Paleolithic
66 artifacts · 3600000 BCE – 9000 BCE · art (33) · architecture (21) · artifact (6) · spiritual (4) · battle (2)
Spanning thousands of years, the Paleolithic era is defined by humanity's earliest attempts at art and survival amidst the natural world. In this hall, discover exquisite cave paintings, intricate carvings, and the iconic Venus figurines that illuminate the spiritual and social lives of our prehistoric ancestors.
The Collection
- Laetoli Footprints — 3.6M BCE · artifact
- Sterkfontein Caves — 3M BCE · architecture
- Wonderwerk Cave — 2M BCE · architecture
- Olduvai Gorge — 1.8M BCE · architecture
- Zhoukoudian (Peking Man) — 500000 BCE · architecture
- Border Cave — 170000 BCE · architecture
- Klasies River Mouth — 120000 BCE · architecture
- Nassarius Shell Beads — 82000 BCE · art
- Blombos Cave Shell Beads — 75000 BCE · art
- Howiesons Poort — 65000 BCE · artifact
- Shanidar Cave — 65000 BCE · spiritual
- Kebara Cave — 60000 BCE · architecture
- Denisova Cave — 50000 BCE · architecture
- Topper Site — 50000 BCE · architecture
- Sulawesi Cave Art — 45000 BCE · art
- Bacho Kiro Cave — 45000 BCE · architecture
- Lake Mungo Burial — 42000 BCE · spiritual
- Lion-Man of Hohlenstein-Stadel — 40000 BCE · art
- Bone Flute of Hohle Fels — 40000 BCE · art
- El Castillo Cave — 40000 BCE · art
- Niah Cave — 40000 BCE · architecture
- Gorham's Cave — 40000 BCE · architecture
- Venus of Hohle Fels — 35000 BCE · art
- Vogelherd Horse — 35000 BCE · art
- Red Lady of Paviland — 33000 BCE · spiritual
- Chauvet Cave Paintings — 32000 BCE · art
- Sungir Burial — 30000 BCE · spiritual
- Bhimbetka Rock Shelters — 30000 BCE · art
- Venus of Dolní Věstonice — 29000 BCE · art
- Abri Blanchard Bone Plaque — 28000 BCE · art
- Cosquer Cave — 27000 BCE · art
- Dolní Věstonice Settlement — 27000 BCE · architecture
- Venus of Willendorf — 25000 BCE · art
- Venus of Brassempouy — 25000 BCE · art
- Pech Merle Cave — 25000 BCE · art
- Apollo 11 Cave Stones — 25000 BCE · art
- Serra da Capivara — 25000 BCE · art
- Mal'ta–Buret' Venus Figurines — 24000 BCE · art
- Ohalo II — 23000 BCE · architecture
- Pedra Furada — 22000 BCE · art
- Ishango Bone — 20000 BCE · artifact
- Isturitz Cave Flutes — 20000 BCE · art
- Franchthi Cave — 20000 BCE · architecture
- Xianrendong Cave — 18000 BCE · artifact
- Lascaux Cave Paintings — 17000 BCE · art
- Yuchanyan Cave Pottery — 16000 BCE · artifact
- Meadowcroft Rockshelter — 16000 BCE · architecture
- Kapova Cave Paintings — 16000 BCE · art
- Altamira Cave Paintings — 15000 BCE · art
- Grotte des Pigeons (Taforalt) — 15000 BCE · architecture
- Shaft Scene of Lascaux — 15000 BCE · art
- Monte Verde — 14500 BCE · architecture
- Jōmon Pottery — 14000 BCE · art
- Font-de-Gaume — 14000 BCE · art
- Niaux Cave — 14000 BCE · art
- Tuc d'Audoubert Bison — 14000 BCE · art
- Swimming Reindeer — 13000 BCE · art
- Creswell Crags — 13000 BCE · art
- Rouffignac Cave — 13000 BCE · art
- Clovis Spear Points — 13000 BCE · battle
- Spirit Cave (Thailand) — 12000 BCE · architecture
- Fell Cave (Cueva Fell) — 11000 BCE · architecture
- Guitarrero Cave — 10600 BCE · artifact
- Folsom Points — 10500 BCE · battle
- Cueva de las Manos — 9000 BCE · art
- Star Carr — 9000 BCE · architecture