1. The Apollo Stones 25,000-25,500 BC, Namibia - Africa
Materials and Techniques: Drawing on stone fragments, made using charcoal, ocher, and white pigments.
Description (Form): A series of 7 stone fragments in total depicting the silhouette of animal figures. The dark color of the figures contrasts with the stone background.
Content: The main stone fragments depict a figure of an animal in twisted perspective (showing animal mainly in profile but able to see most of its legs, arms and horns).
Context: Stones discovered during the 1969 Apollo 11 lunar landing event. The lead archeologist named the cave after events' namesake.
Intended Purpose: unknown for sure however the dig site suggests the cave was a destination for creating art that was transportable; therefore the culture was likely nomadic. Artifacts at the site span a range of 100,000 years so this was a place frequented by generations and was a space specifically designated for creating artwork. The imagery contains components of an animal found in the area at the time but also some humanistic qualities so some suggest it was a supernatural creature or at least had some religious connections.
Innovations and Conventions: The oldest known figurative drawing that also demonstrates Twisted Perspective discovered so far. This is evidence of the culture having the infrastructure needed to be able to dedicate time to creating art (shelter, regular access to food, protections from elements, ways to protect and defend themselves, and live in communal groups)
Themes: Religious, Cultural Traditions, Prehistoric Art