The Paleolithic Age spans from around 2.5 million years ago to around 12,000 years ago. During this time, humans evolved from early hominids like Homo habilis into modern humans. Paleolithic humans lived in small nomadic bands and subsisted by gathering plants and hunting or scavenging wild animals. Tools were made of stone, wood, and bone. By the end of the Paleolithic, humans were producing art and engaging in religious practices. The climate fluctuated between warm and cool periods.
The document summarizes key developments from the Paleolithic period including the emergence of stone tool technology, the movement of humans from caves to villages, and early forms of shelter, art, and symbolic communication. Stone tools allowed humans to cut, shape, and work wood, enabling the creation of projectile weapons, shelters, and other technologies. Cave paintings provided early expressions of beliefs and perspectives on life. Archaeological artifacts and remains like the Skara Brae houses in Orkney, Scotland provide clues about Paleolithic life and how societies were organized.
The document discusses the Paleolithic Age from 2.6 million to 10,000 years ago, covering the Lower, Middle, and Upper Paleolithic eras. It examines the climatic conditions and ways of living during this period, including food and nutrition, shelter, tools, religion, beliefs, art, and music. The Paleolithic Age marked early human evolution and the development of stone tool technology.
The document summarizes differences between the Old Stone Age (Paleolithic Age) and New Stone Age (Neolithic Age). During the Paleolithic Age, people hunted and gathered food, lived nomadically in temporary shelters, and wore clothing made of animal furs. In contrast, the Neolithic Age saw the development of agriculture and domestication of animals, with people settling in permanent homes near crops and herding animals. Clothing incorporated wool from domesticated sheep.
The Mesolithic Age was a period of transition between the Old and New Stone Ages from 11,000-6,000 BCE. During this time, early humans began controlling fire, developing language, and moving from hunter-gatherer to more settled lifestyles. They began domesticating animals and plants, developing tools like bows and arrows and pottery, and forming early social structures and religious beliefs.
The Neolithic period was part of the Stone Age, a time period in which hominids primarily used stones as tools and weapons. Dating from approximately two million years ago to 3000 B.C., the Stone Age consisted of three time periods..
The slide was made as part of academic tasks.
The document provides information on Paleolithic and Neolithic civilizations. During the Paleolithic, humans lived in small bands and subsisted through gathering and hunting. The climate fluctuated between warm and cool periods. In the Neolithic, humans began practicing agriculture around 6500 BCE, leading populations to increase and civilization to emerge. River valleys provided fertile soil for agriculture, and civilizations developed around irrigation systems, divisions of labor, calendars, forms of government, and writing. Culture and art advanced during this period as well.
Prehistory began over 1 million years ago with the origins of humans and lasted until the invention of writing around 5,500 years ago. During this time, early humans lived as nomadic hunter-gatherers in family groups. The Neolithic Period saw humans transition to more sedentary lifestyles, cultivating plants and domesticating animals around 10,000 years ago. Villages and new technologies like pottery and weaving developed. The Metal Ages began approximately 6,000 years ago when humans started working with metals like copper, bronze and iron to make improved tools and weapons, leading to more advanced settlements and the rise of early cities.
The document summarizes key developments from the Paleolithic period including the emergence of stone tool technology, the movement of humans from caves to villages, and early forms of shelter, art, and symbolic communication. Stone tools allowed humans to cut, shape, and work wood, enabling the creation of projectile weapons, shelters, and other technologies. Cave paintings provided early expressions of beliefs and perspectives on life. Archaeological artifacts and remains like the Skara Brae houses in Orkney, Scotland provide clues about Paleolithic life and how societies were organized.
The document discusses the Paleolithic Age from 2.6 million to 10,000 years ago, covering the Lower, Middle, and Upper Paleolithic eras. It examines the climatic conditions and ways of living during this period, including food and nutrition, shelter, tools, religion, beliefs, art, and music. The Paleolithic Age marked early human evolution and the development of stone tool technology.
The document summarizes differences between the Old Stone Age (Paleolithic Age) and New Stone Age (Neolithic Age). During the Paleolithic Age, people hunted and gathered food, lived nomadically in temporary shelters, and wore clothing made of animal furs. In contrast, the Neolithic Age saw the development of agriculture and domestication of animals, with people settling in permanent homes near crops and herding animals. Clothing incorporated wool from domesticated sheep.
The Mesolithic Age was a period of transition between the Old and New Stone Ages from 11,000-6,000 BCE. During this time, early humans began controlling fire, developing language, and moving from hunter-gatherer to more settled lifestyles. They began domesticating animals and plants, developing tools like bows and arrows and pottery, and forming early social structures and religious beliefs.
The Neolithic period was part of the Stone Age, a time period in which hominids primarily used stones as tools and weapons. Dating from approximately two million years ago to 3000 B.C., the Stone Age consisted of three time periods..
The slide was made as part of academic tasks.
The document provides information on Paleolithic and Neolithic civilizations. During the Paleolithic, humans lived in small bands and subsisted through gathering and hunting. The climate fluctuated between warm and cool periods. In the Neolithic, humans began practicing agriculture around 6500 BCE, leading populations to increase and civilization to emerge. River valleys provided fertile soil for agriculture, and civilizations developed around irrigation systems, divisions of labor, calendars, forms of government, and writing. Culture and art advanced during this period as well.
Prehistory began over 1 million years ago with the origins of humans and lasted until the invention of writing around 5,500 years ago. During this time, early humans lived as nomadic hunter-gatherers in family groups. The Neolithic Period saw humans transition to more sedentary lifestyles, cultivating plants and domesticating animals around 10,000 years ago. Villages and new technologies like pottery and weaving developed. The Metal Ages began approximately 6,000 years ago when humans started working with metals like copper, bronze and iron to make improved tools and weapons, leading to more advanced settlements and the rise of early cities.
Prehistoric art (The Stone Age Paleo/Meso/Neolithic period)Ana Barany
The document discusses prehistoric art from the Stone Age, including the Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic periods. During the Paleolithic period, the first pictorial manifestations appeared as humans settled near rivers and lakes. Cave paintings from this time have been found in France and Spain, using natural pigments and stone tools. In the Mesolithic period, art became more geometric and used a restricted range of colors, while the Neolithic period saw the emergence of agriculture and more permanent settlements, along with weaving, megalithic architecture, and early forms of pottery and statuary.
The document outlines the timeline of world history from prehistory to modern times. It divides world history into two periods: prehistory, before writing was invented; and history, after writing allowed events to be recorded. Prehistory is further divided into the Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age. The Stone Age includes the Paleolithic Age (Old Stone Age), Mesolithic Age, and Neolithic Age (New Stone Age). The Paleolithic Age saw early humans' absolute dependence on nature and use of stone tools. Agriculture and animal domestication began in the Neolithic Age.
1) Early humans like Homo sapiens emerged 100,000-400,000 years ago in Africa and were nomadic hunter-gatherers who used simple stone tools to find food and shelter.
