PREHISTORIC PEOPLE

INTRODUCTION - TIME To record time, the passage of years, we need a 0 point. In our culture, we use the birth of Christ as the 0 point. (There is no year 0) Other cultures have used events important to them: Romans: the founding of the city of Rome Greeks: the first Olympic games Islamic culture: the time when Muhammad left Mecca and went to Medina.

B.C.=B.C.E. A.D.=C.E. B.C. stands for “before Christ”. B.C.E. stands for “before common era” and it is equivalent to B.C. (just without the religious reference) A.D. stands for Anno Domini-in the year of our lord. C.E. stands for “common era” and is equivalent to A.D.

EXPLORING PREHISTORY Hominids: group that includes humans as well as earlier human-like creatures Paleo-anthropologists: Scientists who Study the remains of hominid skeletons Determine what early hominids looked like & how lived Artifacts: Things made and used by hominids Archeologists: Scientists who: Study artifacts, objects made & used by hominids Learn about ancient people & their cultures Culture is the beliefs, knowledge and the way of life developed by a group of people.

Beginning of TIME: BIG BANG According to scientists, the universe sprang into being about 13.7 billion years ago. Let’s round it off to 14 billion. This was the beginning of time.

Our sun formed Scientists think that our sun formed about 4.6 billion years ago, and the earth and the rest of our solar system formed “shortly” thereafter.

Beginning of life on earth Scientists think that life on earth began about 3.8 billion years ago with single celled organisms

http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-family-tree

Human Ancestors The earliest known hominids lived in Africa. The earliest hominid bones are about 6 million years old, but not much is known about the very early examples.

Human Ancestors- Ardipithecus Ardipithecus: appeared about 4.4 million years ago; lived in Africa (Ethiopia), nicknamed “Ardi”. Walked upright on the ground, but on “all fours” in trees. About 3 ½ feet tall; ate mostly fruits & nuts. Discovered in 1994, but the study was completed & published in 2009.

Human Ancestors Australopithecus: appeared about 4 million years ago Lived in Africa (Ethiopia) Walked upright; had a larger brain than “Ardi”, about 3 ½ feet tall; Ate nuts, roots, other wild plants

“Lucy” Early hominid skeleton found in Hadar, Ethiopia by Donald Johansson Named “Lucy” after a Beatles song “Lucy” is an example of Australopithecus. This individual lived about 3.2 million years old One of the most complete early skeletons, about 40% complete

” Homo Habilis Homo Habilis (“handy man”) about 2 ½ million yr. ago Lived in Africa; about 4 feet tall, larger brain that Australopithecus. One of the first hominid who made stone tools. The appearance of stone tools marks the beginning of the Paleolithic era.

HOMO ERECTUS Homo Erectus (“upright man”) about 1 ½ million years ago Larger in size, about 5 feet tall, larger brain than Homo Habilis. Hunted for food, as well as gathered wild plants Used and made fire Migrated and spread from Africa into Asia.

NEANDERTHAL Neanderthals (Homo Neanderthalensis) emerged about 200,000 years ago. Lived about 200,000-35,000 yr. ago. This group died out. Wore animal skins; cooked their food; buried their dead with grave gifts & flowers (may have had a belief in life after death) Heavier bodies than later Homo Sapiens Apparently interbred with Homo Sapiens, and eventually died out as a separate species. Many people whose ancestors came from Europe or Asia have a small amount of Neanderthal ancestry.

HOMO SAPIENS Homo Sapiens appeared between 200,000 and 100,000 years ago. Overlapped with Neanderthal. One early type of Homo Sapiens is sometimes called Cro-Magnon- Belonged to Homo Sapiens (our genus and species) The term “Cro-Magnon” isn’t used much any more. Today we usually just call these humans “Homo Sapiens”. Appeared about 35,000 years ago; essentially like modern humans For a few thousand years, they over-lapped with Neanderthals. Had better tools & weapons Created beautiful cave art

SEVERAL TYPES OF VIEWS about the origin of HUMANITY CREATIONISM: God created humans and all species just are they are today. They have not changed. SCIENTIFIC EVOLUTION: Humans and other species evolved naturally, without a creator. DEISTIC or THEISTIC EVOLUTION: Humans and other species evolved as scientists believe they did, but the process was guided by God.

Ice Ages While humans were evolving, there were periods of colder climate and increased ice. A period like this is called an “ice age”, and they have occurred many times in the history of the earth Several times within the last 1.7 million years, ice has covered much of the earth. During these periods of ice, sea levels dropped and land was exposed in places, making it easier for people and animals to migrate over these land bridges.

ICE AGE The last ice age “peaked” about 20,000 years ago. During these periods of ice, sea levels dropped and land was exposed in places, making it easier for people and animals to migrate over these land bridges.

3 early ages of humans Paleolithic age-old stone age (2 ½ million yr. ago – 12,000 yr. ago) Mesolithic age- middle stone age (12,000 yr. ago -10,000 yr. ago) Neolithic age-new stone age (10,000 yr. ago-4,000 yr. ago)

3 early ages: PALEOLITHIC AGE About 2 ½ million years ago to about 12,000 years ago (about 10,000BC) Old Stone Age: “Paleo” means “old”; “lithic” means “stone” People: Used stone tools, such as spears with a stone point. Were nomadic; Were hunter-gatherers Lived in small groups Lived in caves or very simple shelters. Eventually spread through most parts of the world

Paleolithic “house” of mammoth bones

3 early ages: Mesolithic Age About 12,000 years ago (about10,000BC) to about 10,000 years ago (about 8,000BC) Middle Stone Age. “meso”-middle. More sophisticated tools and weapons Bow and arrow Fishhooks (made of bone) Harpoons (bone and antler) Tamed the dog (first domesticated animal) Used dugout canoes to fish in deeper water

NEOLITHIC AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTION!!!!! About 10,000 years ago, or 8,000BC, somewhere in the Middle East, northern Iraq or southern Turkey Made the discovery that plants grow from seeds and began to plant crops, the first farming! Began to herd animals, in addition to hunting. The changed from food gathering to food producing is called the Neolithic Agricultural Revolution This radically changed human culture!!!

Neolithic Age About 10,000 years ago (8,000BC) to about 4,000 years ago (2,000BC). Farming (raising crops & herding animals): Wheat, barley, rice, millet Sheep, goats, cattle Eventually used the plow & simple fertilizer Better tools including points produced by polishing & grinding. People stopped being nomadic& settled in villages, towns, and eventually, cities

Early towns & cities Jericho, west bank of the Jordan River, about 8000BC Jarmo, present day Iraq, about 6500 BC Catalhuyuk, in southern Turkey, about 6700BC.