Answer: people used engraving to honor their gods and rulers.
Explanation:
In ancient times, as in modern times, Evidence of stone carvings found in the Serengeti Plains of Africa has proven that ancient man worked with stone as long as 500,000 years ago. Statuettes of fertility goddesses, such as the famous Venus of Willendorf (discovered in Willendorf, Austria), have an estimated creation date of between 40,000–15,000 BC.
Beautifully carved gemstones, known as cameos, have been found in Egypt and Rome. The art of cameo cutting peaked in Rome in the first centuries before and after Christ. Untold thousands of cameos were carved, many bearing the likenesses of ancient leaders, such as Alexander the Great and the Roman historian and scholar Pliny the Elder.
People also used engraving in ancient times to signify wealth. Beginning in about 3000 BC, Sumerian and Hittite carvers began engraving “seals.” These cylindrical ornaments were often made of gemstones such as soapstone and lapis lazuli, and were carved with intricate designs and cuneiform writings. It’s likely that most wealthy individuals in those times owned at least one of these seals.