2) Starting around 10,000 BC, humans began farming and domesticating plants and animals, leading to the Neolithic Revolution. Villages like Catal Huyuk in Turkey grew to house thousands as people specialized in jobs like farming, weaving, and pottery-making.
3) The Neolithic Age from around 8000 BC to 3000 BC saw further agricultural advances as people engaged in practices like slash-and-burn farming and raising livestock. Permanent settlements replaced nomadic lifestyles.
The document summarizes human evolution and life during the Paleolithic Age (Old Stone Age) from around 2.5 million years ago to 10,000 BCE. It describes the major hominin species including Australopithecus, Homo erectus, Neanderthals, and Homo sapiens sapiens. Paleolithic humans lived nomadic lifestyles in small bands, hunting and gathering for food. They used simple stone tools and harnessed fire. Later species such as Cro-Magnons produced cave paintings and sculptures, indicating religious and cultural developments.
The document summarizes prehistory from the Paleolithic Age to the Metal Age. It describes how early humans lived as nomadic hunter-gatherers in small tribes, using stone tools and discovering fire, art, and tools. The Neolithic Age began around 10,000 years ago when humans invented agriculture and domesticated animals, settling into villages and developing pottery, trade, and more advanced tools. The Metal Age started around 5,000 years ago when humans began working with metals like copper, bronze, and iron to create stronger tools and weapons, leading to larger populations and the rise of early cities.
The paleolithic era and the neolithic eraashleyrollins
Paleolithic Era to Neolithic Era. Created for a sixth grade social studies classroom. Contains information about the transition from hunting and gathering to a more permanent and agricultural lifestyle.
Information from History Alive! Pictures from Wikipedia and Discovery Education.
1. The document provides an overview of prehistoric human evolution from the Lower to Upper Paleolithic periods, including important hominin species and their tool technologies.
2. Key developments discussed include the emergence of toolmaking, controlled use of fire, and art and sculpture approximately 30,000 years ago during the Upper Paleolithic period.
3. Cave paintings from sites like Lascaux, Altamira and Chauvet dating to the Upper Paleolithic depict a wide variety of animal species and provide insight into prehistoric cultures and beliefs.
Prehistory refers to the time before written records. It consists of the Stone Age and Metal Age. The Stone Age is divided into the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods. During the Paleolithic, early humans were hunters and gatherers, while in the Neolithic, humans transitioned to an agricultural lifestyle and settled communities. The Metal Age saw the development of tools and weapons from bronze and iron.
Prehistory is the time before written records, from around 3 million years ago to the development of writing systems. During this period, early humans and hominids first appeared and stood upright on two feet, distinguishing them from apes. These early humans lived in clans and survived by hunting and gathering food, moving areas once supplies ran out. The evolution of hominids led to species like Homo habilis, Homo erectus, Neanderthals, and eventually modern Homo sapiens, who began migrating out of Africa around 100,000 years ago. The Lascaux Caves in France contain Paleolithic cave paintings from around 17,000 to 30,000 years ago, depicting animals these
This document provides information about the Neolithic village of Skara Brae located in Scotland. It is considered Europe's most complete Neolithic village dating back to around 3100 BC. The village was uncovered in 1850 after a severe coastal storm and provides insight into the daily lives of people who lived during the Neolithic period in northern Europe.
The document discusses cave paintings and tools from the Paleolithic period. It notes that cave paintings used various colors made from plant extracts and limestone powder. The paintings depicted animals like horses, deer, and lions. Animal fat provided lighting in caves before sunlight. Hunting scenes provided evidence of early human planning and dexterity. Paleolithic humans made stone tools and used bones, wood, and animal skins as weapons and clothing. Several important Paleolithic sites in India are mentioned.
This Presentation is prepared for Graduate Students. A presentation consisting of basic information regarding the topic. Students are advised to get more information from recommended books and articles. This presentation is only for students and purely for academic purposes.
The Mesolithic Age occurred between 10,000-8,000 BCE. During this time, humans moved out of caves and began building huts. They invented new stone tools like bows and arrows for hunting and boats for fishing. Humans also began domesticating wolves, which eventually became dogs. Societies grew larger and people started making pottery and jewelry. However, humans still maintained a nomadic lifestyle, hunting and gathering food and then migrating to new areas once resources were depleted.
Farming revolutionized human civilization by allowing for stable food supplies through crop planting and animal domestication, enabling people to settle permanently in communities rather than following nomadic lifestyles as hunters and gatherers. This transition from the Old Stone Age to the New Stone Age established early towns and villages through agriculture and led to new developments like specialized work, defense cooperation, and long-distance trade between distant places and peoples.
The document summarizes the Stone Age periods in India, including the Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic eras. It notes that the earliest humans in India date back around 1.38 million years ago based on archaeological sites. During the Paleolithic period, humans began using stone tools. The Mesolithic period saw the development of microlithic tools. Finally, the Neolithic period marked the beginning of settled agricultural societies in India around 6,000 BCE, with early villages forming and domestication of crops and animals.
The Mesolithic Period, also known as the Middle Stone Age, lasted from around 10,000 BCE to 8,000 BCE and was a transitional phase between the Paleolithic hunter-gatherer era and the Neolithic Agricultural era. People during this time lived through hunting, fishing, food gathering and later began domesticating animals like dogs. They also discovered the value of grass seeds such as barley and wheat. Tools of this period included large hand axes, spheroids and very small microlithic stone tools, as well as those made from bone, wood, and animal tusks and horns.
The document summarizes the Stone Age periods in human prehistory. It describes the Palaeolithic Age as the earliest and longest period, characterized by hunting and gathering with crude stone tools. Cave paintings provide information on early human life. The Mesolithic Age followed, where smaller stone tools were used and hunting became more prevalent. In the Neolithic Age, humans began cultivating crops and domesticating animals, settling into agricultural villages in river valleys, marking a shift to food production. The Chalcolithic Age was a transitional period where both stone and early copper tools were utilized. Archaeological sites provide evidence of life and technological changes during the Stone Age periods.
The document discusses the distinction between the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods, also known as the Old and New Stone Ages. The Paleolithic period began around 2.6 million years ago with the advent of stone tools and lasted until around 10,000 BCE. It was characterized by nomadic hunter-gatherer societies using chipped stone tools. The Neolithic period began around 10,000 BCE and lasted until around 2,000 BCE, characterized by more settled agricultural societies using polished stone tools and domesticating plants and animals. Key differences included permanent dwellings, private property, more advanced tools and weapons, clothing, and the development of trade networks and organized religion/government in the Neolithic period.
The document provides information about the Stone Age, which is divided into three periods: the Paleolithic Age, Mesolithic Age, and Neolithic Age. It describes some of the key technological developments of each period, including the use of stone tools in the Paleolithic, the development of microlith tools in the Mesolithic in response to environmental changes, and the emergence of ground and polished stone tools as well as early construction projects in the Neolithic due to increased reliance on plant harvesting and processing.
