Prehistoric Age

8/8/2019 Prehistoric Age

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PREHISTORIC AGE


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The three-age system divides human technological prehistory into three periods:

The Stone AgeThe BronzeAge

The Iron Age

A more modern periodization of the Stone Age stretches from the Paleolithic to the Neolithic in the

following scheme

Pleistocene epoch (highly glaciated climate)

Paleolithic age

Holocene epoch (modern climate)

Mesolithic or Epipaleolithic age

Neolithic age

CopperAge

Bronze Age

Iron Age

Historical period (written record begins)

Chronology


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The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric time period during which humans widely

used stone for toolmaking

The period starts with the widespread of humanity from the savannas of East Africa

to the rest of the world.

It ends with the development of agriculture, the domestication of certain animals

and the smelting of copper ore to produce metal.

It is termed prehistoric, since humanity had not yet started writing -- the traditional

start of history

STONE AGE (pre-metallurgic period )


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It covers nearly 99% of human history

It extend from 2.5or 2.6 million years ago

The humans were grouped together in small scale societies such as bands and

gained their subsistence from gathering plants and hunting wild animals

Tools

Made from stone

Multipurpose and can be used for more than one task

Simple weapons (Homo habilis)

Scrapers, hand axes,spear heads, flint for fire, .

During the end of the Paleolithicspecifically the Middle and or Upper

Paleolithic humans began to produce the earliest works ofart and engage

in religiousand spiritual behavior such as burial and ritual.

Paleolithic Age (old stone age)


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In Africa, an early ancestor of modernhumans, called Homo habilis, developed

the earliest known stone tools. These

were relatively simple tools known as

choppers.

These humans likely subsisted onscavenged meat and wild plants, rather

than hunted prey.

Around 1.5 million years ago, a more

evolved human species, Homo erectus,

appeared. H. erectus learned to controlfire and created more complex chopper

tools, as well as expanding out ofAfrica

to reach Asia.

Poulnabrone dolmen in County

Clare, Ireland

Lower Palaeolithic


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This period began about 200,000 years ago and is most well-known as being the

era during which theNeanderthals lived (c. 120,00035,000 years ago).

The stone artifact technology of the Neanderthals is generally known as the

Mousterian.

Although often identified in the public's mind as primitive, there is evidence that

Neanderthals nursed their elderly and practiced ritual burial indicating an

organised society.

Middle Paleolithic peoples demonstrate

the earliest undisputed evidence forart and

other expressions ofabstract thought

such as intentional burial of the dead.

MIDDLE PALEOLITHICEND OF THE ICE AGE


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The cave art of Lascaux is an example

of Upper Paleolithic culture

modern humans spread out

further across the Earth during

the period known as the Upper

Paleolithic.

After the arrival of the first modern humans (Cro-Magnons) in Europe a relatively

rapid succession of often complex stone artifact technologies took place during

this period.

The Americas were colonised via the Bering land bridge which was exposed

during this period by lower sea levels. These people are called the Paleo Indians,

and the earliest accepted dates are those of the Clovis culture sites, some 13,500years ago.

Globally, societies were hunter-gatherers but evidence of regional identities

begins to appear in the wide variety of stone tool types being developed to

suit different environments.

UPPERPALEOLITHIC 35,000 to 10,000 years ago


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Rise in sea levels

Environment changes occurs

Need to find new food sources.

The development of microlith tools began (in response to these changes)

They were derived from the previous Paleolithic tools(hence Epipaleolithic).

However, in Europe the term Mesolithic is used, as the tools (and way of life) were

imported from the Near East.

Microlith tools permitted more efficient hunting

More complex settlements, such as Lepenski Virdeveloped based around fishing

Domestication of the dog as a hunting companionThe earliest known battle occurred during the Mesolithic period at a site in Egypt

known as Cemetery

Epipaleolithic / Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age) AROUND 10,000 to 6,000 yearsago


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Adoption of agriculture (Neolithic Revolution)

The development of pottery

More complex, larger settlements such as Catal Huyk and Jericho.

