Cave Paintings

When another old cave is discovered in the south of France, it is not usually news. Rather, it is an ordinary event. Such discoveries are so frequent these days that hardly anybody pays heed to them. However, when the Lascaux cave complex was discovered in 1940, the world was amazed. Painted directly on its walls were hundreds of scenes showing how people lived thousands of years ago. The scenes show people hunting animals, such as bison or wild cats. Other images depict birds and, most noticeably, horses, which appear in more than 300 wall images, by far outnumbering all other animals. Early artists drawing these animals accomplished a monumental and difficult task. They did not limit themselves to the easily accessible walls but carried their painting materials to spaces that required climbing steep walls or crawling into narrow passages in the Lascaux complex. Unfortunately, the paintings have been exposed to the destructive action of water and temperature changes, which easily wear the images away. Because the Lascaux caves have many entrances, air movement has also damaged the images inside. Although they are not out in the open air, where natural light would have destroyed them long ago, many of the images have deteriorated and are barely recognizable. To prevent further damage, the site was closed to tourists in 1963, 23 years after it was discovered.

• It is home to rare animals.

• It has a large number of caves.

• It is known for horse-racing events.

• It has attracted many famous artists.

When another old cave is discovered in the south of France, it is not usually news. Rather, it is an ordinary event. Such discoveries are so frequent these days that hardly anybody pays heed to them. However, when the Lascaux cave complex was discovered in 1940, the world was amazed. Painted directly on its walls were hundreds of scenes showing how people lived thousands of years ago. The scenes show people hunting animals, such as bison or wild cats. Other images depict birds and, most noticeably, horses, which appear in more than 300 wall images, by far outnumbering all other animals. Early artists drawing these animals accomplished a monumental and difficult task. They did not limit themselves to the easily accessible walls but carried their painting materials to spaces that required climbing steep walls or crawling into narrow passages in the Lascaux complex. Unfortunately, the paintings have been exposed to the destructive action of water and temperature changes, which easily wear the images away. Because the Lascaux caves have many entrances, air movement has also damaged the images inside. Although they are not out in the open air, where natural light would have destroyed them long ago, many of the images have deteriorated and are barely recognizable. To prevent further damage, the site was closed to tourists in 1963, 23 years after it was discovered. Why was painting inside the Lascaux complex a difficult task?

• It was completely dark inside.

• The caves were full of wild animals.

• Painting materials were hard to find.

• Many painting spaces were difficult to reach.

When another old cave is discovered in the south of France, it is not usually news. Rather, it is an ordinary event. Such discoveries are so frequent these days that hardly anybody pays heed to them. However, when the Lascaux cave complex was discovered in 1940, the world was amazed. Painted directly on its walls were hundreds of scenes showing how people lived thousands of years ago. The scenes show people hunting animals, such as bison or wild cats. Other images depict birds and, most noticeably, horses, which appear in more than 300 wall images, by far outnumbering all other animals. Early artists drawing these animals accomplished a monumental and difficult task. They did not limit themselves to the easily accessible walls but carried their painting materials to spaces that required climbing steep walls or crawling into narrow passages in the Lascaux complex. Unfortunately, the paintings have been exposed to the destructive action of water and temperature changes, which easily wear the images away. Because the Lascaux caves have many entrances, air movement has also damaged the images inside. Although they are not out in the open air, where natural light would have destroyed them long ago, many of the images have deteriorated and are barely recognizable. To prevent further damage, the site was closed to tourists in 1963, 23 years after it was discovered.

• Wild Animals in Art

• Hidden Prehistoric Paintings

• Exploring Caves Respectfully

• Determining the Age of French Caves

When another old cave is discovered in the south of France, it is not usually news. Rather, it is an ordinary event. Such discoveries are so frequent these days that hardly anybody pays heed to them. However, when the Lascaux cave complex was discovered in 1940, the world was amazed. Painted directly on its walls were hundreds of scenes showing how people lived thousands of years ago. The scenes show people hunting animals, such as bison or wild cats. Other images depict birds and, most noticeably, horses, which appear in more than 300 wall images, by far outnumbering all other animals.

The word depict is closest in meaning to _______.

• show

• hunt

• count

• draw

Which of the following best describes the primary theme of cave paintings?

• A) Ancient storytelling

• B) Modern art techniques

• C) Futuristic designs

• D) Abstract expressionism

What is the main purpose of cave paintings according to historical analysis?

• A) To decorate caves

• B) To communicate with future generations

• C) To serve as a hunting guide

• D) To express religious beliefs

In the context of cave paintings, what does the term 'prehistoric' refer to?

• A) Before written history

• B) Before the invention of the wheel

• C) Before the discovery of fire

• D) Before the Ice Age

Which sentence uses the word 'depict' correctly in the context of cave paintings?

• A) The artist depict a modern cityscape.

• B) The cave paintings depict ancient animals.

• C) The historian depict the future of art.

• D) The teacher depict a math problem.

What is a common subject found in cave paintings?

• A) Space exploration

• B) Daily life of prehistoric people

• C) Modern architecture

• D) Abstract shapes

Which of the following is a characteristic of cave paintings?

• A) Use of bright neon colors

• B) Detailed human portraits

• C) Simple and symbolic imagery

• D) Complex mathematical patterns