Deck 15: Art and the Aesthetic

Question 1

In the question of how to define art, anthropologists generally agree that

A) there is no such thing as art.
B) if something is art, it cannot be utilitarian.
C) art is universal and permeates all aspects of life.
D) there are some universal standards for art.

Answer 1

art is universal and permeates all aspects of life.

Question 2

When something is pleasing to the senses, stimulates the imagination, and produces an emotional response, it is said to have ____ value.

A) aesthetic
B) utilitarian
C) sensorimotor
D) theoretical

Answer 2

aesthetic

Question 3

According to the text, an object becomes art when

A) someone is willing to pay more money for it.
B) its utilitarian qualities are enhanced for aesthetic purposes.
C) it becomes rare.
D) it is displayed for the appreciate of a wide audience.

Answer 3

its utilitarian qualities are enhanced for aesthetic purposes.

Question 4

The concept of art as a realm that is separate from aspects of everyday life is

A) universal.
B) essential to anthropological definitions of art.
C) a fairly recent Western idea.
D) objectively untrue according to most anthropologists.

Question 5

One area of art discussed in the text is body arts which
I. are found in all societies.
II. may be permanent or temporary alterations to the body.
III. may or may not have cultural or religious meanings.

A) I and II
B) II and III
C) I and III
D) I, II, and III

Question 6

Cranial deformation is a form of body art that

A) is no longer practiced anywhere in the world.
B) occurred in France until the eighteenth century.
C) has only ever been practiced in non-Western cultures.
D) was performed in China on the feet of girls.

Question 7

The most widespread form of physical alteration to the body is

A) tattooing.
B) piercing.
C) scarification.
D) shaping the head.

Question 8

Why is scarification used instead of tattooing among some groups?

A) Scarification is used when dark skin would prevent tattooing from being seen.
B) In some areas, no natural substance is available for ink, so scarification is substituted.
C) Within cultures that use scarification, there is a religious prohibition against coloring one's skin.
D) There is no consistent pattern or reason for which some groups use scarification instead of tattooing.

Question 9

In which of these types of societies are tattooing and scarification most likely to be practiced?

A) Foraging bands, like the Ju/'hoansi
B) Industrialized, class societies
C) Ranked societies with permanent status differences
D) Horticultural tribes like the Yanomamo

Question 10

Among the Maori of New Zealand,

A) only tattooed women could work in the sweet potato gardens.
B) only men wore tattoos.
C) tattoos were never placed on the face.
D) scarification was preferred over tattooing.

Question 11

What do horizontal cuts on the foreheads of Nuer men mean?

A) They have completed male initiation rituals.
B) They are chiefs.
C) They are married.
D) They have killed in battle.

Question 12

A material object is transformed into visual art through

A) public display.
B) sale for non-utilitarian purpose.
C) form and ornamentation.
D) rarity.

Question 13

The forms that people give to their material objects are

A) determined primarily by the materials available.
B) the result of the interaction of utilitarian function and aesthetic style.
C) completely arbitrary and spontaneous.
D) very similar across cultures within any given historical period.

Question 14

Examining the material culture of prehistoric peoples, archaeologists have found that

A) variations in design appear to be of purely aesthetic value in many cases.
B) design elements are remarkably similar for groups all over the world, suggesting a biological basis to design.
C) variations in design are not connected to the function of the objects.
D) it is very difficult to find artistic features among prehistoric peoples.

Question 15

Ornamentation

A) refers to additions made of different materials that are added to an original work.
B) is something added to an otherwise completed work.
C) may be of the same or different colors and materials and is sometimes worked into the object itself.
D) is generally three-dimensional, as opposed to two-dimensional.

Question 16

Probably the easiest, most versatile, and oldest method of decoration is

A) carving.
B) sewing.
C) beading.
D) painting.

Question 17

John Fischer's study of stylistic elements in 28 different societies found that

A) there was too much variation within each society to make any generalizations.
B) the styles of egalitarian societies differed from those of stratified ones.
C) the work of male artists differed greatly from that of female artists.
D) industrial societies had more aesthetically pleasing art than preagricultural ones.​

Question 18

More than other forms of art, performance arts

A) are easier to understand.
B) tend to have universal forms and meanings.
C) have a dual nature of presentation and participation.
D) are an elite form more than a popular form of art.

