Archive for July, 2011

Aboriginal Art Materials

aboriginal art materials
I need some more info on Aboriginal artists?

Hello, I need to write a few short paragraphs about aboriginal artists and I need a couple more answers answered as i cannot find what I’m exactly looking for on the Internet, when did Aboriginal Art start, where did it originate, was there any religious significance, what was there theme, are there techniques still used today and what materials did they use? Thank you.

It is hard to say for sure when aboriginal art began, but evidence from pottery and arrowheads suggest that it is 12,000 to 4,000 years old. Pottery dated to 4,000 years ago has been found, but the credibility of these findings is dependent on the authenticity of the reports and studies of archaeologists. The term “pre-Columbian” is used to describe the time era before Columbus arrived in North and Central America, after which European customs and traditions began to influence the art of the aboriginal inhabitants of the region.

Art had a lot of religious significance in the tribal societies of the aboriginals peoples of the Western Hemisphere. Objects used in religiousrituals were believed to be charged with magic. It was the hope of the craftsmen that these objects would appease the spirits. The people belived that thier survival depended on these objects such as carved masks and pipebowls.

The styles and the materials used by the aboriginal artsists of the Western Hemisphere depended on where they lived. Geography and natural features of the terrain helped to define the individual culture of the tribes. Aboriginal art is found right from South America to the Arctic region. The Navaho, who specialized in colourful rugs, often used herbal and mineral dyes as material, especially carmine red. They also use sand coloured with natural pigments, corn pollen and charcoal. Navaho shamans made sand paintings to heal diseases, to promote fertility or to seek a successful hunt. The sandstone paintings were used in ceremonies.

The Hopi used cottonwood roots to carve and paint kachina dolls. They also produced wall paintings.

The Kwakiutl of the northwest coast used wood to produce totem poles, mortuary poles and masks, and to ecorate houses and canoes. The totem poles and mortuary poles indicated social status.

The Inuit peoples of Alaska often incorporated odd materials into masks. Often these masks had moving parts, which were used by shamans.

The Maya of Guatemala and Mexico used limestone to carve temples. They also painted murals on temples. murals.

The Aztec carved statues out of gold. They were skilled at working with gold, and they often carved statues of gods, who demanded who demanded regular human sacrifice.

The Incas of Peru were skilled at masonry and at metallurgy, often working with gold. They carved funerary masks out of gold.

Aboriginal tribes all over the United States used earth to construct large mounds, often in the shape of animals. These mounds were used as burial chambers. An example is the Great Serpent Mound in Ohio.

To the Aboriginal People art served many functions. It played a role in ceremonies such as initiations, funerals and festivals. It also played a decorative role and was used for gift-giving. Gift-giving was believed to bestow prestige on the giver.

Aboriginal Art – How to Create It

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