Although the oldest forms of Māori art are Archaic rock paintings, painting was not a major art form in the Classical period. It was mainly used to produce decorative panels in (meeting houses), in stylised forms known as . Europeans introduced Māori to their more figurative style of art, and in the 19th century less stylised depictions of people and plants began to appear on walls in place of traditional carvings and woven panels. The introduction of European paints also allowed traditional painting to flourish, as brighter and more distinct colours could be produced.