re has wiggling snakes in her hands leading some historians to speculate on the possibility of some form of religious statue, because of the belief that the Minoans’ worshiped a female deity. Like the Mycenaeans’ they built temples and palaces. However the Mycenaeans flourished in about 1600 to 1100 B.C.E. and are noted for their elaborate tombs.The Mycenaeans’ were master goldsmiths and used gold for jewelry, masks, utensils, weapons, and decoration for architectural structures. The Rhton drinking cup is beautifully constructed in the shape of a lion's head contrasting smooth planar sections and extremely detailed nose and mane.The Indian subcontinent called the Indus Valley burgeoned around 2700 –1500 B.C.E. Relatively few artworks have been unearthed from this civilization so little is known of them. The torso from Harappa is made of stone and is only about four inches high but it gives an insight into the civilization that so little is known about. The well formed muscular composition and naturalistic form brings the piece alive. The protruding belly has been thought to represent the yogi philosophy showing “breath is life.” The high glossy polished exterior resembles the texture of warm skin. In contrast to the Indus Valley China developed earlier than 2000 B.C.E. the exact date is unknown by historians.China’s Shang and Zhou artists are best known for their sophistication and skill with bronze casting for sculptures and ritual vessels. The Tiger from the ninth century B.C.E., the relief is a series of ornate geometric designs. The sculpture is perfectly balanced, highly stylized, and intricately formed.Meso-America was another early culture from which some of the oldest art originates. The Olmec civilization had its beginnings about 1500 B.C.E. The Olmec were farmers, widely dispersed through the region but their society had absolute religious and political concentrations, pro...
