BEFORE ART

BEFORE ART

‘Didn’t this m a n … when he picked up a stone to give it a sh a pe useful to his needs … open the wa y for a ll sculptors a nd a rchitects to come?’

J a cques Boucher de Perthes, Antiquités Celtiques et Antédiluviennes , Vol. 1 (1847).

The ob j ects in this c a ta logue were m a de from be a utiful stones, every intention a l strike c a ptured on their surfa ce.

B a nded flints, multicoloured ja spers, tra nslucent ch a lcedonies, they were given ple a sing symmetric a l form, le a f-like silhouettes. Some a re much too l a rge to use, some seem too precious. They a re a ll overdesigned. Unnecess a ry embellishment. They were cre a ted hundreds of thous a nds of ye a rs a go, tra nsported by gl a ciers a nd submerged under newly formed se a s. Their p a tin a s cre a ted over unfa thom a ble lengths of time.

These stones preserve a n instinct for be a uty, before a rt.

H a nd Axes: Controversy to Art

At the end of the seventeenth century, London-b a sed a pothec a ry, John Conyers, une a rthed the skeleton of a n eleph a nt a nd a stra nge stone ob j ect while removing gravel at Gray’s Inn L a ne. The stone, described a nd illustrated in 1715 by his friend a nd a ntiqu a ry, John B a gford, a s a ‘British we a pon,’ sh a ped like the ‘he a d of a spe a r’, necessitated a n expl a n ation. H a d the eleph a nt a ccomp a nied the Rom a n a rmy to Brita in during the reign of Emperor Cl a udius? Did the stone we a pon therefore belong to the a ncient Britons, who h a d not yet le a rnt how to c a st meta l?

Occurring at a time when the biblic a l n a rrative wa s widely a ccepted a nd it wa s believed th at the hum a n ra ce wa s only six thous a nd ye a rs old, these expl a n ations seemed to be the most pl a usible. However, by the end of the eighteenth century, a gre at de a l h a d ch a nged reg a rding our understa nding of the history of the Ea rth. Geologists now believed th at p a rts of Europe h a d been covered by va st swathes of ice, which were known to be tens or even hundreds of thous a nds of ye a rs old, a nd fossils of stra nge cre atures – the m a mmoth, the woolly rhinoceros, a nd the c ave be a r – a ll unknown to the modern mind, were une a rthed. In the 1790s, a mong the s a me gl a ci a l deposits, John Frere (1740 – 1807) fa mously found h a nd a xes. Presenting this a stonishing discovery to the Society of Antiqu a ries of London, Frere boldly cl a imed th at these h a nd a xes, a nd the people who m a de them, h a d to d ate to a very remote period ‘beyond th at of the present world’. However, it wa sn’t until l ater th at the signific a nce of this find would be a cknowledged. Adding evidence to these incredible suggestions, in the 1830s a nd ’40s, French a m ateur exc avator, J a cques Boucher de Perthes (1788 – 1868), beg a n to a m a ss a l a rge collection of flint h a nd a xes a nd extinct a nim a l bones from very deep geologic a l deposits a long the Somme Va lley. This wa s followed in quick succession by simil a r findings from Willi a m Pengelly (1812 – 1894) at Brixh a m Cave in Devon, Engl a nd. Most signific a ntly, however, in 1859, two businessmen, Joseph Prestwich (1812 – 1896) a nd John Eva ns (1823 – 1908), found more h a nd a xes in Abbeville, Fra nce. H aving photogra phed them in situ a mong fossilised a nim a l rem a ins, Prestwich used this evidence to write in defence of Frere’s e a rlier cl a ims, setting in motion wh at h a s come to be known a s ‘The Time Revolution of 1859’.

Scientists a nd the public now h a d to come to terms with the p a rticul a rly controversi a l notion th at their a ncestors h a d once lived a longside l a rge a nd terrifying a nim a ls th at h a d ro a med the Ea rth m a ny ye a rs before the believed d ate of M a n's cre ation. Indeed, on the public ation of their finds, Prestwich wa s wa rned by Reverend Ch a rles

