wanted the Vietnam War to end, civil
suppression of democratic rights to be strengthened,
rights to end. Also, it is and the poor to have
important to note that justice. Progressive activists
many socialists opposed were brutally assaulted by a
the views of Stalinism too. myriad of deranged cops.
The fight for freedom and This time signaled the
democracy continues to divisions of the Democratic
this very day in 2018. party and the prelude of
Nixon’s election victory.
Recently, on April 17, 2018, one civil rights icon passed
away at the age of 95 years old. Her name was Sister Vel
Phillips. For those who lived in Milwaukee, she was a
legendary black woman. She made history in many ways.
She was the first black woman Secretary of State in
Wisconsin. Throughout her life, she wanted equality and
justice for all. Back during the 1960's, she supported rallies
to promote fair housing for African Americans. Fair
housing was a serious issue back then in the Midwest and
West Coast including the Northeast (plus everywhere in
America). It's a very serious issue today too in 2018. She
was the first black woman to graduate from the University
of Wisconsin Law School in 1951.

In 1956, Vel Phillips became the first woman and the first
African-American member of the Common Council in
Milwaukee; since Common Council members were called
"Alderman," she was given the title "Madam Alderman" by
local officials. She fought for civil rights legislation in
Wisconsin. Vel Phillips was a great friend and supporter of
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. too. Back in 1967, massive rallies
by young people and others in Milwaukee stood up for fair
housing rights. She chaired the successful congressional
campaign of Gwen Moore, Wisconsin's first African-
American and Milwaukee's first woman member of the
United States House of Representatives. She also served on
the board of the Vel Phillips Foundation, a charitable
foundation created in 2006, whose mission is "to help
establish equality and opportunity for minorities through
social justice, education, equal housing opportunities, and
jobs." She loved her husband with all of her heart, soul,
and spirit.

She will be missed. She worked hard every single day of

her life. Her actions reverberate nationwide since she
inspires us to continue in the fight for freedom in our time.
Whenever you think about the civil rights movement in
Wisconsin, you have to mention Sister Vel Phillips.

Rest in Power Sister Vel Phillips.

Peace and Blessings Y’all