The document discusses the three periods of the Stone Age:
1. The Paleolithic period was the earliest period when the first stone tools were invented. Humans during this time were hunter-gatherers who did not practice agriculture.
2. During the Mesolithic period, tools like bows and arrows were developed to help hunt deer.
3. The Neolithic period marked the beginning of farming.
Prehistoric art (The Stone Age Paleo/Meso/Neolithic period)Ana Barany
The document discusses prehistoric art from the Stone Age, including the Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic periods. During the Paleolithic period, the first pictorial manifestations appeared as humans settled near rivers and lakes. Cave paintings from this time have been found in France and Spain, using natural pigments and stone tools. In the Mesolithic period, art became more geometric and used a restricted range of colors, while the Neolithic period saw the emergence of agriculture and more permanent settlements, along with weaving, megalithic architecture, and early forms of pottery and statuary.
The document outlines the timeline of world history from prehistory to modern times. It divides world history into two periods: prehistory, before writing was invented; and history, after writing allowed events to be recorded. Prehistory is further divided into the Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age. The Stone Age includes the Paleolithic Age (Old Stone Age), Mesolithic Age, and Neolithic Age (New Stone Age). The Paleolithic Age saw early humans' absolute dependence on nature and use of stone tools. Agriculture and animal domestication began in the Neolithic Age.
1) Early humans like Homo sapiens emerged 100,000-400,000 years ago in Africa and were nomadic hunter-gatherers who used simple stone tools to find food and shelter.
2) Starting around 10,000 BC, humans began farming and domesticating plants and animals, leading to the Neolithic Revolution. Villages like Catal Huyuk in Turkey grew to house thousands as people specialized in jobs like farming, weaving, and pottery-making.
3) The Neolithic Age from around 8000 BC to 3000 BC saw further agricultural advances as people engaged in practices like slash-and-burn farming and raising livestock. Permanent settlements replaced nomadic lifestyles.
The document summarizes human evolution and life during the Paleolithic Age (Old Stone Age) from around 2.5 million years ago to 10,000 BCE. It describes the major hominin species including Australopithecus, Homo erectus, Neanderthals, and Homo sapiens sapiens. Paleolithic humans lived nomadic lifestyles in small bands, hunting and gathering for food. They used simple stone tools and harnessed fire. Later species such as Cro-Magnons produced cave paintings and sculptures, indicating religious and cultural developments.
The document summarizes prehistory from the Paleolithic Age to the Metal Age. It describes how early humans lived as nomadic hunter-gatherers in small tribes, using stone tools and discovering fire, art, and tools. The Neolithic Age began around 10,000 years ago when humans invented agriculture and domesticated animals, settling into villages and developing pottery, trade, and more advanced tools. The Metal Age started around 5,000 years ago when humans began working with metals like copper, bronze, and iron to create stronger tools and weapons, leading to larger populations and the rise of early cities.
The paleolithic era and the neolithic eraashleyrollins
Paleolithic Era to Neolithic Era. Created for a sixth grade social studies classroom. Contains information about the transition from hunting and gathering to a more permanent and agricultural lifestyle.
Information from History Alive! Pictures from Wikipedia and Discovery Education.
1. The document provides an overview of prehistoric human evolution from the Lower to Upper Paleolithic periods, including important hominin species and their tool technologies.
2. Key developments discussed include the emergence of toolmaking, controlled use of fire, and art and sculpture approximately 30,000 years ago during the Upper Paleolithic period.
3. Cave paintings from sites like Lascaux, Altamira and Chauvet dating to the Upper Paleolithic depict a wide variety of animal species and provide insight into prehistoric cultures and beliefs.
Prehistory refers to the time before written records. It consists of the Stone Age and Metal Age. The Stone Age is divided into the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods. During the Paleolithic, early humans were hunters and gatherers, while in the Neolithic, humans transitioned to an agricultural lifestyle and settled communities. The Metal Age saw the development of tools and weapons from bronze and iron.
Prehistory is the time before written records, from around 3 million years ago to the development of writing systems. During this period, early humans and hominids first appeared and stood upright on two feet, distinguishing them from apes. These early humans lived in clans and survived by hunting and gathering food, moving areas once supplies ran out. The evolution of hominids led to species like Homo habilis, Homo erectus, Neanderthals, and eventually modern Homo sapiens, who began migrating out of Africa around 100,000 years ago. The Lascaux Caves in France contain Paleolithic cave paintings from around 17,000 to 30,000 years ago, depicting animals these
This document provides information about the Neolithic village of Skara Brae located in Scotland. It is considered Europe's most complete Neolithic village dating back to around 3100 BC. The village was uncovered in 1850 after a severe coastal storm and provides insight into the daily lives of people who lived during the Neolithic period in northern Europe.
The document discusses cave paintings and tools from the Paleolithic period. It notes that cave paintings used various colors made from plant extracts and limestone powder. The paintings depicted animals like horses, deer, and lions. Animal fat provided lighting in caves before sunlight. Hunting scenes provided evidence of early human planning and dexterity. Paleolithic humans made stone tools and used bones, wood, and animal skins as weapons and clothing. Several important Paleolithic sites in India are mentioned.
This Presentation is prepared for Graduate Students. A presentation consisting of basic information regarding the topic. Students are advised to get more information from recommended books and articles. This presentation is only for students and purely for academic purposes.
The Mesolithic Age occurred between 10,000-8,000 BCE. During this time, humans moved out of caves and began building huts. They invented new stone tools like bows and arrows for hunting and boats for fishing. Humans also began domesticating wolves, which eventually became dogs. Societies grew larger and people started making pottery and jewelry. However, humans still maintained a nomadic lifestyle, hunting and gathering food and then migrating to new areas once resources were depleted.
Farming revolutionized human civilization by allowing for stable food supplies through crop planting and animal domestication, enabling people to settle permanently in communities rather than following nomadic lifestyles as hunters and gatherers. This transition from the Old Stone Age to the New Stone Age established early towns and villages through agriculture and led to new developments like specialized work, defense cooperation, and long-distance trade between distant places and peoples.
The document summarizes the Stone Age periods in India, including the Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic eras. It notes that the earliest humans in India date back around 1.38 million years ago based on archaeological sites. During the Paleolithic period, humans began using stone tools. The Mesolithic period saw the development of microlithic tools. Finally, the Neolithic period marked the beginning of settled agricultural societies in India around 6,000 BCE, with early villages forming and domestication of crops and animals.
The Mesolithic Period, also known as the Middle Stone Age, lasted from around 10,000 BCE to 8,000 BCE and was a transitional phase between the Paleolithic hunter-gatherer era and the Neolithic Agricultural era. People during this time lived through hunting, fishing, food gathering and later began domesticating animals like dogs. They also discovered the value of grass seeds such as barley and wheat. Tools of this period included large hand axes, spheroids and very small microlithic stone tools, as well as those made from bone, wood, and animal tusks and horns.