Kingsley (1819 – 1875) th at ‘religious persons will be a ngry, a nd try to crush the truth’. Nonetheless, the bro a der soci a l a nd politic a l environment of 1859, m a rked by the rise to power of Brita in’s first Libera l government a nd the rele a se of John Stu a rt Mill’s On Liberty , cre ated a more favoura ble clim ate for ch a llenging tra dition a l Cre ationist viewpoints. Then, the groundbre a king study by Ch a rles Da rwin, On the Origin of Species (1859), wa s published, a nd a rch a eologists tried to reconcile Prestwich a nd Eva ns’ discoveries with this new theory of evolution. In his semin a l book, Prehistoric Times (1865), John Lubbock introduced a new term, ‘Pa l a eolithic’ or ‘Old Stone Age’, to describe the era in which hum a ns cra fted h a nd a xes. This served to ch a llenge the more tra dition a l l a bel of ‘ a ntediluvi a n’, which wa s commonly used to describe the time before the biblic a l flood. Lubbock delved into the us a ge of these h a nd a xes a nd offered insights into the culture of the people who cre ated them. Through comp a risons with the Aborigin a l Austra li a ns a nd N ative Americ a n peoples, who still used stone tools, he presented a controversi a l portra it of the Europe a n a ncestor: a c avedwelling cre ature who c a rved a xes by chipping fl a kes from pieces of flint, a nd used them to sl a ughter a nim a ls. No longer a signifier of the ‘inferior’ overse a s ‘ra ces’, these stone implements were found in Brita in, signific a ntly ch a llenging the Western understa nding of their own p a st. But a s evidence grew, more c a me to a ccept th at there wa s a hum a n history beyond contempora ry understa nding; a prehistory, th at needed to be understood, collected a nd studied.

It wa s soon a cknowledged th at, j ust a s hum a ns evolved, stone tools h a d evolved too. In 1883, French a rch a eologist Ga briel de Mortillet (1821 – 1898) divided the Pa l a eolithic further a ccording to the development of the tool, a nd org a nised one of the l a rgest public collections of h a nd a xes a nd other a rtefa cts in Europe, at the Museum of N ation a l Antiquities, to illustrate it. The museum attra cted l a rge crowds during the Univers a l Exposition held in Pa ris in 1867, a nd other museums soon followed suit in esta blishing their own collections. This sp a rked the interest of a m ateur a rch a eologists throughout Europe, a nd in Brita in, enthusi a sts beg a n their own collections. Indeed, John Eva ns, a we a lthy p a per m a nufa cturer, bec a me one of the le a ding rese a rchers a nd collectors of Pa l a eolithic a rtefa cts, working a longside Joseph Prestwich, a nd publishing his book Ancient Stone Implements, We a pons, a nd Orn a ments of Gre a t Brita in in 1872. A humble dra ughtsm a n, Worthington Smith (1835 – 1917), a lso bec a me a

p a ssion ate collector, se a rching gravel pits a nd construction sites a round London where Ice Age sediments were exposed, a m a ssing a collection of more th a n one thous a nd a rtefa cts by 1882. Gone were the d ays of the illustrious Gra nd Tour, this wa s a rch a eology th at wa s e a sily a ccessible to a ll, reg a rdless of ra nk or profession.

Despite incre a singly widespre a d interest, the exc avated pieces were still only recognised a s va lu a ble scientific specimens th at could inform on the culture of the Ice Age people who m a de them. While it wa s a cknowledged th at they were skilfully m a de, it wa s a lso a ccepted th at they were repl a ced by more sophistic ated a rtefa cts. H a nd a xes were thus inherently a scientific specimen, pl a ced in the s a me c ategory a s the ‘primitive’ cultura l a rtefa cts of the indigenous peoples from Afric a Oce a ni a a nd the Americ a s, a nd unworthy of the title ‘ a rt’.

Tod ay, however, attitudes a re ch a nging. H a nd a xes a re sta rting to be a ppreci ated a nd collected for their be a uty a nd their m ateri a l. No longer confined to the re a lms of a nthropologic a l collections, they c a n be considered a s the first ob j ects to illustrate a sense of a esthetics in the minds of their cre ators. In a ddition to being coveted by a rtists, such a s those collected ( a nd exhibited here) by Americ a n p a inter, Tony Berl a nt (b.1941), h a nd a xes a re now deemed worthy of a cquisition by the a rt museum. The 2018 exhibition of h a nd a xes at the N a sher Sculpture Center, Texa s, wa s the first to pl a ce them within a sphere of a rtistic cre ativity, a s a n a lmost n atura l extension of its usu a l displ ays of modern a nd contempora ry works. Their fit a mong such cre ations is h a rdly surprising, p a rticul a rly a s the Surre a list sculptors of the twentieth century took inspiration from prehistoric ob j ects. L a rger museums a re now a lso including exa mples in their perm a nent collections. The Metropolita n Museum of Art in New York h a s twenty-five h a nd a xes on displ ay, the m aj ority of which were a cquired within the l a st five ye a rs a nd a re highlighted by curators a s ‘ a potent m a nifestation’ of a n e a rly a nd continuous hum a n interest in a esthetics. And nowhere is this modern conceptu a lis ation more preva lent th a n in the Louvre Abu Dh a bi. The museum, which a ims to tell the univers a l story of hum a n cre ativity by grouping ob j ects a cross geogra phic a l b a rriers, pl a ces h a nd a xes right at the d awn of a ll a rtistic evolution. The displ ay at the entra nce of the museum is a powerful statement of their emerging position in the glob a l a rtistic n a rrative. As the curatori a l introduction notes, ‘The birth of a esthetics? Design? Identity? H a nd a xes or bifa ces serve a s evidence of the first hum a n interest in a esthetics a nd reve a l the sense of hum a nity in our common a ncestor’.

