Birth of primitive art : A table of contents and abstract

I show the list of a series " Birth of primitive art “.

please look at  page of “ Birth of primitive art “.

連載「原初美術の誕生１～１７話」を一覧にしています。

どうぞ「原初美術の誕生」ページを見て下さい。

 

 　

　　　

　

　　

　　

Birth of primitive art 10 : primitive arts of East Asia

 

＜　flame-like earthenware, Niigata Prefecture, japan, About 5000 years ago　＞

This time, we look at primitive fine arts of Japan and China.

The characteristic fine arts will teach us the life of the primitive.

今回は、日本と中国の原初美術を見ます。

その特色ある美術から原初の暮らしが見えて来ます。

＜　left, The oldest clay figure, about 6cm in height, Ibaraki Prefecture, about 8000 years ago. right, a clay figure is called ” Venus” , Nagano Prefecture, 27cm in height, about 5000 years ago.　＞

The world’s first earthenware was made in Japanese Islands at 12000 years ago.

In those days the people settled in a place while they were hunting, gathering and fishing, because blessings of nature were rich.

It enabled manufacture of the earthenware and the clay figures.

The clay figures had continued to be made for about 8000 years, and it was over as wet-rice farming was popular.

Above-mentioned the oldest clay figure resembles the Venus image of about 15000 years ago in Siberia. ( refer to “Birth of primitive art 3”)

In the last half of this epoch, the characteristics of woman became to be inconspicuous from the clay figures.

And decoration and deformation became to be conspicuous.

Then realistic animal clay figures also became to be made.

Although the excavated clay figures totaled about 15000, these have damaged almost.

Perhaps, people broke them intentionally for the purpose of the prayer.

日本列島では１２０００前頃から世界で最初に土器が作られた。

当時、狩猟採集漁労生活ではあったが、山野の恵みが豊なことにより定住を行っていた。

このことが土器や土偶の製作を可能にし、土偶は約８０００年間作られ続け、水稲栽培が普及すると終焉を迎えた。

上述の最古の土偶は約１５０００年前のシベリア出土のビーナス像に似ている。（原初美術の誕生3：動産美術の展開に詳しい）

しかし縄文時代後半になると土偶の人物像は女性の特徴が目立たなくなり、装飾や強いデフォルメが目立つようになる。また写実的な動物像も作られるようになる。

その出土総数は１５０００体ほどあるが、大半が破損しており、祈祷目的で故意に壊したものらしい。

＜　big eyes clay figure, Aomori Prefecture, about 3000～2300 years ago　＞

This is one of clay figures in the last half of this epoch. Its eyes are emphasized.

これは後半の土偶の一つであるが、目が強調されている。

＜　the oldest kinds of earthenware　＞

Although earthenware was made for cooking, before long, its ornament became to be important.

A flame-like earthenware of infographic topping had appeared suddenly, and disappeared after about 1000 years.

This is considered to be a thing for not daily necessities but religious service.

土器は煮炊き用に製作されたが、やがて装飾が重視されるようなった。

巻頭写真の火焔土器は突如として出現し、千年ほどで消えた。

これは実用品ではなく祭祀用のものと考えられる。

The feature of these fine arts

In primitive fine arts of Japan, there are neither realistic drawing nor life scenes almost.

Of course, there is neither cave mural paintings nor big lock arts.

Probably, the reason depends to a large extent on the settled life and hunting small animals and gathering nuts.

The clay figures and earthenware that was made of clay were in close contact with their lives.

While every locations interplay, these fine arts grew on the whole in Japan islands. Those days, a royal power did not exist.

この美術の特徴

日本では、写実的な描画や生活場面が描かれることはなかった。

もちろん洞窟壁画も大きなロックアートもない。

その理由は、小動物と木の実、遡上する魚などに依存する狩猟採集と定住生活が大きく影響したのでしょう。

材料がすべて粘土である土偶や土器は、生活と共にあった。

各地が交流しながら、この美術は列島全体で発展していった。当時、王権は存在していなかった。

What place was Japanese Island that developed these?

The places where typical clay figures and earthenware were made are Nagano Prefecture and Niigata Prefecture, and there are at the center of the Japanese Islands.

これらを育んだ日本列島はどのような所だったのか。

代表的な土偶や土器が作られた場所は長野県や新潟県で、日本列島の中心にある。

＜ a clay figure of ” Venus” was excavated on this plateau area. Nagano Prefecture　＞

People in those days also lived on the vast brush or the foot of the mountains.

当時の人々も、この変わらぬ山野で暮らした。

＜　a reproduction of house in those days　＞

People in those days lived in this like thatched hut by one family.

One village consisted of from some families to hundreds of persons.

当時の人々は、家族単位で、この草葺き小屋に住み、数家族以上、最大は数百名が暮らす村もあった。

Primitive fine arts of China.