The document summarizes the Stone Age periods in human prehistory. It describes the Palaeolithic Age as the earliest and longest period, characterized by hunting and gathering with crude stone tools. Cave paintings provide information on early human life. The Mesolithic Age followed, where smaller stone tools were used and hunting became more prevalent. In the Neolithic Age, humans began cultivating crops and domesticating animals, settling into agricultural villages in river valleys, marking a shift to food production. The Chalcolithic Age was a transitional period where both stone and early copper tools were utilized. Archaeological sites provide evidence of life and technological changes during the Stone Age periods.
The document discusses the distinction between the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods, also known as the Old and New Stone Ages. The Paleolithic period began around 2.6 million years ago with the advent of stone tools and lasted until around 10,000 BCE. It was characterized by nomadic hunter-gatherer societies using chipped stone tools. The Neolithic period began around 10,000 BCE and lasted until around 2,000 BCE, characterized by more settled agricultural societies using polished stone tools and domesticating plants and animals. Key differences included permanent dwellings, private property, more advanced tools and weapons, clothing, and the development of trade networks and organized religion/government in the Neolithic period.
The document provides information about the Stone Age, which is divided into three periods: the Paleolithic Age, Mesolithic Age, and Neolithic Age. It describes some of the key technological developments of each period, including the use of stone tools in the Paleolithic, the development of microlith tools in the Mesolithic in response to environmental changes, and the emergence of ground and polished stone tools as well as early construction projects in the Neolithic due to increased reliance on plant harvesting and processing.
The document discusses the three periods of the Stone Age:
1. The Paleolithic period was the earliest period when the first stone tools were invented. Humans during this time were hunter-gatherers who did not practice agriculture.
2. During the Mesolithic period, tools like bows and arrows were developed to help hunt deer.
3. The Neolithic period marked the beginning of farming.
Humans lived in small nomadic groups and hunted animals for food during the Stone Age. Tools and weapons were made of stone, hence the name, as humans had not yet discovered how to smelt metal. Over thousands of years, humans gradually learned new skills like farming, domesticating animals, and developing more advanced stone tools that helped early civilizations emerge.
This document provides an overview of the Paleolithic period from approximately 2 million to 10,000 years ago. It discusses the development of early human cultures and tool use. Key developments included the control of fire, the construction of shelters, and increasing specialization of stone tools. Physical and mental changes in early humans are also outlined, including walking upright, eating a broader diet, and expanding brain size. Specific hominin species that emerged such as Homo habilis, Homo erectus, Homo neanderthalensis, and Homo sapiens are also summarized.
Madhu Baaglar ppt on potassium nutrition in lodging resistence of cereals.Rakesh Baaglar
This document discusses potassium nutrition and its role in reducing lodging in cereals. It begins with an introduction on lodging and its negative effects on crops, including yield losses. It then describes how potassium functions in plants, helping to build cellulose for stalk strength and aiding photosynthesis. Adequate potassium nutrition is shown to increase stem thickness and crushing strength, reducing lodging through stronger stems that are less likely to bend over. The addition of potassium decreases the percentage of lodged stalks in corn by reducing senescence and strengthening the stalk structure to withstand physical stresses.
The document discusses early hunters and gatherers from the prehistoric period. It provides context about prehistory and defines key terms like archaeology, artifacts, and migration. The main points covered include:
1) Archaeologists study past cultures through remnants like tools and buildings to learn about prehistoric peoples who left no written records.
2) During the Ice Age, sea levels were lower and a land bridge connected Asia to North America, allowing early humans to migrate across in search of resources.
3) Important archaeological sites that have expanded our understanding of early human migration patterns to North America include Clovis, NM dated to 11,000 years ago, Monte Verde, Chile dated to 12,500 years
South Carolina 6th Grade Education Standards
6-1.1: Explain the characteristics of hunter-gatherer groups and their relationship to the natural environment
6-1.2: Explain the emergence of agriculture and its effect on early human communities, including the domestication of plants and animals, the impact of irrigation techniques, and subsequent food surpluses.
This document discusses a project between researchers in Australia and Mali to develop drought-tolerant sorghum varieties for Africa and Australia. The project focuses on enhancing the "stay-green" trait which allows plants to maintain green leaves during drought. Researchers conducted studies in Australia comparing stay-green and senescent sorghum varieties under irrigated and drought conditions. Promising stay-green lines from these studies were used to develop new populations and introgression lines in Mali to select for improved yield, stay-green and local adaptation. Evaluation of developed varieties was conducted across multiple countries in Africa. The project also involved training African scientists in sorghum breeding and physiology.
1.2 Neolithic and Agricultural RevolutionsKevin Zahner
Continue your Advanced Placement study of world history with this presentation over the development of complex societies. AP World History students and teachers are supported by links to documents and websites to deepen understanding of the curriculum.
The document summarizes the agricultural revolution that occurred between 8,000-5,000 BCE. It began independently in different parts of the world as nomadic hunter-gatherer societies transitioned to more settled agricultural lifestyles due to climate change and scarce resources. The Fertile Crescent was an early region of domestication of plants like wheat and barley and animals like sheep and goats. Early farming societies had advantages of steady food and larger populations but also risks of disease and dependence on certain crops. New technologies and social structures varying from pastoral to village societies to chiefdoms emerged during this period of human development.
The document discusses the history of agriculture in the United States from the 1600s-1900s. It describes how subsistence farming was common from 1600-1700 as people grew crops and raised animals for survival. During the Industrial Revolution from 1760-1840, farming became more industrialized with machinery and mass production. Federal legislation like the Morrill Act of 1862 established land grant colleges to teach agriculture. The Hatch Act of 1887 created agricultural experiment stations. Reconstruction after the Civil War and acts like Smith-Lever in 1914 established cooperative extension services to support farmers.
This document provides an overview of early human civilizations beginning around 3 million years ago. It discusses hominids like Homo sapiens migrating out of Africa around 70,000 years ago. Neanderthals and Homo sapiens are compared, noting they coexisted and may have interbred. Key developments of the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods are outlined. Characteristics of civilization are defined. Early civilizations including Sumer and Babylonia are then described, noting Sumer's use of agriculture and writing as well as Babylonia's Code of Hammurabi.
The document discusses human origins and evolution. It states that ancestors of humans first appeared in Africa 5-7 million years ago and shares a common ancestor with apes. Charles Darwin popularized the theory of evolution through his 1859 book On the Origin of Species, which proposed the concept of natural selection. Around 70,000 years ago, Homo sapiens migrated out of Africa and spread to Asia, Europe, Australia, and the Americas. Neanderthals and Homo sapiens both lived between 250,000-30,000 BCE and evidence suggests they interbred. The Paleolithic period from 2.5 million years ago to 10,000 BCE saw hunter-gatherer humans using simple tools and fire.
