Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Feb 1 Daily

            The early eras of human history brought about much advancement in technology (which was simple, yet revolutionary), art, and other aspects of culture.  One specific achievement of early human history was the progression of art and different art forms.  With the invention of stone tools and simple technology during the Paleolithic Era, humans were able to create new things.  One creation during this era was the Venus of Willendorf.  The ancient sculpture was discovered in 1908 in Willendorf, Austria by Josef Szombathy.  It one of many “Venus” sculptures made during this time.  The Venus of Willendorf cannot stand on its feet; many think it was meant to be held, rather than be put on display.  The sculpture is of a woman; her breasts and abdomen are very large.  Many think the size of these features is meant to represent fertility and pregnancy.  The other “Venus” sculptures represent women as being pubescent, adults, and elderly.  Another achievement of humans around this time is the domestication of animals in the Neolithic Era.  It is suggested that the domestication of animals happened around this time because of the many achievements of humans during this time.  Also, the Venus of Willendorf may symbolize fertility, not only among humans but among livestock.  Humans may have trained their animals for food, clothing, and etcetera.  They hoped for fertility of humans to continue their bloodline and pass down skills.  Humans relied on animals greatly and they needed them to be fertile to sustain their supply of food.

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