Chinese earthenware was made at the same time as wet rice culture started 10,000 years ago.

A little late, the female clay figure was also made.

中国の原初美術

中国の土器は水稲栽培が1万年前に始まったのと同時に作られ始め、少し遅れて女性の土偶も作られた。

＜　left, earthenware was pictured with fish images, about 7000 years ago, middle reach of the Hwang.  Right, a figure of jade, about 8.6 cm in high, lower reach of Chang Jiang, about 5500 years ago　＞

The surface of this earthenware was pictured with fish images, hoping to be plentiful.

This figure is burial goods and was sewn to religious leader clothing.

After that, in China, products of jade and the bronze ware that began from the second 

millennium B.C., became the gorgeous mainstream of fine arts．

Thus, in East Asia, primitive arts that are a different from other areas was born.

Next time, we look at the fine arts in American continent.

これら彩陶の表面には多産の祈りを込めて魚が多く描かれた。

この人物像は副葬品で、宗教的指導者の衣類に縫いつけられていたらしい。

この後、中国では玉製品と紀元前２千年期に始まる青銅器が美術の華やかな主流になっていく。

このようにして東アジアでは、他地域とは少し異なる原初美術が生まれた。

次回はアメリカ大陸の美術を見ます。

Birth of primitive art 8: primitive arts other than Europe 1

＜　rock arts in Tassili-n-Ajjer 　＞

The first fine arts of the human beings were born in Europe of the glacial epoch, and eventually were lost.

However, primitive fine arts were born in different parts of the world after that.

We look at the arts in different parts simply.

人類最初の美術が氷河期のヨーロッパで誕生し、やがて廃れた。

しかしその後、世界各地で美術が誕生することになる。

各地の原初美術を簡単に見ます。

＜　a map of primitive fine arts、fine arts of glacial epoch were born in a red part, other primitive fine arts were born in No. 1～７.　＞

The primitive fine arts in Africa 1 and 2, India 3, Australia 4, and America 6 and 7 were rock arts.

They are reflecting a life of hunting and gathering life. The indigenous people are continuing drawing them in some locations until recently. For this reason, establishing inaugural year of drawing pictures is difficult.

Japan made many Venus image out of clay, but didn't make rock arts.  japan is only special.

アフリカ1,2、インド3、オーストラリア4、アメリカ6,7の原初美術は岩絵であった。

それらは狩猟採集生活を反映しており、場所によっては先住民が最近まで描き続けていた。このために年代確定が困難になっている。

日本だけは岩絵を作らず、多くのビーナス像（土偶）を作った、これは特殊である。

＜　map No.1,  Tassili n'Ajjer,  Algeria 　＞

Although there is in the middle in Sahara Desert here now, was in rich green those days.

The rock arts on cliffs began to be drawn from 8000 years ago, and stopped by advance of desertification before long.

Although at first they have lived a life of hunting and gathering, the paintings show that their lives changed from cow breeding to the trade on a horse.

The painting place is near once the water place, and will be in which religious service and ceremony were performed.

ここは現在、サハラ砂漠の真ん中であるが、当時は緑豊かであった。

８０００年前頃から壁画が描かれ始め、やがて砂漠化の進行で、それは途絶えた。

始めは狩猟採集生活であったが、牛飼養から馬による交易へと変化していったことが絵からわかる。

壁画が描かれた場所はかつての水場近くであり、祭祀や儀礼が行われていたことだろう。

 

＜　Tassili n'Ajjer,  a rock art in times of hunting and gathering 　＞

Upper two persons wear some decorations to head, neck, and arm, and the scares in sequence of white points are on the body.

   

This scar is a custom that has continued in Central Africa still.

On the lower side, there are a goat, several playing children, a visionary animal, and tent like jellyfish.

Each is no relation, the observing point is freedom, and they painted it by priority of how important.

There isn’t sacredness on it, but I feel pleasure and familiarity to it.

　

上部の二人は頭や首、腕に飾りを着け、体に白い点列の瘢痕がある。

この傷痕は現在も中央アフリカに続く風習である。

下部には山羊、遊ぶ子供達、空想上の動物、クラゲに似たテントが描かれている。

それぞれがバラバラで、描く視点が自由で、重要度によって描き分けられている。

そこに神聖さはなく楽しさと親しみを感じる。

＜　Tassili n'Ajjer,  a rock art in times of cattle breeding　＞　

Hunter that have an uplifting feeling, curved ships, and a herd of cattle that was made distinction of sex, these are painted in it.

Dancing, war, home life, carriage, religious rite, etc. were painted on rock arts of this time.

Brown is a basic tone of the painting, green and white also are added.

躍動感のある狩人、湾曲した船、雌雄の牛の群れが描かれている。

この時代の絵には、踊り、戦争、家庭生活、馬車、宗教儀式なども描かれていた。

絵は茶色を基調に、緑と白が加えられ描かれている。

＜　map No.2，Tsodilo Hills, Botswana, phot by Jaap Sikkema ＞

Bushman (Sun) is continuing a traditional life of hunting and gathering in the Kalahari Desert in Botswana.