The first Neolithic cultures started around 7000 BC in the fertile crescent.

Agriculture and the culture it led to spread to the Mediterranean, the Indus

valley, China and Southeast Asia.

Due to the increased need to harvest and process plants, ground stone andpolished stone artefacts became much more widespread, including tools for

grinding, cutting, and chopping. The first large-scale constructions were built,

including settlement towers and walls, eg: Jericho and ceremonial sites,

eg: Stonehenge.

These show that there was sufficient resources and co-operation to enable largegroups to work on these projects. To what extent this was a basis for the

development of elites and social hierarchies is a matter of on-going debate.

NEOLITHIC (New Stone Age) around 7000 BC


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Neolithic cultures were

noticeably more hierarchical

than the Paleolithic cultures that

preceded them and Hunter-

gatherer cultures in general.

The earliest evidence for

established trade exists in theNeolithic with newly settled

people importing exotic goods

over distances of many

hundreds of miles.

Skara Brae located on Orkney

island off Scotland is one ofEurope's best examples of a

Neolithic village. The

community contains stone

beds, shelves and even an

indoor toilet linked to a

stream.

Skara Brae, Scotland. Europe's

most complete Neolithic village

NEOLITHIC (New Stone Age) around 7000 BC


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AGRICULTURALREVOLUTION


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NEW MODE OF LIFE

1. Dependency on few plants

2. Greater vulnerability to weather

3. Complete dependency on harvest

times

4. Need for intense physical labor

5. Population growth

6. Diseases

Opportunities of the new way of life

sedentary way of life

Development of technology

building permanent dwellings -

variety of solid dwellings of a

more or less permanent sort using

the local building materials.

specialization becomes possible

Animals were kept in very close proximity tohuman living quarters. The flat roof-tops of houses were used as living space in the evening.Later, open central courtyards were developed.

Cluster of houses (above) is from one of the

world's earliest towns, Catal Huyak,Turkey.


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In the earliest phase of development,

pioneer farmers used techniques and

tools which had long been familiar to

hunter-gatherers: the stone axe, hoe,

and sickle (left) for preparation of thefields and harvesting the grain.

The primitive milling device for

grinding seeds between two stones

(the "quern," below) to process the

grain into edible form had been inuse for thousands of years by

peoples who collected seeds but did

not plant them


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Development ofAgriculture

Basis of civilization

innovations like the use of fire and the development of agriculturethe development of tools, language and writing.

From Hunter/Gatherer to Horticulturist to Agriculturist

Agricultural origins can be traced to the Neolithic Age

(around 8,000 B.C.). Plant domestication seems tohave occurred independently in various regions

possessing favorable environmental conditions and

that include a diversity of habitats in a relatively small

area, mild climate, abundant water and wildlife. An

important center appears to be Greater Mesopotamia

(present day Iraq). This is a rich flood plain where

wheat, barley, and oats are believed to have

originated. The image below shows the Zagros

mountains of Iraq where the landscape appears much

as it probably was 10,000 years ago.


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Pottery

Weaving

Metallurgy


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Domestication of animals andplants

Milk

Worker

Meat

To provide leather, wool, hides

Manure for soil conditioning


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An early agricultural village compound in

Turkey - the world's oldest town site at

Jericho (9000 years old). The picture

below depict one of the paradoxes of the

new way of life. Settled agricultural

villages - the accumulation of storable

food-stuffs and other wealth.But what can be stored can also be

stolen. Hence, large investments of labor

in building walls or other measures to

protect that vulnerable wealth.

The stone tower located just below the

gate is approximately 30 feet tall and 30feet broad at the base.

surpluses of food were fed to workers who are

not engaged directly in food production.

Building such large walls and towers also

requires extensive cooperation or coordination

within the community. In fact, the level ofcooperation necessary to create walls on this

scale implies organization with a directing,

managing function--in short, a government.

a new mode of social organization emerges--a

division between those who direct and manage

and those who are directed. As specializations

emerged in the economy, inequalities of wealthand status emerged with them. In short,

hierarchies of wealth, status and power

began to characterize the new societies.


