? cave paintings: When did the pre-historic rock art exist and where could there works be found? Rock art is an art form made by humans that is usually found in caves. The earliest examples of rock

[a] Pre-historic rock art dates back to the Upper Paleolithic period, around 40,000 to 10,000 years ago. These works can be found in various locations across the world, including the caves of Lascaux in France, Altamira in Spain, and in countries like Indonesia, Africa, and South America. [b] Pre-historic people made different types of art such as rock paintings, engravings, and sculptures. They depicted animals, human figures, handprints, and abstract shapes or symbols. Their art focused mainly on everyday life, hunting scenes, and rituals. [c] Pre-historic artists used a variety of materials and tools to create their art. They used natural pigments made from crushed minerals, rocks, and charcoal mixed with animal fat or water to create paints. They utilized fingers, brushes made from animal hair, sticks, and other handmade tools to apply the paint to surfaces. For engravings, they used sharp stones or bones to carve into rocks or cave walls. [d] Pre-historic art can be found in numerous locations worldwide, including cave systems, rock shelters, and cliffs. Some of the most famous sites include the Lascaux and Chauvet Caves in France, Altamira Cave in Spain, Cueva de las Manos in Argentina, and the Bhimbetka rock shelters in India. [e] Common characteristics that identify pre-historic civilization include the use of simple tools, a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, a close connection to nature, and the practice of animism or shamanism. In their art, these characteristics often reveal a focus on animals, hunting scenes, and ritualistic or spiritual imagery. [f] Paleolithic and Neolithic art are two distinct periods in pre-historic art. Paleolithic art refers to the earliest period, which spans from around 40,000 to 10,000 years ago. Art from this time generally includes cave paintings, engravings, and portable sculptures. Neolithic art, which began around 10,000 years ago and continued until the beginning of the Bronze Age, marked a shift in human lifestyle from hunter-gatherers to settled farmers. Neolithic art often includes pottery, wall paintings, and megalithic structures, such as Stonehenge in England.