In the north direction, there are mountains that they called Tsodilo Hills and regard as sacred.

Several thousands of the rock arts that have been painted by them from 2500 years ago remain here.

One theory is it began at 20000 years ago.

ブッシュマン（サン人）はボツワナのカラハリ砂漠で昔ながらの狩猟採集生活を続けている。

その北方にツォディロ・ヒルと呼ばれる彼らが神聖視する山があり、そこに２５００年前から描かれ続けた数千の岩壁画が残っている。一説には２００００年前からとも言われている。

 

 

＜　Tsodilo Hills,  rock arts by Bushman ＞

The image above is seen painting of ox and rhinoceros, and a Bushman. The image below is seen eland and giraffe.

The theme of the paintings is mainly wild animal, hunting, and fishing.

Additionally, there are Dancing, war, rain-making rituals, musical instrument performance, and religion ceremony with wearing mask and with dancing.

When it becomes hundreds of years ago, impressive paintings appear.

There are vast amounts of rock arts in Southern Africa. Bushman paints these from about 6000 years ago to until the 19th century.

People in Africa also had painted rock arts from 8000 years ago.

Next time, we look at primitive fine arts in other continents.

上の写真には牛と犀とブッシュマン、下にはエランド（ウシ科）とキリン、その横に手形が添えられている。

絵の主題は、野生動物と狩猟や漁労が主で、舞踊、戦争、雨乞い、楽器演奏、仮面を被って踊る宗教儀礼などの場面もある。

数百年前になると、見応えのある絵も出現する。

南部アフリカには膨大な岩壁画遺跡があるが、これらはブッシュマンによって約６０００年前から１９世紀まで描かれたものです。

アフリカの人々も、８０００年前から岩絵を描いていた。

次回は、他の大陸の原初美術を見ます。

Birth of primitive art 7: After glacial epoch fine arts

 

＜ a rock art in the Levant, a mother and a child、Ｍinateda, Spain、＞

Eventually, the glacial epoch fine arts that emitted luster had declined.

This decline caused stagnation and new deployment.

We look at this big change easily.

＜　Azilian culture, painted stones and bone tools ＞

At 10000 years ago, the colorful cave paintings and movable fine arts that felt vital force no longer were made.

On the other hand, new movements happened at some places a little distant from France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, and northern Spain.

One is the painted stone at 11000 years ago. Figures like characters were drawn with several red lines on the stones.

Although bone tools are also found simultaneously, the ornamented things are not found at all.

Azilian that made these on the south of the Pyrenees (Spain) disappeared within 1000 years.

＜　rock arts in the Levant　＞

                   

From 11000 years ago to 5000 years ago, many rock arts appeared in the Spain southeast part.

These are the small paintings of animal and person that are drawn on lee of rock in ravines only by red.

Although animals is drawn realistically, persons are deformed and formalized, and are also humorous.

The themes are hunting, war, a dance, Sherman, etc.  It has composition that has motion with many persons and animals.

The drawn animals are game animals and domesticated dogs, then insects such as spider and fly, etc.

The figure subjects are more male than the woman. The male take a bow and put on bracelet, a hat, etc. The woman put on a skirt and ribbon.

 

＜　Arctic art、Rock Drawings of Alta　＞

A little late, from 6000 to 2000 years ago, many petroglyphs appeared on rocks near the Northern European (especially Norway) sea and rivers.

Many of petroglyphs are carved with a line or flat surface, and they are applied with red. A large thing is a whale 8 m in length.

Many of the themes are game hunting and fishing scenes and the everyday sight are drawn in the style of a tale on it.

The drawn things are reindeer, deer, seal, whale, salmon and sled, boat.

What of the fine arts changed?

Simplify

The cave painting was lost and turned into rock-art

Human and life scene were thought as important.

＜　air temperature change during the past 160,000 years　＞

What brought about this change?

The glacial epoch finished. :  Air temperature rose abruptly from 15000-year ago, and 10,000 years ago, it became the same as the present. By this, the glacier and the reindeer went away to the north and Europe became a forest and the world of small animals from the ground of snow and ice.

Their life changed suddenly :  They repeated movement in quest of the small animals which do not make a group. It dispersed the previous big group. Preservation of meat became impossibility.  When they took all games, they moved to next place. This was the same as the hunter-gatherers of the forest before civilization.

The agricultural had diffused from the Balkan Peninsula, and spread throughout Europe at the time 5000 years ago.

At last, the brightness of fine arts in Europe had been lost until the Bronze Age comes.

Culture and art were greatly influenced by change of natural environment and a social aggregation.

Ｎext time, we look at prehistory fine arts other than Europe.