Question 19

Within Osage society, rituals of music and song were

A) purely secular.
B) purely religious.
C) used to record and transmit cultural knowledge.
D) considered taboo for commoners to engage in.

Question 20

Within religious services, music is used to do each of the following EXCEPT

A) create a feeling of reverence.
B) enhance fellowship or solidarity.
C) express praise and worship.
D) cloud rational judgement.

Question 21

!Kung shamans use percussion, song, and dance to

A) induce a trance.
B) worship God.
C) create a feeling of reverence.
D) chase away bad spirits.

Question 22

When did Western art begin to become predominantly secular?

A) In the 1500s, just as the age of discovery was beginning
B) In the 1700s, with the Enlightenment or age of reason
C) In the 1800s, as Europeans were exposed to art from the peoples they colonized
D) In the 1900s, with the growth of modern industrialized society

Question 23

Which of these statements best describes the relationship between art and religion?

A) The art of less developed cultures has always been more religious than Western art.
B) The great European art of earlier periods was more secular than it is today.
C) There is no consistent relationship between art and religion.
D) For most of human history and most peoples, religious art has been preeminent.

Question 24

What is the most common cause of sickness among the Navajo?

A) Spirits called vimbuza
B) Loss of harmony with the environment
C) Kachina spirits called bultos
D) A combination of bad humours

Question 25

Islamic art is very geometric and includes curvilinear designs. This is because

A) the Koran prohibition against the use of human images was extended to representations of animals.
B) Islamic art is based on a system of cursive writing.
C) curvilinear lines are representative of the natural world that is being worshipped.
D) it is the general cultural tradition of peoples in the Middle East.

Question 26

Which of these forms of artistic expression is gender specific?

A) Playing flutes at night among the BaMbuti
B) Navajo curing ceremonies
C) Voudon drumming at temples
D) Incising designs on pottery among the Osage

Question 27

Which of these statements referring to gender and art is true?

A) Many aspects of visual and performing arts reflect gender differences.
B) Women tend to play the primary role in religious ceremonies.
C) Men are less likely to be healers than are women.
D) When performance arts became secular, women took on the majority of the roles.

Question 28

As a social phenomenon, art is often used as an expression of each of the following EXCEPT:

A) individual identity.
B) group membership.
C) social status.
D) class membership.

Question 29

Among the Plains Indians, beadwork and quillwork were produced by​

A) women.
B) men.
C) Two Spirits.
D) nobody - the Plains Indians considered beads and quills hostile to beneficent spirits.

Question 30

In Western culture, which of the following arts has the lowest status?

A) Ballet
B) Science fiction
C) Classical literature
D) Classical music

Question 31

Anthropologists agree that art is a cultural universal.

Question 32

Beauty is culturally determined.

Question 33

Permanently altering the body is a fairly recent practice, and culturally Western.

Question 34

Tattooing was practiced in Europe until Christianity became the official religion of the Roman empire in the fourth century C.E.

Question 35

The form of any particular object is the result of the interaction of utilitarian and stylistic concerns.

Question 36

Some elements of design, such as symmetry and use of space, seem to be correlated with the degree of complexity and stratification in a society.

Question 37

The purpose of the performing arts is generally the same whether one is a participant or an observer.

Question 38

Music is an essential element of many religious rituals throughout the world.

Question 39

The study of music is very complex in part because there does not appear to be any pattern for how music relates to other aspects of a society.

Question 40

Throughout most of human history, most art has been secular rather than religious.

Question 41

Some Navajo sand painters are particularly well known for their artistic abilities and creativity.

Question 42

In many traditional societies, men and women produce different types of objects and use different forms of ornamentation.

Question 43

During Shakespeare's time, women were not permitted to be actors.

Question 44

Due to the Koran's prohibition against the use of human images, Islamic art is very geometric.

Question 45

A stratified society is more likely to practice scarification than an egalitarian one is.

Question 46

Discuss the issues debated by anthropologists concerning the definition and universality of art. Explain the position of the authors of your text about the pervasiveness of art in society.

Question 47

Discuss the tattooing practices of Polynesians and what purposes the decorations serve.

Question 48

Describe the role of art and its connection to religion within Osage society.

Question 49

Discuss how art is related to gender, identity, and status within society. Give an example for each.

Question 50

Discuss the forms and features of various types of visual arts. Why is it often difficult for archaeologists to determine the meaning of certain artistic pieces?