- african art: Varied and complex, discoveries of these, often figurative works, prompted many of the inventions of modern art.
- asian art: refers to a vast array of cultural works east of Mesopotamia
- byzantine art: also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, in Constantinople, now Istanbul, the early church developed Eastern Orthodoxy and iconic Christian images proliferated
- cave painting: early art showed man's relationship to spiritual ritual, nature and hunting
- dark ages: period after the fall of Rome. Much of the knowledge gained by earlier civilizations was lost.
- egyptian art: emphasized the unknowable mystery of the afterlife
- greek art: emphasized the perfection of the human form, human activity
- mayan culture: 1500 B.C. to 900 A.D. This is the most advanced civilization of the time in the Western Hempishere. Famous for its awe-inspiring temples, pyramids and cities. A complex social and political order.
- monotheism: a religion having one god
- polytheism: a religion having many gods
- roman art: began to portray actual individuals. Includes, sculpture, frescoe, jewlery and crafts. Incredible architectural, engineering feats.
- summerian art: early art from Mesopotamia (Ancient Iraq) from the mid 6th millennium BC to the early 2nd millennium BC