Ms. Susan M. PojerMs. Susan M. PojerHorace Greeley HS Chappaqua, Horace Greeley HS Chappaqua,

NYNY

Theories on prehistory and Theories on prehistory and early man constantly change early man constantly change as new evidence comes to as new evidence comes to light. light. - Louis Leakey, British - Louis Leakey, British paleoanthropologist paleoanthropologist

Paleolithic Age2 million to 8,000 BCE

1. 4,000,000 BCE – 1,000,000 BCE1. 4,000,000 BCE – 1,000,000 BCE

2. 1,500,000 BCE -- 250,000 BCE2. 1,500,000 BCE -- 250,000 BCE

3. 250,000 BCE – 30,000 BCE3. 250,000 BCE – 30,000 BCE

4. 30,000 BCE -- 10,000 BCE

Paleolithic AgePaleolithic Age::( Old Stone Age )( Old Stone Age )2,500,000 BCE 2,500,000 BCE to 8,000 BCE to 8,000 BCE

““Paleolithic”Paleolithic” --> --> “Old Stone” “Old Stone” AgeAge 2,500,000 BCE – 10,000 BCE2,500,000 BCE – 10,000 BCE

hunting (hunting (menmen) & gathering () & gathering (womenwomen) ) small bands of 20-30 humans small bands of 20-30 humans NOMADICNOMADIC (moving from place to place) (moving from place to place)

Made Made toolstools

4,000,000 BCE – 1,000,000 BCE4,000,000 BCE – 1,000,000 BCE

Hominids Hominids --> any member--> any member of the family of two-legged of the family of two-legged primates that includes all primates that includes all humans. humans.

AustralopithecinesAustralopithecines

An An Apposable Apposable Thumb Thumb

Australopithecus

• Discovery of skeleton AL-288-1, north of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia– Nicknamed “Lucy”

• 40% of SWF, 4’6”, 55lb., bipedal Brain 500 cc (modern human: 1400 cc), limited speech but opposable digit

• Estimated date of death: 3.5 million years ago

HOMO HABILISHOMO HABILIS ( “Man of Skills” )( “Man of Skills” )

found in East found in East Africa.Africa. created stone created stone tools.tools.

Humans during this period found shelter in Humans during this period found shelter in caves.caves. Cave paintings left behind. Cave paintings left behind.

Purpose??Purpose??

1,600,000 BCE – 30,000 BCE1,600,000 BCE – 30,000 BCE HOMO ERECTUS HOMO ERECTUS ( “Upright Human Being” )( “Upright Human Being” )

Larger and more varied Larger and more varied tools --> primitive technology tools --> primitive technology

First hominid to migrate andFirst hominid to migrate and leave Africa for Europe and leave Africa for Europe and Asia. Asia.

First to use fire ( 500,000 BCE First to use fire ( 500,000 BCE ))

BIPEDALISMBIPEDALISM

Are we all Africans “under the Are we all Africans “under the skin”????skin”????

200,000 BCE – 10,000 BCE200,000 BCE – 10,000 BCE

HOMO SAPIENSHOMO SAPIENS ( “Wise Human Being” )( “Wise Human Being” )

NeanderthalsNeanderthals( 200,000 BCE – 30,000 BCE )( 200,000 BCE – 30,000 BCE )

Cro-MagnonsCro-Magnons( 40,000 BCE – 10,000 ( 40,000 BCE – 10,000

BCE )BCE )

NEANDERTHALS:NEANDERTHALS: Neander Valley, Neander Valley, Germany (1856) Germany (1856)

First humans to buryFirst humans to bury their dead. their dead.

Made clothes fromMade clothes from animal skins. animal skins.

Lived in caves andLived in caves and tents. tents.

NEANDERTHALSNEANDERTHALS

Early Hut/TentEarly Hut/Tent

CRO-MAGNONs:CRO-MAGNONs: Homo sapiens sapiensHomo sapiens sapiens ( “Wise, wise human” )( “Wise, wise human” )

By 30,000 BCE theyBy 30,000 BCE they replaced replaced Neanderthals.Neanderthals.

WHY???WHY???

