PREHISTORYPREHISTORY

WHAT IS PREHISTORY?WHAT IS PREHISTORY?

• Prehistory is the time from which no written record exists.

• Prehistory has two ages: the Stone Age and Metal Age. The most important tools are made from stone or metals.

• The Stone Age has two stages: Paleolithic and Neolithic. Paleolithic people are hunters and gatherers. Neolithic people are farmers.

HUNTERSHUNTERS

GATHERERSGATHERERS

THE HOMINIZATION PROCESSTHE HOMINIZATION PROCESS

• The human ancestors walk upright on two legs before the Sonte Age.At the dawn the Stone Age there are two types of hominids: Australopithecus and Homo.Over the course of the Stone Age the genus Homo evolves into Homo habilis, Homo erectus, Homo sapiens neanderthalensis (also called Neanderthal) and, finally, Homo sapiens sapiens (also called Cromagnon or modern humans).  

HE IS WALKING UPRIGHT ON HE IS WALKING UPRIGHT ON TWO FEETTWO FEET

He’s walking on four feet

THE HOMINIZATION PROCESSTHE HOMINIZATION PROCESS

Australopithecus

Homo ErgasterHomo Habilis Neanderthal Homo Sapiens

THEY ARE MAKING FIRE AND THEY ARE MAKING FIRE AND COOKINGCOOKING

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PALEOLITHIC PERIODSPALEOLITHIC PERIODS

• Paleolithic or Old Stone Age is the first period of human development and the longest phase of mankind's history. It begins about 2 million years ago and finishes in various places between 40,000 and 10,000 years ago.

• In the Lower Paleolithic period, the human tools are simple stone choppers. Hand axes are the typical tool of these early hunters and food-gatherers.

PREHISTORIC TOOLSPREHISTORIC TOOLS

KnifesArrowheadsAxe hands

HOW DID THEY THE TOOLS HOW DID THEY THE TOOLS MAKE?MAKE?

• The Middle Paleolithic period is associated with Neanderthal man, an early form of humans; Neanderthal people live between 100,000 and 40,000 years ago, in caves and they use the fire. Neanderthal people practice a kind of primitive religion.

NEANDERTHAL MENNEANDERTHAL MEN

• In the Upper Paleolithic period the Neanderthal man disappears and is replaced by a variety of Homo sapiens sapiens, called Cromagnon. The beginnings of communal hunting and fishing are here. In the Upper Paleolithic period we find the first evidence of belief systems centring on magic and the supernatural. Pit houses, the first man-made shelters, are built; sewn clothing is worn; and sculpture and painting originate. Tools are of great variety; and their stone tools are very well worked.

NEOLITHIC REVOLUTIONNEOLITHIC REVOLUTION

• The Neolithic Revolution is the transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture.

• This transition is also a change from a largely nomadic lifestyle to a more settled, agrarian-based one, with the onset of the domestication of plants and (later) animals.

• Agriculture gives humans more control over their food supply, but they also need to settle and occupy a territory and create larger social groups.

POLISHING TOOLSPOLISHING TOOLS

THE NEOLITHIC LIFETHE NEOLITHIC LIFE

• landscape

Neolithic farmersNeolithic farmers

Neolithic MegalithismNeolithic Megalithism

Neolithic PaintingNeolithic Painting

THE METAL AGETHE METAL AGE

• Period of time in which the use of early metal tools appears alongside the use of stone tools.

• The Bronze Age is the new period in the development of technology when metals are first used regularly in the manufacture of tools and weapons.

• The Iron Age is the new period in the development of industry that begins with the general use of iron and continues into modern times.

• Villages are fortified, warfare is conducted on horseback and in horse-drawn chariots, and alphabetic writing based on the Phoenician script appears in many areas.

• More information

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