RAW

Just a s Michel a ngelo looked a t m a rble a nd visu a lised the sculpture tra pped within, e a rly hum a ns conceived a n a xe within a n a tura l flint nodule, with a ll its curves a nd imperfections. They skilfully incorpora ted p a rts of the org a nic nodule a s a h a ndle, thumb-hole or grip.

Lower Pa l a eolithic 700,000 – 300,000 BC

Mottled brown flint with a gloss p atin a

Length: 11.5cm

Proven a nce:

Longueil-S a inte-M a rie, Oise, Northern Fra nce, October 1987

Collection of Je a n-Cl a ude Debenne (1936 – 2020)

Lower Pa l a eolithic 700,000 – 300,000 BC

Da rk flint with a gloss p atin a

Length: 9.5cm

Proven a nce: Oise, Northern Fra nce

Collection of Je a n-Cl a ude Debenne (1936 – 2020)

1 Homo heidelbergensis

2 Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic 700,000 – 300,000 BC

Da rk flint with a mottled p atin a

Length: 16cm

Proven a nce:

Longueil-S a inte-M a rie, Oise, Northern Fra nce, 14th October 1995

Collection of Je a n-Cl a ude Debenne (1936 – 2020)

Lower Pa l a eolithic 700,000 – 300,000 BC

Flint with a chocol ate brown p atin a

Length: 17.5cm

Proven a nce: Thebes, Egypt Collection of Robert De Rusta f ja ell (1876 – 1943), a cquired in Thebes prior to 1909. Subsequently in the collection of Tony Berl a nt (b. 1941).

Published: De Rusta f ja ell, R., The Stone Age in Egypt… , NY: 1914. No. 324

3

Homo heidelbergensis

4

Homo heidelbergensis

FLINT

Flint bo a sts a unique tri a d of qu a lities: it is h a rd, brittle but fra ctures predicta bly. It wa s the perfect c a nva s for cra fting tools a nd it wa s in plentiful supply throughout the shores a nd riverb a nks of prehistoric Europe. Some flints, however, possess a n a stonishing be a uty, a ch a rm th a t m ay h ave swayed their selection in the minds of our dista nt a ncestors.

5 Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic 700,000 – 300,000 BC

B a nded ora nge flint

Length: 11.5cm

Proven a nce:

Fra nce

Collection of Tony Berl a nt (b.1941)

6 Homo ne a nderth a lensis

Middle Pa l a eolithic 300,000 – 40,000 BC

B a nded ora nge flint

Length: 12cm

Proven a nce:

Fra nce

Collection of Tony Berl a nt (b.1941)

7 Homo ne a nderth a lensis

Middle Pa l a eolithic 300,000 – 40,000 BC

B a nded ora nge flint

Length: 10.5cm

Proven a nce:

Fra nce

Collection of Tony Berl a nt (b.1941)

8

Homo ne a nderth a lensis

Middle Pa l a eolithic 300,000 – 40,000 BC

B a nded ora nge flint

Length: 11cm

Proven a nce:

Oise, Northern Fra nce Collection of Je a n-Cl a ude Debenne (1936 – 2020)

9

Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic 700,000 – 300,000 BC

B a nded ora nge-white flint

Length: 17cm

Proven a nce:

Lembra s, Dordogne, Southwestern Fra nce Collection of Tony Berl a nt (b.1941)

Length: 18cm

Proven

10 Homo heidelbergensis Lower Pa l a eolithic 700,000 – 300,000 BC Flint with a white p atin a , fossil inclusions a nd qu a rtz

FRAME

The n a tura l fe a tures of these a xes a ppe a r a s p a rt of a composition, a lmost a s if they were fra med to emph a sise their presence. Fra ming is a n inherent a rtistic choice, a ppe a ring throughout history, from the borders of cl a ssic a l mos a ics to the el a bora te c a rtouches of the B a roque.

Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic 700,000 – 300,000 BC Flint with a chocol ate brown iron-oxide p atin a

Length: 13.5cm

Proven a nce: Montguill a in, Oise, Northern Fra nce, July 1878 Collection of Ch a rles J a net (1849 – 1932)

12

Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic 700,000 – 300,000 BC

Da rk flint with a n ora nge-brown iron-oxide p atin a

Length: 17cm

Proven a nce: Oise, Northern Fra nce Collection of Je a n-Cl a ude Debenne (1936 – 2020)

CHALCEDONY

Kn a pped from a stone of otherworldly tra nslucence, this h a nd a xe foresh a dows the millenni a -long fa scin a tion with ch a lcedony th a t wa s to come, from its use for the inta glios a nd a mulets of a ncient Rome to a gem tod ay imbued with spiritu a l me a ning.

13 Homo ne a nderth a lensis Middle Pa l a eolithic 300,000 – 40,000 BC Blue-grey ch a lcedony with a white vermiculé p atin a Length: 11.5cm

Proven a nce: L a nqu a is, Dordogne, Southwestern Fra nce Collection of Fra nçois Bigot (1950 – 2009)

BRECCIA

Once a vessel of potenti a l, this a mber tinged core is a by-product of Pa l a eolithic bl a de production. Found in a c ave in Fra nce, it h a s been fused for countless millenni a within the sediment where it fell.

14 Homo s a piens Upper Pa l a eolithic 40,000 – 10,000 BC Amber-brown flint with a gloss p atin a within comp a cted c ave deposit Length: 23.5cm

Proven a nce: Oise, Northern Fra nce Collection of Je a n-Cl a ude Debenne (1936 – 2020)

JASPER

Even though flint wa s re a dily a ccessible a nd equ a lly pra ctic a l, ja sper wa s the m a teri a l of choice a t the site of Fontmore. As a rch a eologist, L. Pra del, noted, ‘it is possible th a t the Ne a nderth a ls, who were a ble to gra sp the h a rmony of a be a utiful geometric tool, were a lso struck by the a dmira ble multicoloured, ever-ch a nging p a tterns of Fontmore ja sper’.

Homo ne a nderth a lensis Middle Pa l a eolithic 300,000 – 40,000 BC

Multicoloured b a nded ja sper with a gloss p atin a Length: 7cm

Proven a nce: Fontmore, Vienne, Centra l Fra nce Collection of Michel Lem a rch a nd (1937 – 2014)

16

Homo ne a nderth a lensis

Middle Pa l a eolithic 300,000 – 40,000 BC

Purple ja sper with a gloss p atin a

Length: 6.5cm

Proven a nce:

Fontmore, Vienne, Centra l Fra nce Collection of Michel Lem a rch a nd (1937 – 2014)

17

Homo ne a nderth a lensis Middle Pa l a eolithic 300,000 – 40,000 BC Yellow ja sper with purple flecks a nd a gloss p atin a

Length: 8.5cm

Proven a nce:

Fontmore, Vienne, Centra l Fra nce, 1937 Collection of Michel Lem a rch a nd (1937 – 2014)

GIANTS

Too big for a ny pra ctic a l purpose, evolution a ry a nthropologists h ave specul a ted on the use of these enigm a tic gi a nt a xes. Like the el a bora te plum a ge of cre a tures in the wild, were they ob j ects of sexu a l a llure? Signifiers of skill a nd prowess? Gi a nt a xes ch a llenge the notion of prestige a s something unique to our own species.

Homo heidelbergensis Lower P a l a eolithic 700,000 –300,000 BC Brown qu a rtzite Length: 35.5cm

Proven a nce: Gr a vière Rodriguez, Presles-etBoves, Aisne, Northern Fr a nce, 15th J a nu a ry 1958 Collection of Mr H. Joullié (1886 –1968).

Presented a t the Congrès Préhist. de Fr a nce, 16th session, Mon a co, 1959. Exhibited a t the Musée de l’Homme, P a ris, 1960s.

Published: Joullié, H. & Kelley, H. ‘Recherches récentes sur le p a léolithique de l a région de V a illy-sur-Aisne,’ SPF Bulletin , 58: 7, (1961): 440-449.

