This document provides an overview of prehistory and the Paleolithic period. It describes the key stages of the hominization process that led to modern humans. The Paleolithic period is then examined in depth, covering the Lower, Middle, and Upper Paleolithic stages. Economy and society during this time involved nomadic hunter-gathering. Artistic expression emerged in the later Paleolithic in the form of cave paintings and portable art. The document concludes with a brief discussion of sites from these periods found on the Iberian Peninsula.

1. UNIT 1
PREHISTORY:
THE PALEOLITHIC PERIOD

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.