Martin Luther King Jr. was a leader of the American civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s. He gave his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech during the March on Washington in 1963, calling for an end to racism and racial inequality. King was assassinated in 1968 while advocating for the rights of sanitation workers in Memphis, Tennessee.
The development of agriculture around 10,000 years ago, known as the Neolithic Revolution, significantly changed how humans lived. People began domesticating plants and animals, developing new tools for farming, and settling into permanent villages. This led to more complex societies with specialized roles, increased trade, and the growth of towns. The reliable food supply supported larger populations and allowed people to pursue activities other than hunting and gathering.
Development Stages in World AgricultureKarl Obispo
This document summarizes the history of agriculture in four broad periods: prehistoric (Neolithic Period), historic through Roman period, feudal, and scientific. It discusses the early centers of agriculture and domestication of plants and animals. During the Neolithic Period, people began farming, herding animals, and living in villages. The feudal period saw the rise of the manorial system in Europe. Scientific advances beginning in the 16th century improved agriculture through innovations like plant breeding, crop rotations, and machinery.
The Neolithic Revolution refers to the transition of human societies from hunting and gathering to agriculture and settlement between 8000-3500 BCE. The development of agriculture began in Southwest Asia and allowed populations to grow as food supplies became more reliable and abundant. Sedentary living led to the establishment of permanent villages and towns, which saw further technological advances in tools, pottery, weaving and metallurgy. The first large settlements, such as Catalhoyuk and Jericho, displayed evidence of social stratification and specialized labor. By 3500 BCE, advanced river valley civilizations had formed along major river systems.
The document discusses the transition from Paleolithic hunter-gatherer societies to agricultural societies during the Neolithic Revolution between 8000-3500 BCE. It describes how early humans lived as nomadic hunter-gatherers using simple tools for shelter, clothing, and hunting. Around 8000 BCE in Southwest Asia, some groups began slowly domesticating plants and animals, leading to more sedentary lifestyles. This agricultural transition allowed populations to grow and led to the development of new technologies, cities, social stratification, and independent civilizations.
The document summarizes key aspects of Paleolithic civilization from 2 million BCE to around 10,000 BCE. During this era, humans lived in small hunter-gatherer societies and used only stone tools. The Paleolithic is divided into three periods: Lower (tool use began), Middle (tool making improved), and Upper (artistic and cultural developments emerged). Paleolithic humans migrated throughout Africa and Eurasia and adapted to fluctuating climates. They hunted animals and gathered plants for food, and had religious beliefs involving spirituality and burial rituals.
The document summarizes the three main stages of the primitive era: Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic.
1) The Paleolithic age from 2.6 million to 10,000 years ago was characterized by early humans living as hunter-gatherers using basic stone tools. Cave paintings indicated a developing religious practice.
2) During the Mesolithic from 10,000 to 6,000 years ago, humans adapted to environmental changes by developing fishing, domesticating animals, and living in settlements.
3) The Neolithic revolution began around 9500 BC with the adoption of agriculture, development of pottery, and construction of permanent mud brick houses, marking a shift to settled life.
The document summarizes the Stone Age, beginning with the Paleolithic Era from 2.6 million to around 12,000 years ago. During this time, hominins lived in small nomadic bands and subsisted through hunting and gathering, using basic stone and bone tools. Artistic expression first emerged in the Paleolithic as well. Toolmaking became more advanced over time, with Oldowan tools giving way to more sophisticated Acheulean hand axes and prepared core techniques in the Middle Paleolithic. The Upper Paleolithic saw modern humans innovating with blade tools, cave art, and the domestication of dogs. Language, art, tools, fire, and other technological and cultural developments helped Paleolithic people
The document provides information about early human settlements and technology during the Stone Age period. It discusses the major periods of the Stone Age - Early Stone Age, Middle Stone Age, and Later Stone Age. During these periods, humans used stone tools for tasks like hunting and butchering animals. They lived in temporary shelters and caves, and created cave paintings. By the Neolithic period, humans began farming and domesticating animals. The Stone Age marked major developments in human technology and settlement patterns over millions of years.
During the Prehistory period from 2.5 million years ago to 3500 BC, before writing was invented:
- Humans evolved from early primates and the first humans appeared in Africa around 2.5 million years ago. Prehistory is divided into the Stone Age periods of Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic based on advances in tool technology.
- During the Palaeolithic period, humans lived nomadic lifestyles in tribes as hunter-gatherers. They made tools from wood, bone and stone and created early cave paintings and art.
- In the Neolithic period, the development of agriculture and livestock domestication allowed humans to settle permanently in villages for the first time. Societies
Prehistory began over 2.5 million years ago with the emergence of the first humans and ended around 3500 BC with the development of writing systems. During this time, humans evolved from hunter-gatherers to early agricultural societies. Prehistory is divided into periods including the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic. In the Palaeolithic, humans lived nomadic lifestyles and created tools from stone, bone, and wood. The Neolithic period saw the development of farming and permanent settlements. Metals like copper, bronze, and iron were introduced and new technologies led to social changes and early trade networks and cities.
The document discusses how ancient humans interacted with and impacted their environment during different periods of history. It describes how early humans in the Paleolithic period lived nomadic lifestyles as hunter-gatherers and had little impact on the environment. It then discusses how agriculture and population growth in the Neolithic period led to increased environmental impacts including deforestation and extinction of large animal species. Finally, it notes how the Industrial Revolution brought about widespread ecological changes through activities like mining, burning of fossil fuels, and urbanization.
During prehistory, humans transitioned from nomadic hunter-gatherers to sedentary agricultural societies. The Palaeolithic period saw humans living in caves or as nomads using fire and stone tools. The Neolithic introduced permanent villages, agriculture, livestock, and new polished stone tools. The Metal Ages brought the use of copper, bronze, and iron to create stronger tools and weapons, leading to new professions, trade, wealth inequality, and the rise of cities protected by walls.
This document provides an overview of early human history and civilization. It discusses the differences between prehistory and history, and defines key terms like culture, civilization, archaeology, and artifacts. The Paleolithic and Neolithic Ages are summarized. During the Paleolithic, humans were hunter-gatherers who developed tools and fire. The Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons inhabited Europe and developed art. In the Neolithic, humans transitioned to farming and settled into early villages which led to specialization of skills and development of governance and religion.
Early humans during the Stone Age lived as hunter-gatherers, hunting wild animals and gathering plants for food, they created simple tools and weapons made of stone to aid in their survival, and they lived nomadic lifestyles, constantly on the move in search of resources as they lacked agriculture.
The Stone Age was the longest period in human history, spanning from around 3.3 million years ago until the introduction of metal tools. During this time, early humans used only stone tools and lived nomadic lifestyles as hunter-gatherers. The Modern Age began in the early 20th century after World War I and saw rapid technological advancement including the development of modern weapons, tanks, airplanes, and nuclear weapons. This period marked humanity's transition to a more technical global society.