Kelley, H. ‘Bif a ces de Très Gr a nde T a ille,’ C. R. du Congrès Préhist. de Fr a nce, XVIe session , (Mon a co, 1959): 739 –772.

“In M a y 1958, Mr Henri Joullié... w a s kind enough to show me sever a l pieces from his collection, one of which w a s quite rem a rk a ble: a bif a ce found on 15 J a nu a ry 1958 in the Rodriguez Qu a rry a t a depth of a round 4.5m ne a r the c a n a l a nd close to Presles-et-Boves (Aisne). This piece is, I believe, prob a bly the l a rgest E a rliest P a l a eolithic bif a ce found so f a r in Fr a nce a nd possibly in Europe.”

Harper Kelley, 1959

LUSTRE

Dull when freshly kn a pped, flint c a n a cquire a n intense lustre over countless ye a rs of silic a precipita tion. Silic a precipita tes from groundwa ter into tiny pores within the stone, le aving a smoother, ‘polished’ l ayer. An a ccidenta l embellishment, highlighting not j ust the hue of the flint, but the skilful kn a pping of its a nonymous m a ker.

20

Lower Pa l a eolithic 700,000 – 300,000

Length: 14.5cm

Proven a nce: Oise, Northern Fra nce Collection of Je a n-Cl a ude Debenne (1936 – 2020)

Homo heidelbergensis

BC

Bl a ck-brown flint with a lustrous gloss p atin a

21

Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic 700,000 – 300,000 BC

Bl a ck-brown flint with a lustrous gloss p atin a

Length: 13.5cm

Proven a nce: Oise, Northern Fra nce Collection of Je a n-Cl a ude Debenne (1936 – 2020)

TEXTURE

Like the ever-growing sta l a ctites of Pa l a eolithic c aves, over the course of millenni a , s a nd a nd sediment h ave become cemented to the surfa ce of these h a nd a xes.

Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic 700,000 – 300,000 BC

Light coloured flint with a n ora nge iron-oxide p atin a

Length: 20cm

Proven a nce: Fra nce

Collection of Tony Berl a nt (b.1941)

Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic

700,000 – 300,000 BC

Grey flint with a brown iron-oxide p atin a

Length: 17.5cm

Proven a nce: Fra nce Collection of Tony Berl a nt (b.1941)

REVOLUTION

After more th a n a million ye a rs of onesta ge Acheule a n technology, in the Middle Pa l a eolithic the revolution a ry two-sta ge Leva llois technique resulted in l a rge h a nd a xes of exception a l qu a lity a nd uniformity. The a pogee of Pa l a eolithic a xe production.

24

Homo ne a nderth a lensis Middle Pa l a eolithic 300,000 – 40,000 BC

Flint with a two-sided mottled grey-blue p atin a

Length: 19cm

Proven a nce:

Yonne, North-Centra l Fra nce Collection of Fra nçois Bigot (1950 – 2009)

25

Homo ne a nderth a lensis Middle Pa l a eolithic 300,000 – 40,000 BC

Flint with a two-sided pe a ch-white a nd blue-grey p atin a

Length: 15cm

Proven a nce: S a int-Victor-sur-Avre, Eure, Northern Fra nce Collection of Fra nçois Bigot (1950 – 2009)

26

Homo ne a nderth a lensis

Middle Pa l a eolithic

300,000 – 40,000 BC

Flint with a n ora nge iron-oxide a nd ch a lky

white p atin a

Length: 13.5cm

Proven a nce:

Monségur, Gironde, Southwestern Fra nce Collection of Fra nçois Bigot (1950 – 2009)

27

Homo ne a nderth a lensis

Middle Pa l a eolithic

300,000 – 40,000 BC

Flint with a cre a my grey p atin a

Length: 14.5cm

Proven a nce:

Gron, Yonne, North-Centra l Fra nce Collection of Tony Berl a nt (b.1941)

28

Homo ne a nderth a lensis

Middle Pa l a eolithic

300,000 – 40,000 BC

Flint with a two-sided cre a m vermiculé p atin a

Length: 14cm

Proven a nce:

Poitiers, Vienne, West-Centra l Fra nce Collection of Fra nçois Bigot (1950 – 2009)

SYMMETRY

Just a s a rtists distort re a lity to cre a te perspective, cra fting Leva llois a xes defied intuition, dem a nding instruction from m a ster to a pprentice. First, a core wa s prep a red a nd struck in crosssection to form pre-determined fl a kes, which were then reworked. M a stery of this process yielded sm a ll, thin, gem-like tools.

