In Greek, paleo means “old’ and lithos means “stone.” Paleolithic art is therefore art 18 created during the Old Stone Age, which lasted from about 35,000 to 8,000 B.C.E., during the last ice age. The Paleolithic period was characterized by the human use of stone tools; people of this period were migratory hunter-gatherers who sought shelter near rocks and caves. Art of this time is the oldest ever discovered and fascinating examples include cave paintings, rock paintings, and stone sculpture.