Unit 2 – Lesson 4The Paleolithic Age

The Era of Foragers 200,000 years

Our Place in TimeHunter-Gatherers

The Era of Foragers 200,000 years

The Agrarian Era 10,000 years

Our Place in Time Farming

The Era of Foragers 200,000 years

The Agrarian Era 10,000 years

Our Place in Time

Era 3Era 2Era 1

The Industrial Era 250 years

The Era of Foragers 200,000 years

The Agrarian Era 10,000 years

Our Place in Time

Era 3Era 2Era 1

ACTIVITY

Early Stone Age Tools

The earliest stone toolmaking developed by at least 2.6 million years ago. The Early Stone Age began with the most basic stone implements made by early humans. These toolkits include hammer-stones, stone cores, and sharp stone flakes. By about 1.76 million years ago, early humans began to make handaxes and other large cutting tools. Handaxe

?

Bone awls

Middle Stone Age Tools

By 200,000 years ago, the pace of innovation in stone technology began to accelerate. Middle Stone Age toolkits included points, which could be hafted on to shafts to make spears; stone awls, which could have been used to poke holes in hides; and scrapers that were useful in preparing hide, wood, and other materials.

?

Pages 16-17 and 22-23 in your textbook.

ACTIVITY

ACTIVITY

Shelters of Paleolithic Humans

Cave Dwelling View from the mouth of the cave

Mammoth Bone Hut

ACTIVITY

• Materials needed

• Ability to move the shelter

• Protection from weather and wild animals

• Nearness to food and water

• Other observations

Shelters of Paleolithic Humans

Cave Dwelling View from the mouth of the cave

Mammoth Bone Hut

• Materials needed

• Ability to move the shelter

• Protection from weather and wild animals

• Nearness to food and water

• Other observations

Shelters of Paleolithic Humans

Cave Dwelling View from the mouth of the cave

Mammoth Bone Hut

• Which shelter would be more desirable? Why?

• Which would be the easiest to obtain?

• Why would one choose one shelter over another?

• Which shelter would be best for foragers who had to follow migrating animals?

Discussion

18

From about 40,000 years ago, archaeological evidence shows faster and faster cultural change and increasing complexity.

Humans began to:

• Make more specialized tools.

• Weave and knot fiber.

• Decorate clothing.

• Make jewelry.

• Build semi-permanent structures.

The engraved horse panel in Chauvet Cave in southern France. The image is about 31,000 years old.

Venus of the Kostenki I site in Russia dated to about 23,000 years ago. This stone female head is wearing headgear of woven basketry.

Acceleration!

Lesson Summary

• Historians use information from a variety sources, including existing societies, to study the era of foragers.

• Artifacts such as tools and art help us understand some

characteristics of Paleolithic societies. • The behaviors of modern foraging societies can help us

understand what life was like in the Paleolithic Age. • The quality of life for foragers was dependent on

environmental factors like climate, vegetation, and available game for hunting.