Homo ne a nderth a lensis Middle Pa l a eolithic 300,000 – 40,000 BC B a nded flint with a mottled white-grey p atin a Length: 10.5cm

Proven a nce: Pull ay, Eure, Northern Fra nce Collection of Fra nçois Bigot (1950 – 2009)

30

Homo ne a nderth a lensis

Middle Pa l a eolithic 300,000 – 40,000 BC

Flint with a ch a lky white p atin a

Length: 12cm

Proven a nce:

Fra nce

Collection of Fra nçois Bigot (1950 – 2009)

31

Homo ne a nderth a lensis

Middle Pa l a eolithic 300,000 – 40,000 BC

Flint with a mottled grey p atin a

Length: 13cm

Proven a nce: M a urens, Dordogne, Southwestern Fra nce

Collection of Tony Berl a nt (b.1941)

SPOTLIGHT

32 Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic 700,000 – 300,000 BC Flint with a yellow-ora nge iron-oxide p atin a Length: 15cm

Proven a nce: Fra nce Collection of Tony Berl a nt (b.1941)

34 Homo heidelbergensis Lower Pa l a eolithic 700,000 – 300,000 BC Flint with a va rieg ated red-ora nge iron-oxide p atin a Length: 17.5cm

Proven a nce: Engl a nd English private collection

35 Homo ne a nderth a lensis Middle Pa l a eolithic 300,000 – 40,000 BC Da rk flint with a gloss p atin a Length: 12cm

Proven a nce: Bois-Guill a ume, Seine-M a ritime, Northern Fra nce Collection of Tony Berl a nt (b.1941)

36 Homo heidelbergensis Lower Pa l a eolithic 700,000 – 300,000 BC Flint with a va rieg ated red-ora nge iron-oxide p atin a Length: 18cm

Proven a nce: Va illy-sur-Aisne, Aisne, Northern Fra nce Belgi a n private collection

Homo heidelbergensis Lower Pa l a eolithic 700,000 – 300,000 BC Flint with a n ora nge a nd ch a lky vermiculé p atin a Length: 20cm

Proven a nce: Fra nce Collection of Tony Berl a nt (b.1941)

38 Homo ne a nderth a lensis Middle Pa l a eolithic 300,000 – 40,000 BC Flint with a porcel a in-like white-blue p atin a Length: 12.5cm

Proven a nce: Fra nce Collection of Fra nçois Bigot (1950 – 2009)

39 Homo heidelbergensis Lower Pa l a eolithic 700,000 – 300,000 BC Flint with a speckled green-ora nge p atin a Length: 20cm

Proven a nce: Va illy-sur-Aisne, Aisne, Northern Fra nce Belgi a n private collection

40 Homo heidelbergensis Lower Pa l a eolithic 700,000 – 300,000 BC Light, mottled flint with a gloss p atin a Length: 22.5cm

Proven a nce: S a int-Acheul, Somme, Northern Fra nce Collection of Tony Berl a nt (b.1941)

41 Homo heidelbergensis Lower Pa l a eolithic 700,000 – 300,000 BC B a nded fllint with a mottled ora nge iron-oxide p atin a Length: 23cm

Proven a nce: L a Riva udière, Nou âtre, Indre-et-Loire, Centra l Fra nce Collection of Tony Berl a nt (b.1941)

42 Homo heidelbergensis Lower Pa l a eolithic 700,000 – 300,000 BC Flint with a mottled olive green-yellow p atin a Length: 16cm

Proven a nce: Engl a nd Collection of Tony Berl a nt (b.1941)

43 Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic 700,000 – 300,000 BC Flint with a mottled cre a m-brown a nd vermiculé p atin a Length: 16cm

Proven a nce:

Rouen, Seine-M a ritime, Northern Fra nce Collection of Fra nçois Bigot (1950 – 2009)

44 Homo heidelbergensis Lower Pa l a eolithic 700,000 – 300,000 BC B a nded, light coloured flint with a red iron-oxide p atin a Length: 17cm

Proven a nce: Kent, Engl a nd English private collection

45 Homo ne a nderth a lensis Middle Pa l a eolithic 300,000 – 40,000 BC Chert with a cre a m p atin a Length: 13.5cm

Proven a nce: Combe-Ca pelle, Dordogne, Southern Fra nce Collection of Fra nçois Bigot (1950 – 2009)

46 Homo heidelbergensis Lower Pa l a eolithic 700,000 – 300,000 BC Ora nge-bl a ck qu a rtzite

Length: 22cm

Proven a nce: Fra nce Collection of Tony Berl a nt (b.1941)