This document provides an overview of prehistory from 2.5 million years ago until the invention of writing around 3500 BC. It discusses key periods of prehistory including the Paleolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic periods. The Paleolithic period saw the earliest humans who lived as nomadic hunter-gatherers, using stone tools and creating cave paintings. During the Neolithic period, around 9000 BC, humans transitioned to living in permanent settlements and began farming, leading to the development of the first villages. New tools were developed for agriculture and crafts like pottery and weaving emerged. The document also notes the Metal Ages between 7000-3500 BC when humans started using metals like copper and bronze to make
Early humans spent their days in small nomadic groups as hunter-gatherers. They used simple stone tools for hunting, shelter, and protection. Around 10,000 years ago, the Neolithic Agricultural Revolution occurred where humans transitioned to farming and settled into permanent villages, domesticating plants and animals. This development led to more complex civilizations emerging in places like Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, and China by the early Bronze Age.
Prehistory is divided into three main periods - the Palaeolithic, Neolithic, and Metal Ages. The Palaeolithic, which began over 2 million years ago, saw the emergence and evolution of early humans from primate ancestors in Africa. Key hominid species that developed over this time include Homo habilis, Homo erectus, Homo antecessor, Neanderthals, and Homo sapiens. Neanderthals and Homo sapiens existed side by side in Europe for thousands of years before Neanderthals went extinct. The Neolithic began around 9000 BC when early humans adopted agriculture and settled in villages. During the Metal Ages beginning around 5000 BC, humans began using
During prehistory, which lasted from around 2.5 million years ago until the invention of writing around 3500 BC, humans evolved from early hominids to hunter-gatherers who lived in tribes. The Palaeolithic period saw the first humans and use of tools like spears and axes made of stone. During the Neolithic period, around 9000 BC, humans transitioned to an agricultural lifestyle, settling in permanent villages and domesticating plants and animals. Various metal ages then followed, where cultures developed bronze and iron tools, enabling trade and the growth of cities.
1. Prehistory is divided into the Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age. During the Stone Age (Paleolithic and Neolithic periods), humans lived as hunter-gatherers and began farming, respectively.
2. The Neolithic period saw the rise of permanent settlements as people transitioned to an agricultural lifestyle. Megalithic structures like dolmens and stone circles emerged.
3. During the Metal Ages, people developed new technologies using copper, bronze, and iron. Trade increased and complex societies with specialized labor developed, leading to the formation of early cities.
1. Prehistory is divided into the Stone Age, Neolithic, and Metal Ages based on advances in technology.
2. The Palaeolithic period saw early humans as hunter-gatherers who lived nomadically in tribes and used stone tools. They created cave paintings and portable art.
3. In the Neolithic period, the development of agriculture and livestock domestication led to permanent settlements and the rise of the first villages as people became sedentary producers. Tools were polished stone.
4. The Metal Ages saw the rise of copper, bronze, and iron tools, bringing technological advances and social changes including new trade routes, specialized labor, and a more hierarchical society with wealth inequality. Megal
1. The document provides an overview of prehistory, beginning with the earliest humans over 2.5 million years ago and ending around 3,500 BC with the invention of writing.
2. Prehistory is divided into the Stone Age (lower, middle, upper Paleolithic and Neolithic periods) and the Metal Ages (Copper, Bronze and Iron Ages).
3. During the Neolithic period, around 9,000-7,000 years ago, humans transitioned from nomadic hunter-gatherers to settled farmers and villagers with the development of agriculture and livestock domestication.
The document summarizes key developments during the Stone Age, from the earliest humans to the transition to agricultural societies. It describes the major human species like Homo habilis, Homo erectus, Neanderthals, and Cro-Magnon. Tools and behaviors evolved, from basic stone tools to controlled use of fire and more advanced weapons. Later Stone Age societies built permanent settlements, engaged in trade, and created religious art and monuments like Stonehenge. This laid the groundwork for early civilizations to emerge.
The Mesolithic Age was the second period of human prehistory between the Paleolithic and Neolithic Ages. During this time, humans developed new microlith tool technologies that allowed for increased leatherworking, basketry, and more refined hunting tools. Agriculture and domestication of plants and animals began. Characteristics of the Mesolithic Age include the formation of forests after glacial melting, dependence on hunting and gathering, and initial domestication of some animals. Humans of this era, known as Homo Erectus, migrated throughout Asia and Europe, using advanced tools like axes and controlling fire.
1. The Paleolithic Age
The Paleolithic (from Greek: (paleo- "old" + lithos "stone") Age, Era, or Period,
is a prehistoric era distinguished by the development of the first stone tools, and
covers roughly 99% of human technological history.[1] It extends from the
introduction of stone tools by hominids such as Homo habilis 2.5[2] or 2.6[1][3]
million years ago, to the introduction of agriculture and the end of the Pleistocene
around 12,000 BP.[1][3][4] The Paleolithic era is followed by the Mesolithic.[5]
During the Paleolithic, humans grouped together in small societies such as bands,
and subsisted by gathering plants and hunting or scavenging wild animals.[6] The
Paleolithic is characterized by the use of knapped stone tools, although at the time
humans also used wood and bone tools. Other organic commodities were adapted
for use as tools, including leather and vegetable fibers; however, due to their nature,
these have not been preserved to any great degree. Surviving artifacts of the
Paleolithic era are known as Paleoliths. Humankind gradually evolved from early
members of the genus Homo such as Homo habilis — who used simple stone tools
— into fully behaviorally and anatomically modern humans (Homo sapiens
sapiens) during the Paleolithic era.[7] During the end of the Paleolithic, specifically
the Middle and or Upper Paleolithic, humans began to produce the earliest works of
art and engage in religious and spiritual behavior such as burial and ritual.[6][8][9][10]
The climate during the Paleolithic consisted of a set of glacial and interglacial
periods in which the climate periodically fluctuated between warm and cool
temperatures.
o Lower Paleolithic (c. 2.6 or 2.5 Ma–100 ka)[1][3]
o Middle Paleolithic (c. 300,000–30,000 years ago)[11]
o Upper Paleolithic (c. 45,000 or 40,000–10,000 years ago).[11]
Human evolution
This cranium, of Homo heidelbergensis, a Lower Paleolithic predecessor to Homo
neanderthalensis and possibly Homo sapiens, dates to sometime between 500,000
to 400,000 BP.
Human evolution is the part of biological evolution concerning the emergence of
humans as a distinct species.
Paleogeography and climate
The Paleolithic climate consisted of a set of glacial and interglacial periods.The
climate of the Paleolithic Period spanned two geologic epochs known as the
Pliocene and the Pleistocene. Both of these epochs experienced important
geographic and climatic changes that affected human societies.
2. During the Pliocene, continents continued to drift from possibly as far as 250 km
from their present locations to positions only 70 km from their current location.
