Abstract
The book follows the development of human mind from prehistory to the end of Classical antiquity, with brief outline of later periods. It is concentrated into the relation between visual arts and ways of thought of partcular cultures.
ASs the textual evidence for examining the subject is often missing or not satysfying enough, the language of pictures, symbols and so-called décor (which was in old cultures never without meaning) gives complementary evidence for studying mind of those, who created and perceived these works of art. Moreover, it helps us to understand other facets of human mind; even present-day art helps us to perceive and understand those aspects of our world, which we otherwise could not see.