47 Homo ne a nderth a lensis Middle Pa l a eolithic 300,000 – 40,000 BC Flint with a mottled grey-white p atin a Length: 15.5cm

Proven a nce: Le Moustier, Dordogne, Southwest Fra nce Collection of Tony Berl a nt (b.1941)

48 Homo heidelbergensis Lower Pa l a eolithic 700,000 – 300,000 BC Flint with a n ora nge iron-oxide p atin a Length: 16cm

Proven a nce: Va illy-sur-Aisne, Aisne, Northern Fra nce Belgi a n private collection

49 Homo ne a nderth a lensis Middle Pa l a eolithic 300,000 – 40,000 BC Flint with a mottled cre a m-grey p atin a Length: 14.5cm

Proven a nce: Pl a z a c, Dordogne, Southwestern Fra nce Collection of Tony Berl a nt (b.1941)

ART

1 – 49

See e a rlier p a ges.

50

Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic

700,000 – 300,000 BC

Da rk brown-grey flint

Length: 12.5cm

Proven a nce:

Longueil-S a inte-M a rie, Oise, Northern Fra nce, 1990

Collection of Je a n-Cl a ude Debenne (1936 – 2020)

51

Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic

700,000 – 300,000 BC

Flint with a yellow-ora nge iron-oxide p atin a

Length: 15cm

Proven a nce: Oise, Northern Fra nce

Collection of Je a n-Cl a ude Debenne (1936 – 2020)

52

Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic

700,000 – 300,000 BC

Flint with a mottled yellow-brown p atin a

Length: 17cm

Proven a nce:

S a int-Même-les-Ca rrières, Ch a rente, Southwestern Fra nce

Collection of Tony Berl a nt (b.1941)

53

Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic

700,000 – 300,000 BC

Flint with a ch a lky white p atin a

Length: 16cm

Proven a nce:

Oise, Northern Fra nce

Collection of Je a n-Cl a ude Debenne (1936 – 2020)

54

Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic

700,000 – 300,000 BC

Ora nge qu a rtzite

Length: 17.5cm

Proven a nce:

Oise, Northern Fra nce, July 1987

Collection of Je a n-Cl a ude Debenne (1936 – 2020)

55

Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic

700,000 – 300,000 BC

Flint with a mottled ora nge ironoxide p atin a

Length: 18cm

Proven a nce:

Oise, Northern Fra nce

Collection of Je a n-Cl a ude Debenne (1936 – 2020)

56

Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic

700,000 – 300,000 BC

Flint with a yellow-ora nge iron-oxide p atin a

Length: 17cm

Proven a nce:

Oise, Northern Fra nce

Collection of Je a n-Cl a ude Debenne (1936 – 2020)

57

Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic

700,000 – 300,000 BC

Mottled brown flint with a gloss p atin a

Length: 12cm

Proven a nce:

Longueil-S a inte-M a rie, Oise, Northern Fra nce, M ay 1994

Collection of Je a n-Cl a ude Debenne (1936 – 2020)

58

Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic

700,000 – 300,000 BC

Flint with a yellow-ora nge p atin a

Length: 13.5cm

Proven a nce: Engl a nd English private collection

59

Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic 700,000 – 300,000 BC

Da rk grey flint with a mottled ora nge iron-oxide p atin a

Length: 9.5cm

Proven a nce: Viry-Noureuil, Aisne, Northern Fra nce, 1987 Collection of Je a n-Cl a ude Debenne (1936 – 2020)

60

Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic

700,000 – 300,000 BC

Flint with a mottled green-ora nge p atin a

Length: 16.5cm

Proven a nce: Th a mes River Gravels, Engl a nd English private collection

61

Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic

700,000 – 300,000 BC

Flint with a porcel a in-white p atin a Length: 16.5cm

Proven a nce: Bois-Guill a ume, Seine-M a ritime, Northern Fra nce Collection of Fra nçois Bigot (1950 – 2009)

62

Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic

700,000 – 300,000 BC

Flint with a brown iron-oxide p atin a

Length: 8.5cm

Proven a nce:

Kingswell Ro a d Pit, Bournemouth, Engl a nd English private collection

63

Homo ne a nderth a lensis

Middle Pa l a eolithic

300,000 – 40,000 BC

Flint with a greenish grey p atin a Length: 8.5cm

Proven a nce:

Ch a rente, Southwestern Fra nce

Collection of Fra nçois Bigot (1950 – 2009)

64

Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic

700,000 – 300,000 BC

Red-brown flint with a gloss p atin a

Length: 12cm

Proven a nce:

