Art Thesis
Art Thesis
PERMANENCE
Jake Kestly
ART103
November 12, 2014
The Neolithic European era art and architecture were more than
just stones stacked on top of each other in the ground but rather, had
significance in the raw materials that were used as well as where
several sites were positioned relative to the constellations, sun, and
the like. There is an argument to be made that the societies in this
area of the world in this era were actually the first astronomers of
sorts---all having a great understanding of the winter and summer
solstice, and changes in patterns. Not all Neolithic European sites had
this significance in material and positioning, but a lot of them did, and
certainly the sites that will be looked at---Stonehenge, Newgrange, and
the Ness of Brodgar do. The role that these sites played in relation to
the shifting tones and ideology from Paleolithic to Neolithic will also be
examined. The idea that a focus was put more on growth and
domestication rather than a nomadic lifestyle can be seen in all three
sites as well from even the smallest of signs with the fact that the
Stonehenge Sarcon stones are dug heavily into the ground signifying
the idea that the builders wanted this site to last for generations and
generations into the future. In contrast again to the Paleolithic where
the themes seen in societies were to control the uncontrollable, the
Neolithic societies already had the control now that domestication had
set in.
Before one can see key cultural themes brought out in each
archeological piece, one must first understand a background on each
respective work. Stonehenge has remained largely a mystery to
archaeologists and historians alike since its discovery. The placement
of materials in Stonehenge as well as the positioning prove a strong
cultural theme that ran throughout Neolithic culture. This theme was
indicative that religious, ritual function played a huge role throughout
the society as well as displaying shifting tones signifying permanence
rather than nomadism conveyed through the deepness of the holes
where the imported stones were laid. The site of Stonehenge,
according to archeologists, was created through a span of 1500 years.
The construction began nearly 5000 years ago, with an early culture
making what is known as today, Aubrey Holes (named after 17th
century antiquarian John Aubrey, who discovered them). According to
scholars from the History channel,
(http://www.history.com/topics/british-history/Stonehenge) several
hundred of years later, it is thought, Stonehenges builders hoisted an
estimated 80 non-indigenous blue stonesand placed them in either a
horseshoe or circular formation. These stones were most likely
imported from the Preseli Mountains in Wales. Even after this though,
there was thought to be a third phase in the building of the henge
which by far seemed to be the most labor-intensive.
http://www.ancientfortresses.org/stonehenge.htm According to author
Linda Alchin, the third construction period was around 2600-2510 BC.
Several larger stones were imported to the site at this timeeach
weighing to 25 tons and are known today as Sarsen sandstone slabs.
These are what the site is most known for when you think Stonehenge,
as the iconic trilithons were created here at the site at this time.
(http://www.history.com/topics/british-history/Stonehenge) These
stones were again, not native to where they ended up residing, but
rather, many archeologists predict were harvested from a quarry 25
miles north of Salisbury plain. Indicative both from the second phase
of construction with the blue stones and on the third with the Sarsen,
the type of material used were of great importance to the people of
this time.
The volcanic rock made of dolerite largely, also known as bluestones,
show a society that held great value in materials. The large number of
stones seen in the formation as well as the methodical positioning of
these rocks, indicate that this Neolithic society didnt simply stumble
upon these rocks and randomly put them onto the site. The why is
what would be in question---and no one can really answer the why
definitively, but based upon context, ritual function would prove to
make most sense to label the reason for the use of the bluestones
here. Professor Tim Darvill of Bournemouth University has a simple
theory regarding the intention of the bluestones on the site. He insists
that the location where the bluestones were most likely retrieved,
Preseli Mountain in Wales, were known even back then to have sacred
springs. http://blog.stonehenge-stonecircle.co.uk/category/bluestones/ Darvill then goes on to say that that
association is a very ancient one. These stones were brought to
Stonehenge because they were thought to have healing properties.
That is why all that effort went into its construction. It was a place
where people thought their illnesses might be cured and their lives
saved. To presume that the whole function of Stonehenge was to bring
people who were ill to heal them is a little too bold, but Darvill has the
correct idea, and evidence to support the notion that the purpose of
the bluestones was to hold some type of sacred value to the area. The
later addition of the sarsen stones (composed of sandstone and tend to
be very dense and hard), simply indicate that the builders had an
emphasis on permanence, which was the exact opposite of their
distant relatives in the Paleolithic era. The three eras of additions to
the Stonehenge monument certainly indicate the idea of permanence
and the later addition of the Sarsen stones with the deepness they
were put into the ground as well, solidify this theory.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/13/130621stonehenge-summer-solstice-archaeology-science/Structures in the
Neolithic area also emphasized meaning on location. Stonehenge is a
perfect example of this as during the midsummer and midwinter
solstice, the sun and the monument are directly aligned. The site
society, and perhaps used as a place for astronomical study. The Ness
of Brodgar today isnt much to behold, but the ruins of it indicate a lot
about what was there. Most of the buildings were made of sandstone
just like a lot of other Neolithic monuments. One in particular, that is
now in ruins was a standing stone located in the middle of the
settlement. It is said to be aligned with the spring and fall equinoxes
and might have served as a symbolic axis between earth and sky.
This is yet another astonishing example about how these societies put
great stock in the celestials and how that affected the way they crafted
monuments, settlements, and the like.
up other sites unique in positioning with the solstice and stars, and one
that was fixed on growthdomesticating animals, and multiplying the
population.
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2014/08/neolithicorkney/brodgar-graphic
From a visual perspective, the Ness of Brodgar definitely was
something to behold but now isnt much. Neolithic styles can still be
picked from it though. What the Ness of Brodgar mustve looked in its
prime had to be extremely ground breaking during its time.
Surrounding the settlement was an estimated 10 feet high wall and up
to 18 feet wide, something certainly rare for Neolithic settlements. The
buildings were all made of stone, yet there was something very rare
which mustve been quite the commodity back then: the roofs were
finely laid with trimmed rectangular slates. The one theme that is
drawn from this once again is the power of location and emphasis on
permanence, but apart from that, the Ness of Brodgar is a
settlement/compound that has definitely strayed away from what most
people thought of the Neolithic people. Certainly the standing stones
and the positioning of the Ness relative to Maes Howe indicate the
architects intent/style, but the walls are one item that indicate
perhaps with a defense idea in mind. The stronger point, since it was a
huge social hub most likely, was to give order and form to a society
that was trying desperately to be domesticated and in one place.
American tribe the Ojibwas and their views on animism and what
constitutes a live person, their view proved to be very different than
what popular Western culture believes. They believed that there are
rock persons, wind persons, and so forth. What identifies to the
Ojibwa as animated or alive, is based upon experience Reynolds points
out. It is very likely that the ancient Neolithic cultures who created New
Grange had a very similar belief and thought the quartz rocks to be
active in some respects. In context, based upon other inferences to
the beliefs of the culture through other monuments like Stonehenge, it
makes a lot of sense why they would put quartz as a building material
in a funerary tomb. Quartz even today, by some groups, is thought to
hold healing properties---so it is very possible that quartz was put into
New Grange because of these qualities as well as even a
communicative device with the dead buried there ritualistically,
reinforced by the rocks triboluminescent attributes. The use of
Greywacke probably had no symbolic or meaningful use, but was also
imported and reinforces the new idea of permanence in Neolithic
culture opposed to in the Paleolithic.
http://www.boynevalleytours.com/newgrange.htm Where New
Grange was built had an even greater meaning though. On every
winter solstice the New Grange passages get illuminated with sunlight.
This corresponds with a lot of other nearby Northern European
Neolithic constructions like Knowth and Dowth which have similar