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Age Period Tools Economy Dwelling Sites Society Religion

Ston

e age

Paleolithi

c

Handmade toolsand objects found

in nature cudgel,club, sharpened

stone, chopper,handaxe, scraper,

spear, Bow andarrow, harpoon,

needle, scratch awl

Hunting and

gatheringMobile

lifestyle

caves, huts,

tooth or skin

hovels,mostly by

rivers and

lakes

A band of

edible-plantgatherersand

hunters(25-100people)

Evidence

for beliefin theafterlifefirst

appearsin theMiddlePaleolithicor UpperPaleolithic

, markedby theappearan

ce ofburialritualsandancestorworship.Priests

andsanctuary

servantsappear intheprehistory.

Mesolithic

(known as theEpipalaeolithic in areas not

effected bythe Ice Age(such asAfrica))

Handmadetools andobjects found innature bow

and arrow, fish basket, boats

Tribes

and

Bands

Neolithic Handmade toolsand objects found

in nature chisel,hoe, plough, yoke,

reaping-hook,

grain pourer,barley, loom,earthenware

(pottery) andweapons

AgricultureGathering, hunting,

fishing anddomestication

Farmsteadsduring theNeolithic andthe Bronze Age

Formation ofcities during theBronze Age

Tribes andthe formation

of chiefdomsin some

Neolithic

societies atthe end ofthe Neolithic

period' Statesand

chiefdomsduring the

Bronze AgeBronzeAge Copper and bronze

tools, potter's

wheel

Agriculture cattle breeding,agriculture,craft, tradeIronAge Iron tools


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Hunting & Gathering Agriculture

Small bands (25-250), semi-nomadic

existence

sedentism, expanding

population

seasonal migration permanent living sites

wide variety of food sources (typically 350

plant varieties)

replaces diversity with

monoculture

exploits territory extensively exploits intensively

security through diversity security through specialization

small (portable) tool kittool kit, technology expands

exponentially


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Social Organization/Control

Hunting &Gathering Agriculture

communal life private life, property increasing

little specialization in social

or economic rolessocial and economic specialization

gender roles (?) gender-specific roles

relatively egalitarian social hierarchy emerges

cultural/technical information

is widely diffused

cultural/technical information expands and

becomes a form of property

custom, tradition rule coercion becomes necessary


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The story that emerges from countless studies on the process of

domestication is that social groups of hunters/gatherers made a slow transition

into a more settled lifestyle closely associated with the regular cultivation of

plants, especially cereals. However, see one anthropological perspective on

the relationship between horticulture and agriculture.

Although crops of relatively minor importance have

been developed anew since the Middle Ages, all

important crop plants and all domesticated animals

were brought under human management('domestication') in prehistoric times. The process of

domestication was probably a gradual affair,

involving the cultivation of specific groups of plants

and the selection ('differential reproduction') of

superior types. The first humans to domesticate

plants were also the first 'plant breeders' (manybelieve they were probably women). Plant breeding

has been defined as 'applied genetics', but effective

breeding was obviously practiced before the

principles of genetics were elucidated by Gregor

Mendel in the 1850's.


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Sedentism - living permanently in one place

it formed the basis for a new way of life whichwe call civilization


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A wooden

axe.

Mesolithic

Adzemounted

directly

onto

handle

flint axe

withwooden

handle

Mesolithic

Adze

Adze head

on diggingtool


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Reconstruction

of Habiline

settlement atOlduvai Gorge,

Tanzan...

Reconstruction

of Homo

sapiens sapiensdwelling

excavated at

P...

Two hunters

shelters one

Perian oneRussian

Circular

Natufian huts

Neanderthal

settlementwith

cooking,skinning and

toolmaking

go...


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- Jewellery [2] - Tools [2] - Weapons [1] - General [6]


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Prehistoric Age

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