The Development of Paleolithic & Neolithic Cultures

From the Dawn of Time

to c. 3500 BCE

Overview

• Discuss Cain &Abel

• Geological Developments

• Evolutionary Developments

• Cultural Developments

• Summary

Discuss Cain & Abel

• How is the story related to today’s topics? Or what was I thinking when I assigned this reading?

• What does the story suggest about – the Deity– Justice– Family

• What can we learn about using ancient sources?

Formation of the Mediterranean Sea

The Mediterranean Sea

Evolutionary Change

Hominids

Homo erectus2,000,000 years

ago

Migration of Homo Sapiens Sapiens

Cultural ChangeLascaux Wall paintings

“Venus Figure”of Willendorf

from Paleolithic

remainsc. 30,000 BCE

in Austria

What are the features of Paleolithic Culture?

A. Hunter Gatherers

B. Stone Tools

C. No permanent settlements

D. Less hierarchical

E. Less patriarchal

The Fertile Crescent

Catalhuyuk or Catalhoyuk

Catalhüyük

Mother Goddess sculpture from Catal

Huyuk

Clothed Hunter

c. 4000 BCE

Burial Mounds Around Stonehenge

Construction of Stonehenge

Preseli Mountain in Wales

What were the features of neolithic culture?

A. Agriculture

B. Animal husbandry

C. Permanent settlements

D. Denser populations

E. Increasing hierarchy/patriarchy

Geological Developments

• Formation of the world: 5 Billion Years Ago

• Continental drift

• Long term trend of rising sea levels with periodic reversals known as Ice Ages - the last ice Age was approximately 20,000 years ago

• Formation of the Mediterranean Sea occurred roughly 5 million years ago

Evolutionary Development

• Pre-human

• Human

Pre-Human Evolutionary Developments

• Life begins c. 2 Billion years ago– bacteria and algae form

• 6 Million Years ago hominid creatures are wandering the earth– human-like apes with small brains

– not erect when walking

– Many species of hominids which have since died out

Human Evolution

• 5 - 10 million years ago: first human in E. Africa– standing erect

– larger brains but still not within modern ranges

• 400 K - Homo sapiens - increased brains– East Africa

• 130 K to present - Homo sapiens sapiens– tools (rocks, bones)

– fire

• 40K BCE - homo sapiens sapiens moves into Europe

Cultural Development

• Paleolithic - Old Stone Age - to 10,000 BCE– hunting & food gathering

• Neolithic - New Stone Age - to 3,500 BCE– agricultural subsistence and eventually surplus

– irrigation

– private property

– increased social & economic differentiation

– cities emerge

– political differentiation underscores economic status

Neolithic Humans

• Hunter gatherers for the most part; frequently on the move, but as we approach 3500 BCE, the widespread adoption of agriculture makes permanent settlements more common

• More varied diet than modern humans; animal dung, bark, and roots were regularly eaten

• As permanent settlements become more common, commerce develops and the dissemination of knowledge and customs picks up speed

Neolithic Revolution• Agriculture allowed humans to develop permanent

settlements instead of traveling to remain close to migrating herds of wildlife

• The effects of permanent settlements were profound– Houses– Pottery for storage of food surplus and seed grain– Increased population– Longer life expectancy (25-30 years – arthritis at 26!)– Increased specialization– Better tools (axes, shovels, hammers, etc…)– More elaborate culture

Civilization Begins c. 3500 BCE• Permanent settlements typically began in river valleys

– Tigris-Euphrates (3500 BCE)– Nile (3000BCE)– Indus (2500 BCE)

• Metallurgy developed around the same time• Indicators of civilized society include

– Writing– dense populations and large buildings for gathering purposes– formal political systems– economic activity beyond food subsistence - crafts

Early Civilization

• Religion imbued many facets of everyday life but none more than politics

• Early rulers legitimized their power by claiming either that they were gods or that they were appointed by a god

• Early cities channeled a significant portion of their manpower toward the construction of temples dedicated to the gods

• These impressive temples underscored the power and prestige of the early rulers

Summary

• By modern standards prehistoric people were very slow to innovate; consequently new developments such as tools and agriculture diffused very slowly from one place to another

• The pace of innovation gradually begins to pick up, beginning with the “agricultural revolution” c. 10,000-c. 4000 BCE

• One of the biggest innovations during this period was the use of pictures and symbols to express meaning