back to overview
 
7 subcategories
Birds

BIRDS

Cats

CATS

Dogs

DOGS

Fish

FISH

Horses

HORSES

Insects

INSECTS

Mytological Animals

MYTOLOGICAL ANIMALS

5,176 photos
Running deer.Cave painting from Altamira,Santander, Spain.
#030303 6

Running deer.Cave painting from Altamira,Santander, Spain.

Group of bisons.Cave painting from Altamira,Santander, Spain.
#030303 7

Group of bisons.Cave painting from Altamira,Santander, Spain.

Bone pendant decoration with the engraved drawing of a wolverine, Late Magdalenien, around 11.000 BCE. Finely shaped piece of bone, 1,5 mm thick. It has a hole ta one end so that it could be hung on a cord and worn as pendant or part of a necklace. The diagonal line across the animals shoulder may be a spear. P&EE,Sieveking Catalogue 102.
#03030312

Bone pendant decoration with the engraved drawing of a wolverine, Late Magdaleni...

Black slipped and burnished jug in the shape of a bird, from Turkey, Yortan culture, around 2500 BCE. Jugs of this type are found in every burial of that date in Western Anatolia. From the cemetery at Yortan, western Turkey, used for burials between 2700 and 2500 BCE. ANE, 13405
#03030325

Black slipped and burnished jug in the shape of a bird, from Turkey, Yortan cult...

Stone relief of a soldier on a horse from the palace of King Kapara, Aramaean, from Tell Halaf, north-east Syria, mid-10th century BCE. The relief comes from the Aramaean city of Guzana (Now Tell Halaf) and was one of 187 reliefs from the base of the south wall of Kapara's palace, carved in black basalt. ANE 117102
#03030328

Stone relief of a soldier on a horse from the palace of King Kapara, Aramaean, f...

Ivory figure of a griffin-headed demon, Urartian, from Toprakkale in eastern Anatolia, 8th - 7th BCE. This figure may have been part of a throne, since griffin-headed demons were protective deities. Toprakkale had a fortified citadel with a major temple of the god Haldi. Urartu disappeared before 600 BCE, possibly destroyed by horse-born Scythians. ANE, 118951
#03030330

Ivory figure of a griffin-headed demon, Urartian, from Toprakkale in eastern Ana...

Winged bull with human torso and head and clasped hands, from Toprakkale, eastern Anatolia, around 700 BCE. This bronze figure was part of the decoration of a throne. The missing face and horns were probably made of ivory and the sockets and wings once contained inlay, while the bronze itself was covered with gold leaf. ANE, 91247
#03030331

Winged bull with human torso and head and clasped hands, from Toprakkale, easter...

Bronze figure of a winged bull, from Toprakkale, eastern Turkey, late 8th BCE. Probably decoration for a piece of furniture (the dowel at the bottom is for attachement). The missing face was probably made of ivory, both sides of the wings were inlaid, showing that the object was designed to be seen from either side. The bronze was covered with gold leaf. ANE, 91248
#03030332

Bronze figure of a winged bull, from Toprakkale, eastern Turkey, late 8th BCE. P...

Swimming reindeer, Late Magdalenien, around 12.500 years old. From the rock shalter of Monastruc, Tarn et Garonne, France. One of the most beautiful pieces of Stone Age art ever found. It shows two reindeer, one behind the other, the figure in front is a female with smaller body and antlers, her coat is delicately shaded. The larger male figure is not shaded but his strong body is clearly carved. On both animals the antlers are laid back and the legs are folded underneath. With their noses up and the antlers back the carving seems to show the reindeer swimming. Mammoth tusk ivory.
#03030335

Swimming reindeer, Late Magdalenien, around 12.500 years old. From the rock shal...

Spearthrower carved as a mammoth, Late Magdalenian, about 12,500 years old. Spearthrowers came into use about 18,000 years ago in western Europe. They consist of a straight handle with a hook at one end. The bottom of the spear fits against the hook and the spear shaft and spearthrower handle are held together with the hook end by the shoulder. Launching the spear in this way sends it with more force and speed and across a longer distance than if it was simply thrown by hand. The hook ends of spearthrowers are frequently decorated with an animal. This example from Montastruc, Tarn-et-Garonne, France, shows a mammoth. It is the only known example which has a hole for an eye (which probably held an insert of bone or stone). The hook is also unusual because it is an ancient repair. The original hook carved from the antler broke off and was mended by cutting a slot on the back and inserting a bone or antler replacement. The mammoth's tusks appear on each side of the handle, most of which was broken off in ancient times. P&EE, Sieveking Catalogue no. 555
#03030336

Spearthrower carved as a mammoth, Late Magdalenian, about 12,500 years old. Spea...

Perforated baton with horse and fish engravings, Late Magdalenian, about 12,500 years old. Antler batons first appeared in the early Upper Palaeolithic of western Europe about 35,000 years ago. By the Late Upper Palaeolithic Magdalenian period, about 14,000-10,000 years ago, they were in common use and often richly decorated. Tthe use or uses of batons are not known. It was once thought that they must have been symbols of power, because of the decoration. However, they could also have been used in making string and rope, for softening leather straps or as parts of roping systems used in hunting. This baton from La Madeleine is made on the main stem of the antler from which the branches or tines have been cut off. It has two holes surrounded by deep grooves. Like many batons, this example is decorated with animals. On the right end facing left is a male horse, his feet coming together and tail flying as he runs. Two fish, one overlapping the head of the horse, swim towards the perforated end. On the opposite a shoal of fish fill the middle area. Each fish is infilled with lines. Such infilled fish and horses are typical of the later Magdalenian. P&EE, Sieveking Catalogue no. 312
#03030337

Perforated baton with horse and fish engravings, Late Magdalenian, about 12,500...

Rock painting of hunting a snake or serpent from Zamora, Ecuador
#03030342

Rock painting of hunting a snake or serpent from Zamora, Ecuador