2. CONTENTS OF THE UNIT
• 1. THE PROCESS OF HOMINISATION
• 2. PREHISTORY
• 3. THE PALEOLITHIC PERIOD
– 3.1. Economy and society in the Paleolithic period.
– 3.2. Culture and art in the Paleolithic period.
• 4. THE PALEOLITHIC PERIOD ON THE IBERIAN
PENINSULA
3. 1. THE PROCESS OF HOMINISATION
• Gorillas, chimpanzees and humans: are mammals and primates.
We all have a common ancestor.
• Hominisation process: set of changes in species
(for millions of years), from that common ancestor to the first
human being.
• The first hominids emerge in East Africa: they are bipedal primates
(they walk on lower extremities).
• Over time, variations in these ancestors resulting in the emergence
of different hominids.
4. MAIN ANATOMICAL CHANGES in the hominization process:
• Bipedalism, due to changes in the pelvis and skull. The upright
position allowed hominids to use their upper extremities to
make tools.
• Opposable thumb, oppose the thumb to the other fingers of
the hand. It allowed holding objects and doing tools.
• Increase of the skull and brain and the forehead. It is related
to higher intelligence.
• Changes in the larynx make possible the development of
language.
• Decrease in the size of the jaw and teeth, and appearance of
the chin.
5. 2. PREHISTORY
• Prehistory began with the appearance of the first
human beings and ended with the invention of
writing.
• As there are no written documents, human
remains or tools are used to study it.
• It is divided into periods according to the
evolution of the tools:
- The first is the Stone Age, because the tools are
made of this material.
6. The STONE AGE is divided into:
■ Paleolithic, means “old stone."
- It started 2.5 million years ago.
- It is divided into three periods:
Lower Paleolithic
Middle Paleolithic
Upper Paleolithic.
■ Epipaleolithic: a transition period
■ Neolithic, means "new stone."
- It began around 8.000 BC, when agriculture and
the domestication of animals appeared.
7. • In the Paleolithic, stone tools were made by
hitting stones against each other to break
them. These are knapped stone.
• In the Neolithic, tools, after carving, were
rubbed with another harder stone to smooth
the surface. These are polished stone.
8. The Stone Age is followed by the Metal Age.
• Metals are melted and worked to make
ornaments, utensils, and weapons.
• At first, these objects were made of COPPER
(4.000 BC)
• Later, they were made of BRONZE (3.000 BC)
• Finally, of IRON (1.500 BC)
9. 3. THE PALEOLITHIC
• Longest period of Prehistory.
• It begins with the appearance of stone, bone and wooden tools.
It is divided into THREE STAGES OF DIFFERENT DURATION:
• LOWER PALEOLITHIC (2.5 million years ago)
- The stones were only carved, they were transformed based on blows.
- The first tools appear in the Rift Valley (Africa) and were used to hunt.
- Australopithecus and the first species of the genus Homo (Homo Habilis
and Homo erectus). TOOLS: chopper and biface.
• MIDDLE PALEOLITHIC (125,000 BC)
- Homo Neanderthalensis. It lives in Europe and western Asia.
- TOOLS: Knives and scrapers.
• UPPER PALEOLITHIC (40,000 BC – 10,000 BC)
- Homo sapiens.
- TOOLS: blade, harpoon, spear thrower, javelin, needle, perforator.
10. EPIPALEOLITHIC (from 8,000 BC)
- Transition period between Paleolithic and
Neolithic.
- When temperatures rise and the ice recede,
Neolithic advances appear.
- The tools are similar to those of the Paleolithic
but smaller.
11. 3.1. Economy and society
• In the Paleolithic there were periods of extreme cold
(glacial periods), followed by intermediate periods
with milder temperatures (interglacial periods).
• The hominids lived by gathering wild fruits, hunting
wild animals (deer, caribou, bison, horses,
mammoths) and fishing.
• They were predators (they took natural resources). It
was a subsistence economy, as they had just enough
to survive.
• Mortality was very high and they didn’t live very
long.
• By controlling the fire they could challenge other
predators, provide heat, light and cook food.
12. • Hominids were organized in small groups or clans (about
ten people). Its members shared family ties and there
were no social differences between them. Various clans
formed a tribe.
• Hunting was done in groups, to capture large mammals.
Herds were led into traps. This required coordination and
led to the development of language.
• Hominids moved looking for animals to hunt: they were
nomads. They lived outside (in huts of branches and
animal hides) or in caves.
• They wore the hides of hunted animals, of which they
even used teeth and horns, to make tools or adornments.
13. 3.2. Culture and art
• Religion appeared to explain natural phenomena
that hominids didn’t understand.
• Homo neanderthalensis were the first to bury their
deads: 100,000 years ago.
- They may have believed in a soul which lived on
after death.
- Next to the corpse they put jewels or tools: “grave
goods”.
- Sometimes they practiced magical rituals in caves,
to be successful in hunting.
• The first artistic manifestations are around 35,000
years ago. They are from the Upper Paleolithic.
- These are cave paintings and portable art.
14. CAVE PAINTINGS are done on cave walls.
TWO REGIONS of different styles and periods ARE:
• FRANCO-CANTABRIAN
- The paintings are from the Upper Paleolithic.
- Paintings of Altamira (Cantabria) and Lascaux (France) are the most famous.
- They were done inside caves and were polychrome (of several colors). These were
obtained by mixing mineral dust with fat.
- Animals were painted in a naturalistic style (trying to represent nature as it is). They
used the irregularities in the rock to create relief in the drawings.
• LEVANTINE AREA
- The paintings date from the Epipaleolithic.
- Paintings of Valltorta (Castellón) or Cogull (Lleida), the most famous.
- They were made in shallow caves.
- They were monochrome (one color only).
- Human and animal figures appeared in hunting scenes.
- The style was schematic: they didn’t try to reproduce reality, but to give a sense of
movement.
15. PORTABLE ART (that can be moved) are:
• Engravings on pieces of stone or bone. They are
incisions on a hard surface using a harder tool.
• Figurines (small statues) of human or animal
figures. They were made of stone, wood, bone and
ivory. Some are associated with fertility: “Venus".
• Other objects, such as ornaments, batons of
command, amulets (protected from evil and
brought good luck) or talismans (with magical
powers).
16. 4. PALEOLITHIC ON THE IBERIAN PENINSULA
• The most important Lower Paleolithic site is Atapuerca (Burgos). The
only known remains of Homo antecessor have been discovered there.
• During the Middle Paleolithic, the peninsula was inhabited by
Neanderthals. Evidence of this has been found at site El Sidrón
(Asturias).
• In the Upper Paleolithic, Homo sapiens produced the cave paintings in
the Franco-Cantabrian region: El Castillo and Altamira (Cantabria), Tito
Bustillo (Asturias) and Santimamiñe (País Vasco).
• During the Epipaleolithic, cave paintings developed along the
Mediterranean coast (Levante): Cogull (Lleida), Valltorta (Castellón)...
This style continued during the Neolithic, sometimes in the same
caves.
