What does archaeology tell us about the history of art and what does this tell us about humanity?

Art is both universal and at times undefinable. Love or hate it, art is apparently an integral part of what it means to be human. Together we trace the history of art from some of the earliest examples in South Africa, 100, ooo years ago up to the Renaissance in Europe.

•  Expression and Expansion:

Prehistoric Art not only affords us insight into the way people in the past thought about the world and each other; it also charts the expansion of humanity across the globe and hints at pan continental trade networks. Examine the evidence and the way in which art travels hand-in-hand with human expansion across the globe.

• Motive and Meaning:

What does Archaeology have to say about the history of Art? We explore various periods of history, from the Palaeolithic to the Renaissance, examining the reasons why people produced, commissioned and shared art ranging from jewellery and trinkets to cave paintings and sculpture .

Wherever there are people, there is art. This talk explores various types of art created by humanity and examines the motivations behind the creation of art.