Because it is impossible to find a first-hand testament of what life was like in ancient times, many historians glean information from ancient art. Just like with modern art, ancient art pieces reflect the culture, people and issues that were significant to their creators. By looking at art from ancient times, we can infer what life might have been like during that time in history.
The period of time known as ancient history begins with the emergence of recorded history. But what did recorded history look like? In ancient times, technology was limited. Much of what we know about history has been told to us through art. Some of the ancient art we find was impromptu. Others clearly required a lot of planning. Their creators meant for them to last the test of time. Often, art tells us stories. Here is a look at some famous forms of art throughout ancient history that gives us a glimpse into what life might have been like thousands of years ago.
The Minoans were a group of people who lived in modern-day Crete during the Bronze Age. We know about them mainly from their ceramic art. They must have been an influential people, because their pottery can be found all over the Mediterranean. Meanwhile, at home, many of their palaces still preserve the frescoes that tell stories about their culture and beliefs. This type of mural art has lasted so long because the paint was applied on freshly applied plaster, making the painting a permanent part of the wall.
The ancient Romans were skilled sculptors. Ancient Romans used sculpture to tell stories and recount events, especially those relating to wars and military victories. Leaders also used art to boast about their achievements. Visual art was also more effective in communicating to an illiterate populace.
Trajan's Column was built in Rome, Italy in 113 A.D. and depicts the epic wars between the Romans and the Dacians. In particular, it commemorates the victories of the Roman emperor Trajan. Including the large pedestal at the bottom, the structure is about 30 metres high. Inside the column, a spiral staircase of 185 stairs leads up to the platform at the top. All around the column are beautiful sculptures.
The technique used by the artists for this work is called 'relief'. Relief refers to a form of sculpting where the artist carves out stone around the main subject of the art. Instead of engraving the main subject into the stone, it is the uncarved part that stands out. It makes it look like parts of the sculpture are sticking out from the background.
The Nazca lines are geoglyphs in Peru. Some of these geoglyphs depict shapes, whereas others depict humans and animals. These impressive works of art that make use of the landscape itself can also be found as far away as Australia and India. There are geoglyphs in the south of England too! Most of these depict horses. While they might be stylistically similar, some of these were made in the ancient past. Others were created just a few centuries ago.
Musical instruments are other types of artifacts that reveal our evolution. Unfortunately, relatively little musical notation has survived from the ancient past. So while we can guess how ancient peoples made music, we aren't always sure how the music actually sounded. Just like visual art, music's intrinsic purpose is to communicate ideas and emotions.
Bagpipes are another example of how complex our ancestors' art could be. These instruments are played by blowing into an air supply in tandem with fingering a chanter. The bagpipes we often associate with Scotland first appeared around the 1500s. However, people were playing these woodwind instruments long before, and in other places. Some people believe the Scottish bagpipe is derivative of the ancient Greek askaulos
These are just a few examples of the incredible art that has been leftover from ancient times. It makes you think - what if your art work today becomes an artifact for historians in the future? What would your art say about life today?