South America became linked to North America through the Isthmus of Panama,
bringing a nearly complete end to South America's distinctive marsupial fauna. The
formation of the Isthmus had major consequences on global temperatures, because
warm equatorial ocean currents were cut off, and the cold Arctic and Antarctic
waters dropped temperatures in the now-isolated Atlantic Ocean. Central America
completely formed during the Pliocene, allowing flora from North and South
America to leave their native habitats and colonize new areas.[12] Africa's collision
with Asia created the Mediterranean Sea, cutting off the remnants of the Tethys
Ocean. During the Pleistocene, the modern continents were essentially at their
present positions; the tectonic plates on which they sit have probably moved at most
100 km from each other since the beginning of the period.[13]
Human way of life
An artist's rendering of a temporary wood house, based on evidence found at Terra
Amata (in Nice, France) and dated to the Lower Paleolithic (c. 400,000 BP).Due to
a lack of written records from this time period, nearly all of our knowledge of
Paleolithic human culture and way of life comes from archaeology and
ethnographic comparisons to modern hunter-gatherer cultures such as the Kung San
who live similarly to their Paleolithic predecessors.[18] The economy of a typical
Paleolithic society was a hunter-gatherer economy.[19] Humans hunted wild animals
for meat and gathered food, firewood, and materials for their tools, clothes, or
shelters.[19][20] Human population density was very low, around only one person per
square mile.[6] This was most likely due to low body fat, infanticide, women
regularly engaging in intense endurance exercise,[21] late weaning of infants and a
nomadic lifestyle.[6] Like contemporary hunter-gatherers, Paleolithic humans
enjoyed an abundance of leisure time unparalleled in both Neolithic farming
societies and modern industrial societies.[19][22] At the end of the Paleolithic,
specifically the Middle and or Upper Paleolithic, humans began to produce works
of art such as cave paintings, rock art and jewellery and began to engage in religious
behavior such as burial and ritual.[23]
Technology
Paleolithic humans made tools of stone, bone, and wood.[19] The earliest Paleolithic
stone tool industry, the Olduwan, was developed by the earliest members of the
genus Homo such as Homo habilis, around 2.6 million years ago.[24] It contained
tools such as choppers, burins and awls. It was completely replaced around 250,000
years ago by the more complex Acheulean industry, which was first conceived by
Homo ergaster around 1.8 or 1.65 million years ago.[25] The most recent Lower
Paleolithic (Acheulean) implements completely vanished from the archeological
3. record around 100,000 years ago and were replaced by more complex Middle
Paleolithic/Middle Stone Age tool kits such as the Mousterian and the Aterian
industries.[26]
Lower Paleolithic humans used a variety of stone tools, including hand axes and
choppers. Although they appear to have used hand axes often, there is disagreement
about their use. Interpretations range from cutting and chopping tools, to digging
implements, flake cores, the use in traps and a purely ritual significance, maybe in
courting behaviour. William H. Calvin has suggested that some rounder hand axes
could have served as "killer frisbees" meant to be thrown at a herd of animals at a
water hole so as to stun one of them. There are no indications of hafting, and some
artifacts are far too large for that. Thus, a thrown hand axe would not usually have
penetrated deeply enough to cause very serious injuries. Nevertheless, it could have
been an effective weapon for defence against predators. Choppers and scrappers
were likely used for skinning and butchering scavenged animals and sharp ended
sticks were often obtained for digging up edible roots. Presumably, early humans
used wooden spears as early as 5 million years ago to hunt small animals, much as
their relatives, chimpanzees, have been observed to do in Senegal, Africa.[27] Lower
Paleolithic humans constructed shelters such as the possible wood hut at Terra
Amata.
Social organization
Humans may have taken part in long distance trade between bands for rare
commodities and raw materials (such as stone needed for making tools) as early as
120,000 years ago in Middle Paleolithic.
The social organization of the earliest Paleolithic (Lower Paleolithic) societies
remains largely unknown to scientists, though Lower Paleolithic hominids such as
Homo habilis and Homo erectus are likely to have had more complex social
structures than chimpanzee societies.[43] Late Oldowan/Early Acheulean humans
such as Homo ergaster/Homo erectus may have been the first people to invent
central campsites, or home bases and incorporate them into their foraging and
hunting strategies like contemporary hunter-gatherers, possibly as early as 1.7
million years ago;[7] however, the earliest solid evidence for the existence of home
bases/central campsites (hearths and shelters) among humans only dates back to
500,000 years ago.[7]
Similarly, scientists disagree whether Lower Paleolithic humans were largely
monogamous or polygamous.[43] In particular, the Provisional model suggests that
bipedalism arose in Pre Paleolithic australopithecine societies as an adaptation to
monogamous lifestyles; however, other researchers note that sexual dimorphism is
more pronounced in Lower Paleolithic Humans such as Homo erectus than in
4. Modern humans, who are less polygamous than other primates, which suggests that
Lower Paleolithic humans had a largely polygamous lifestyle, because species that
have the most pronounced sexual dimorphism tend to be more likely to be
polygamous.[44]
Human societies from the Paleolithic to the early Neolithic farming tribes lived
without states and organized governments. For most of the Lower Paleolithic,
human societies were possibly more hierarchical than their Middle and Upper
Paleolithic descendants, and probably were not grouped into bands,[45] though
during the end of the Lower Paleolithic, the latest populations of the hominid Homo
erectus may have began living in small scale (possibly egalitarian) bands similar to
both Middle and Upper Paleolithic societies and modern hunter-gatherers.[45]
Art and music
Early examples of artistic expression, such as the Venus of Tan-Tan and the
patterns found on elephant bones from Bilzingsleben in Thuringia, may have been
produced by Acheulean tool users such as Homo erectus prior to the start of the
Middle Paleolithic period. However, the earliest undisputed evidence of art during
the Paleolithic period comes from Middle Paleolithic/Middle Stone Age sites such
as Blombos Cave in the form of bracelets,[65] beads,[66] rock art,[47] and ochre used as
body paint and perhaps in ritual.[11][47] Undisputed evidence of art only becomes
common in the following Upper Paleolithic period.[67]
According to Robert G. Bednarik, Lower Paleolithic Acheulean tool users began to
engage in symbolic behavior such as art around 850,000 BP and decorated
themselves with beads and collected exotic stones for aesthetic rather than
utilitarian qualities.[68] According to Bednarik, traces of the pigment ochre from late
Lower Paleolithic Acheulean archeological sites suggests that Acheulean societies,
like later Upper Paleolithic societies, collected and used ochre to create rock art.[68]
Nevertheless, it is also possible that the ochre traces found at Lower Paleolithic sites
is naturally occurring.[69]
Vincent W. Fallio interprets Lower and Middle Paleolithic marking on rocks at sites
such as Bilzingsleben (such as zig zagging lines) as accounts or representation of
altered states of consciousness[70] though some other scholars interpret them as
either simple doodling or as the result of natural processes.