Oise, Northern Fra nce

Collection of Je a n-Cl a ude Debenne (1936 – 2020)

65

Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic

700,000 – 300,000 BC

Flint with a ch a lky white p atin a

Length: 18.5cm

Proven a nce:

S a int-Acheul, Somme, Northern Fra nce, 1923

Collection of Fra nçois Bigot (1950 – 2009)

66

Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic

700,000 – 300,000 BC

Flint with a mottled bl a ck-brown p atin a

Length: 10.5cm

Proven a nce:

H a ppisburgh, Norfolk, Engl a nd, 12th

July 2018 English private collection

67

Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic

700,000 – 300,000 BC

Da rk flint with a mottled, gloss p atin a

Length: 16cm

Proven a nce:

M a inxe, Ch a rente, Southwestern Fra nce

Collection of Tony Berl a nt (b.1941)

68

Homo ne a nderth a lensis

Middle Pa l a eolithic

300,000 – 40,000 BC

Ch a lcedony

Length: 14cm

Proven a nce:

L a nqu a is, Dordogne, Southwestern Fra nce

Collection of Fra nçois Bigot (1950 – 2009)

69

Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic

c.400,000 BC

Flint with a grey-green vermiculé p atin a

Length: 10.5cm

Proven a nce: Swa nscombe, Engl a nd English private collection

70

Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic

700,000 – 300,000 BC

Flint with a yellow-ora nge iron-oxide p atin a

Length: 14.5cm

Proven a nce:

Oise, Northern Fra nce

Collection of Je a n-Cl a ude Debenne (1936 – 2020)

71

Homo ne a nderth a lensis

Middle Pa l a eolithic 300,000 – 40,000 BC

Mottled grey flint

Length: 7.5cm

Proven a nce:

S a int-Germ a in, Eure, Northern Fra nce

Collection of Fra nçois Bigot (1950 – 2009)

72

Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic

700,000 – 300,000 BC

Da rk flint with a gloss p atin a Length: 13.5cm

Proven a nce:

Pont-Arcy, Aisne, Northern Fra nce

French private collection, a cquired in the e a rly 20th century

73

Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic

700,000 – 300,000 BC

Mottled brown flint with a gloss p atin a

Length: 13cm

Proven a nce:

Oise, Northern Fra nce

Collection of Je a n-Cl a ude Debenne (1936 – 2020)

74

Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic

700,000 – 300,000 BC

Flint with a fossiliferous limestone

m atrix a nd a mottled p atin a

Length: 10.5cm

Proven a nce:

Port d’Enva ux, Ch a rente-M a ritime, Southwestern Fra nce Collection of Mrs. G Feys, Vilvoorde, Belgium

75

Homo heidelbergensis

Lower Pa l a eolithic

700,000 – 300,000 BC

Ora nge qu a rtzite

Length: 23cm

Proven a nce: Fra nce

Collection of Fra nçois Bigot (1950 – 2009)

76

Homo ne a nderth a lensis

Middle Pa l a eolithic

300,000 – 40,000 BC

Ch a lcedony

Length: 10cm

Proven a nce:

L a nqu a is, Dordogne, Southwestern Fra nce

Collection of Fra nçois Bigot (1950 – 2009)

77

Homo ne a nderth a lensis

Middle Pa l a eolithic 300,000 – 40,000 BC

Flint with a ch a lky white, vermiculé p atin a

Length: 8cm

Proven a nce: S a int-Victor-sur-Avre, Eure, Northern Fra nce

Collection of Fra nçois Bigot (1950 – 2009)

‘One might even view a ll of recorded a rt history a s a footnote to the h a nd a xe, which reigned a hundred times a s long.’

Geoffrey Miller, The M a ting Mind: How Sexu a l Choice Sh a ped the Evolution of Hum a n N a ture , (2000).

On the occ a sion of the exhibition

Before Art at Frieze M a sters 2023

ArtAncient 31 Imperi a l Rd

London

SW6 2FR

info@ a rta ncient.com

+44 (0)20 3621 0816

ISBN 978-0-9930370-5-4

Published by ArtAncient Ltd

Photogra phy: S a nder Vos

Lighting: Ra món Cols a

Design: Rich a rd Ard a gh Studio

Pre-press: DawkinsColour

Printing: PurePrint

Acknowledgments:

Michel Va n den Dries

Ca roline Cl a essens

J a son Gibbons

Dr Dunc a n Murdock

Professor M atthew Goodrum

H a rris Moore