The Natural Environment• By 13,000 BCE Homo sapiens in every

inhabitable part of the world• Archaeological finds:

– Sophisticated tools• Choppers, scrapers, axes, knives, bows, arrows• Cave and hutlike dwellings• Use of fire, animal skins

• Hunted several mammal species to extinction– Climactic change may have accelerated process

Relative Social Equality• Nomadic culture precludes accumulation of

land-based wealth– More likely determinants of status: age, hunting

skill, fertility, charisma• Possible gender equality related to food

production– Men: protein from hunting– Women: plant gathering

Big Game Hunting• Evidence of intelligent coordination of

hunting expeditions– Development of weaponry– Animal-skin disguises– Stampeding tactics

• Lighting of fires, etc. to drive game into kill zones

• Requires planning, communication

Paleolithic Settlements

• Natufian society– Modern Israel and Jordan– Wild wheat, herding

• Jomon society– Japan– Wild buckwheat, fishing

• Chinook society– Pacific Northwest– Berries, acorns, salmon runs

• Groups of 1000 or more

The San of South Africa• egalitarian, valued sharing• Smaller mobile camps• trade= to build relationships• Short work week, leisure time = visiting,

music, naming ceremony,detailed rock art, complex religion

• “insulting the meat” prevent ego problems• Gender equality

The Chumash of Southern California

• Densely populated (20, 000) people= a pseudo class system develops.

• Tomol canoe- cargo vessel used to trade with mainland and islands. Tomol builders – exclusive group.

• Diplomatic solutions to problems between dependent groups

• Leadership= male heir (some female chiefs.)• Market economy with currency.

70,000 BCE – 10,000 BCE70,000 BCE – 10,000 BCE

““Neolithic”Neolithic” “New Stone” “New Stone” AgeAge 10,000 BCE – 4,000 BCE10,000 BCE – 4,000 BCE

Gradual shift from:Gradual shift from:Nomadic lifestyleNomadic lifestyle settled, stationery settled, stationery lifestyle.lifestyle.Hunting/Gathering Hunting/Gathering agricultural agricultural production andproduction and domestication of animals. domestication of animals.

8,000 BCE – 5,000 BCE8,000 BCE – 5,000 BCE

Agriculture developed independently inAgriculture developed independently in different parts of the world. different parts of the world.

SLASH-AND-BURN FarmingSLASH-AND-BURN Farming

Middle East India Central America China Southeast Middle East India Central America China Southeast AsiaAsia

8,000 BCE 7,000 BCE 6,500 BCE 6,000 BCE 5,000 BCE8,000 BCE 7,000 BCE 6,500 BCE 6,000 BCE 5,000 BCE

Origins of early spread of agriculture

Origins of Agriculture

• Main thesis: Archeological findings (including paleopathology) suggest that "in many ways, adoption of agriculture was not progress but a catastrophe from which humans have never recovered"

Why do you think the development of

agriculture occurred around the same time

in several different places?

Why do some archaeologists

believe that women were the first

farmers?

World Population Growth

Intensive agriculture caused human population to jump from 5-8 million to 60 to 70 million in 5,000 years

Growing crops on a regular basis made possible Growing crops on a regular basis made possible the the support of larger populations. support of larger populations. More permanent, settled communities emerged.More permanent, settled communities emerged.

9,000 BCE 9,000 BCE Earliest Agricultural Settlement at Earliest Agricultural Settlement at JARMOJARMO ( northern Iraq ) ( northern Iraq ) wheatwheat

8,000 BCE 8,000 BCE Largest Early Settlement at Largest Early Settlement at ÇÇatal atal HHüüyükyük ( Modern Turkey ) ( Modern Turkey ) 6,000 inhabitants 6,000 inhabitants

Division of laborDivision of labor

Engaged in tradeEngaged in trade

Organized religion

Small militarySmall military

12 cultivated 12 cultivated cropscrops

An obsidian daggerAn obsidian dagger

Çatal Çatal HüyükHüyük

Early Villages• Earliest villages

located in the Middle East

• Population of early villages evolved from the hundreds to the thousands

• Probably declined due to environmental degradation

Top: Artist rendering of the early village of Catal Huyuk; Bottom: statue of a goddess from Catal Huyuk

What role did the food supply play in

shaping the nomadic life of hunter-

gatherers and the settled life of the

farmers?

World Population Growth

Negative Effects of Population Growth

AdvancedAdvanced

CitiesCities

SpecializedSpecialized

WorkersWorkers

ComplexComplex

InstitutionsInstitutions

Record-Record-

KeepingKeeping

AdvancedAdvanced

TechnologyTechnology