Introduction: How Art Made the World: More Human Than Human (03:14)

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This segment orients viewers to the topic of art and its impact on humanity. Dr. Nigel Spivey will investigate 100,000 years of history and artistic cultures.

Human Form in Art (02:56)

Pedestrians look at images of the human body on a billboard. None of the world's most popular images depict a realistic body.

Venus of Willendorf (04:59)

Wachau Valley was once home to hunter/gatherers. Excavations in 1908 uncover a 25,000-year-old limestone statue of a woman. Some parts of her body are exaggerated while others are nonexistent.

Exaggerated Imagery (08:04)

Humans begin making images of the human body 30,000 years ago; the trend occurs for thousands of years. Prof. V.S. Ramachandran uses neuroscience and seagull research to help explain early representations of beauty.

Egyptian Art (06:04)

Climate changes force migration and Egypt becomes a settled civilization by 5,000 BC. Egyptians use body imagery without exaggerated features, but they are not realistic.

Temple of Karnak (07:16)

Over hundreds of years, successive pharaohs add to the temple. Imagery of the human body remains the same for 3,000 years; obsession with order and permanence is evident in Egyptian art and architecture.

Greek Statues (05:17)

In August 1972, Stefano Mariottini discovers two ancient bronze statues off the coast of Italy. Spivey discusses the Ancient Greeks' fixation on the human body.

Ancient Greece (05:47)

Spivey discusses the belief that gods took human form, temple statues, and connections with Ancient Egypt. The transition from figurine to living god is the fastest artistic revolution in history.

Kritian Boy (05:32)

Ancient Greek artists study every detail of the human body to create a life-like statue. They stop making realistic statues within a generation and return to exaggeration.

Riace Bronzes (09:18)

Around 450 BC, Polyclitus depicts the physical potential of an athlete. Spivey examines the bronze sculptures, cites unrealistic details, and reflects on the human desire to exaggerate.

Credits: How Art Made the World: More Human Than Human (00:40)

Credits: How Art Made the World: More Human Than Human