Living in the Stone Age

Examining History: Prehistory  PRE-HISTORY- period before written history  Approximately 1.75 million years ago, earliest people first began using small pieces of rock as tools  Massive development of humans over years in 4 major groups: 1) Homo Habilis (2 million years ago) 2) Homo Erectus (1 million years ago) 3) Neanderthal ( years ago) 4) Cro-Magnon ( years ago)

Development of Humans Homo Habilis  Latin for “handy man”  Lived in eastern Africa > spread north to Asia  fossilized human bones found with stone tools and animal fossils  Skulls – humans had a flatter head with a brain only 2/3 size; approximately 1.5 m tall  Built shelters of braches and collected bird eggs and wild berries for food; hunted wild pigs  Tools / weapons = rocks, braches, sharp stones  No clothes  Did not know how to use fire Homo Erectus  Latin for “upright man”  Discoveries of “Java Man” (Indonesia) and “Peking Man” (China”  Lived in Afria, south Europe, Asia  Skulls- humans had long, flat and sharply angled at back (between ape and human head)  Thighbone- identical to modern humans > walk upright  Charred animals bones found = they used fire to cook  Belief that homo erectus was a descendant of homo habilis  Make fire= first by coals or volcanic ash; later by friction= made life easier as they could survive in colder climates  Tools / weapons= bones, rocks, blades for carving, spears Homo Sapiens  Latin for “reasoning man”  years ago= emergence of Homo Sapiens who evolved from homo erectus  is the species to which all modern day people belong

Neanderthals vs Cro Magnon NEANDERATHAL  Neander Valley- Germany  6 cm taller than homo erectus; thick eyebrow ridge  Tools= knives, spear sharpeners made from chipped rock  Animals hides worn as clothes  Lived in caves kept warm with fire  First to bury the dead (graves with bodies carefully prepared CRO MAGNON  South France- clearing away earth from back of a rock shelter locally known as Cro-Magnon  First appeared in Europe years ago following ice age  Brain as large as modern day human; approx. 2 metres tall with modern “faces”  Tools= slim, sharp edge blades, chisels, knives, spearheads, lamps (stone bowl with animal grease and lit fur or moss)  Animals bones and teeth used to make musical instruments, jewellery  Cave paintings  Fierce warriors  Wiped out Neanderthals

Great Leap Forward  years ago when changes brought about innovation, creativity to humans (Homo Sapiens Sapiens) 2 FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES OCCURRED: 1)Development of modern anatomy 2)Beginning of innovative behaviour EFFECTS  Production of crafted tools and more sophisticated weapons  development of trade for raw materials and ornaments  Emergence of sculptures, paintings and crafted objects that showcased beauty and religion

“Lithos” = stone Paleolithic Age  Greek “paleo” means “old”  Upper Paleolithic age was – years ago Neolithic Age  Greek “neo” means “new”  Neolithic Revolution occurred between 9000 – 4000 BCE

Comparing the Stone Ages PALEOLITHIC  small groups of 5-10 families  Nomadic to semi- nomadic  Closer relationships between bands of people ie. Cro-Magnon society NEOLITHIC  People abandoned semi- nomadic life and began farming  Agricultural revolution was a progression of the “Great Leap Forward”  planting of crops  domesticating of animals  Better tools & weapons

Social Structure: Paleolithic Age  closer social relationships  Social stratification= emergence of leadership and beginning of social classes  Social roles: patriarchal; men were big game hunters  women captured small game and made clothing; women & children were gatherers

Social Structure: Neolithic Age  Increasing knowledge = more control of food supply  End of Ice Age = better for agriculture  As population grew, so did the competition for land  Shift from semi-nomadic to permanent towns and cities (first city was Jericho, in Mesopotamia between 8000 – 7000 BCE) and more occupations  Trade by barter system (obsidian – most valued traded material traded for farm produce)  Development of hierarchical class system

Religion & Art in Paleolithic Age  The Paleolithic Age (Cro-Magnon) was the first to develop fine art as drawings  CAVE PAINTINGS of deer, horses and animals which are now extinct  cultural explosion in art as more tools, jewellery, and sculptures/ figurines of clay, ivory and stone emerged  More advanced spiritual practices with graves found jewellery and spears made of mammoth tusks buried with bodies = this suggests a ritual burial with a view of an afterlife

Caves at Lascaux [lass co]  Painting at Lascaux Caves (south central France) found in BCE  Painters used irregularities in cave walls to add a 3-D effect to figures  Paintings portray an awe and reverence towards animals which shows that for the first time people were expressing religious beliefs (rituals related to hunting magic; sacrifices of animals)

Venus of Willendorf  Small sculptures such as the Venus of Willendorf were common to the Paleolithic Age  Sculpture features exaggerated curves (large breasts and wide hips) on female figure  Venus figurines are symbolic of the importance of fertility of a mother goddess

Weapons & Technology PALEOLITHIC  Better hunting strategies due to co-operation and more lethal weapons  Better tools for skinning game, preparing food, sewing clothes  Cro-Magnons stored food over winter showing more planning  bow and arrow around BCE NEOLITHIC  efficient tools which helped farm and make weapons and tools  Domestication of animals to do manual work and the planting of crops freed people from the pursuit of food  leisure activities (art, music, sports, religion)

STONEHENGE  Stonehenge is located on Salisbury Plain in England  Created BCE  Stonehenge is an example of a Neolithic megalith (megalith = Greek for “big stones”)  Exact purpose is unknown: religious rituals, agricultural markers or astronomical observatories?

Mystery of Stonehenge  Stonehenge was built in 3 major stages over 1300 years (tribal people, Beaker people, Battle Axe folk people  Megaliths stones approx. 45 t and Heel Stone is 31 t  Great debate over the positioning of the stones  stones reflect an understanding of astronomy and mathematics (positions reflect sunrise, eclipses of sun and moon  stones could be a religious ritual to sun or moon gods  Others believe stones were built to show changing seasons for agriculture

Major Innovations of the Stone Age  More complex human societies (from semi- nomadic to permanent cities; domestication of animals; leisure time)  Development of social hierarchies  Development of alliances and cooperation  Marriage customs  Development of trade goods and routes  Religious rituals  Refined sense of artistic beauty

ALL THESE LEAD TO THE FIRST “CIVILIZATION”