R. Dale Guthrie[74] has studied not only the most artistic and publicized paintings,
but also a variety of lower-quality art and figurines, and he identifies a wide range
of skill and ages among the artists. He also points out that the main themes in the
paintings and other artifacts (powerful beasts, risky hunting scenes and the over-
sexual representation of women) are to be expected in the fantasies of adolescent
males during the Upper Paleolithic.
5. The Venus figurines have sometimes been interpreted as representing a mother
goddess; the abundance of such female imagery has led some to believe that Upper
Paleolithic (and later Neolithic) societies had a female-centered religion and a
female-dominated society. For example, this was proposed by the archeologist
Marija Gimbutas and the feminist scholar Merlin Stone who was the author of the
1978 book When God Was a Woman[75][76] Various other explanations for the
purpose of the figurines have been proposed, such as Catherine McCoid and LeRoy
McDermott’s hypothesis that the figurines were created as self portraits of actual
women[73] and R.Dale Gutrie's hypothesis that the venus figurines represented a kind
of "stone age pornography".
The origins of music during the Paleolithic are unknown, since the earliest forms of
music probably did not use musical instruments but instead used the human voice
and or natural objects such as rocks, which leave no trace in the archaeological
record. However, the anthropological and archeological designation suggests that
human music first arose when language, art and other modern behaviors developed
in the Middle or the Upper Paleolithic period. Music may have developed from
rhythmic sounds produced by daily activities such as cracking nuts by hitting them
with stones, because maintaining a rhythm while working may have helped people
to become more efficient at daily activities.[77] An alternative theory originally
proposed by Charles Darwin explains that music may have begun as a hominid
mating strategy as many birds and some other animals produce music like calls to
attract mates.[78] This hypothesis is generally less accepted than the previous
hypothesis, but it nonetheless provides a possible alternative.
Upper Paleolithic (and possibly Middle Paleolithic[79]) humans used flute-like bone
pipes as musical instruments,[11][80] Music may have played a large role in the
religious lives of Upper Paleolithic hunter-gatherers. Like in modern hunter-
gatherer societies, music may have been used in ritual or to help induce trances. In
particular, it appears that animal skin drums may have been used in religious events
by Upper Paleolithic shamans, as shown by the remains of drum-like instruments
from some Upper Paleolithic graves of shamans and the ethnographic record of
contemporary hunter-gatherer shamanic and ritual practices.[4][63]
Religion and beliefs
Picture of a half-human, half-animal being in a Paleolithic cave painting in
Dordogne. France. Archeologists believe that cave paintings of half-human, half-
animal beings may be evidence for early shamanic practices during the Paleolithic.
The established anthropological view is that it is more probable that humankind first
developed religious and spiritual beliefs during the Middle Paleolithic or Upper
Paleolithic.[81] Controversial scholars of prehistoric religion and anthropology,
6. James Harrod and Vincent W. Fallio, have recently proposed that religion and
spirituality (and art) may have first arisen in Pre-Paleolithic chimpanzees[82] or Early
Lower Paleolithic (Oldowan) societies.[70][83] According to Fallio, the common
ancestor of chimpanzees and humans experienced altered states of consciousness
and partook in ritual, and ritual was used in their societies to strengthen social
bonding and group cohesion.[70]
Middle Paleolithic humans' use of burials at sites such as Krapina, Croatia (c.
130,000 BP) and Qafzeh, Israel (c. 100,000 BP) have led some anthropologists and
archeologists, such as Philip Lieberman, to believe that Middle Paleolithic humans
may have possessed a belief in an afterlife and a "concern for the dead that
transcends daily life".[84] Cut marks on Neanderthal bones from various sites, such
as Combe-Grenal and Abri Moula in France, suggest that the Neanderthals like
some contemporary human cultures may have practiced ritual defleshing for
(presumably) religious reasons. According to recent archeological findings from H.
heidelbergensis sites in Atapuerca, humans may have begun burying their dead
much earlier, during the late Lower Paleolithic; but this theory is widely questioned
in the scientific community.
Vincent W. Fallio writes that ancestor cults first emerged in complex Upper
Paleolithic societies. He argues that the elites of these societies (like the elites of
many more contemporary complex hunter-gatherers such as the Tlingit) may have
used special rituals and ancestor worship to solidify control over their societies, by
convincing their subjects that they possess a link to the spirit world that also gives
them control over the earthly realm.[70] Secret societies may have served a similar
function in these complex quasi-theocratic societies, by dividing the religious
practices of these cultures into the separate spheres of Popular Religion and Elite
Religion.[70]
Religion was possibly apotropaic; specifically, it may have involved sympathetic
magic.[11] The Venus figurines, which are abundant in the Upper Paleolithic
archeological record, provide an example of possible Paleolithic sympathetic magic,
as they may have been used for ensuring success in hunting and to bring about
fertility of the land and women.[6] The Upper Paleolithic Venus figurines have
sometimes been explained as depictions of an earth goddess similar to Gaia, or as
representations of a goddess who is the ruler or mother of the animals.[86][89] James
Harrod has described them as representative of female (and male) shamanistic
spiritual transformation processes.[90]
Diet and nutrition
People first began fermenting grapes in animal skin pouches to create wine during
the Paleolithic.[91]
7. Paleolithic hunting and gathering peoples ate primarily meat, fish, shellfish, leafy
vegetables, fruit, nuts and insects in varying proportions.[92][93] However, there is
little direct evidence of the relative proportions of plant and animal foods.[94]
According to some anthropologists and advocates of the modern Paleolithic diet,
Paleolithic hunter-gatherers consumed a significant amount of meat and possibly
obtained most of their food from hunting.[95] Competing hypotheses suggest that
Paleolithic humans may have consumed a plant-based diet in general,[58] or that
hunting and gathering possibly contributed equally to their diet.[96] One hypothesis
is that carbohydrate tubers (plant underground storage organs) may have been eaten
in high amounts by our pre-agricultural humans.[97][98][99][100] However, the relative
proportions of plant and animal foods in the diets of Paleolithic peoples probably
varied between regions. For instance, hunter gatherers in tropical regions such as
Africa probably consumed a plant-based diet, while populations in colder regions
such as Northern Europe most likely obtained most of their food from meat.[101]
Overall, they experienced less famine and malnutrition than the Neolithic farming
tribes that followed them.[18][102] This was partly because Paleolithic hunter-gatherers
had access to a wider variety of plants and other foods, which allowed them a more
nutritious diet and a decreased risk of famine.[18][21][64] Many of the famines
experienced by Neolithic (and some modern) farmers were caused or amplified by
their dependence on a small number of crops.[18][21][64] The greater amount of meat
obtained by hunting big game animals in Paleolithic diets than in Mesolithic and
Neolithic diets may have also allowed Paleolithic Hunter-gatherers to enjoy a more
nutritious diet than both Epipaleolithic/Mesolithic hunter-gatherers and Neolithic
agriculturalists.[102] It is also unlikely that Paleolithic hunter-gatherers were affected
by modern diseases of affluence such as Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and
cerebrovascular disease, because they ate mostly