October 17, 2007
Ancient “Modern Art”
French archaeologists have discovered an 11,000-year-old work of art in northern Syria which is the oldest known wall painting, even though it looks like a work by a modernist. The two square-metre painting, in red, black and white, was found at the Neolithic settlement of Djade al-Mughara on the Euphrates, northeast of the city of Aleppo. “It looks like a modernist painting,” said Eric Coqueugniot, the team leader. “Some of those who saw it have likened it to work by (Paul) Klee. Through carbon dating we established it is from around 9,000 BC.”
