This special issue publication of the Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory devoted to Pleistocene and Holocene arts examines a number of recent developments in the study of deep-time images. The contributions argue that in a context marked by new technological advances, the study of what was traditionally known as ‘prehistoric art’ has been transformed into a dynamic area of research marked by four main interrelated processes: (A) the inclusion of new corpuses of images beyond traditional conceptualizations of ‘prehistoric’ art, (B) the shift from a ‘contemplative model’ (which treated images and artefacts as ‘already made art’) to a ‘construction model’ that focuses on the processes involved in the making of artwork, (C) the transition from a Eurocentric model to a worldwide paradigm, and (D) the increasing incorporation of Holocene and Indigenous arts into general discussions about ‘prehistoric’ arts.  This text appeals to students and researchers in the field.