3. THE PALEOLITHIC PERIOD
The expansion of the genus Homo
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The Paleolithic Period is the longest period in Prehistory . It covers 99.5 % of the history of the human race. It began with the appearance of tools made of stone, bone and wood.
It is divided into three periods of different lengths:
The Lower Paleolithic (from two and a half million years ago). In this period, stones were knapped , that is, they were shaped by hitting them with a stone. The first tools appeared in the Rift Valley (Africa) and were used to cut up animals and firewood. They are associated with Australopithecus and the earliest genus Homo species: Homo habilis and Homo erectus . Homo erectus learned to make bifaces.
The Middle Paleolithic (from 125 000 years ago). Homo neanderthalensis is from this period. The members of this species lived in Europe and Western Asia. Technological advances were made and knives and scrapers began to be produced.
The Upper Paleolithic (from 40 000 to 10 000 years ago). Homo sapiens came from this period. Carving techniques developed and new types of tools made of stone, ivory , bone and wood appeared. These included perforators, arrow heads, harpoons, javelins, spear throwers and needles.
The Epipaleolithic (from 8000 B.C.) was a period of transition between the Paleolithic and Neolithic Age in Europe and on the Iberian Peninsula. As temperatures rose and the ice receded, some Neolithic advances were adopted in these regions. The tools they made were similar to those of the previous period, but smaller.
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5 hide : skin of an animal
3.1. Economy and society in the Paleolithic Age
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In the Paleolithic Age, hominids lived in very difficult conditions. They had to deal with very cold periods, called glacial periods, followed by intermediate periods with milder temperatures, called interglacial periods.
They were scavengers , which meant they had to compete with hyenas and vultures for the meat of dead animals. Later they lived by gathering wild fruit, hunting wild animals (deer, caribou, bison, horses and mammoths) and fishing.
The early hominids were predators . They took the resources they needed directly from nature. They lived at subsistence level as they had just enough to survive.
There was a very high rate of mortality , especially in children, and in general they did not live very long.
When they learned to control fire , the situation improved greatly. They could challenge other predators, provide heat, light and cook food.
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Fire was made by using friction, by rubbing two sticks or stones together. One and a half million years ago Homo erectus made use of naturally occurring fire. Later, hominids discovered the technique to make fire themselves.
Fire greatly improved the diet of human beings. Cooked food was easier to digest and required less effort to chew. The facial features of Homo sapiens possibly became more delicate due to this discovery.
In the Paleolithic Period, hominids organised themselves into small groups called clans (around ten people). Their members shared family ties. Various clans with common ancestors formed a tribe . There were no important social differences among their members.
To catch large mammals, hunting was done in groups. Stampedes were caused so the herds would go towards natural traps (swamps and ravines) or man-made ones. Successful hunting required coordination, which probably led to the development of language.
The inhabitants of the Paleolithic Period lived a nomadic life, moving around in search of animals to hunt. They lived outside in huts made of branches and animal hides or sheltered in caves . They wore the hides of the animals they had caught. They made use of the whole animal, including the teeth and horns, which they used to make tools or adornments.
3.2. Culture and art in the Paleolithic Age
Religion appeared when humans tried to find explanations for natural phenomena they couldn't explain. The Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis ) were the first to bury their dead, 100 000 years ago. They may have believed in a soul or spirit which lived on after death. This is the oldest known religious manifestation. Sometimes they put objects like jewellery or tools next to the corpse. These are called grave goods .
They probably practised magic rituals so their hunts would be successful. It is believed they held these in caves and probably regarded them as sacred places .
The f irst known artistic manifestations are around 35 000 years old. They come from the Upper Paleolithic. The most famous ones are cave paintings and portable art.
Cave paintings were done on cave walls in many places. The two regions which contain the most famous examples, of different styles and from different periods, are:
The Franco-Cantabrian region : the paintings here date from the Upper Paleolithic. The paintings in Altamira (Cantabria) and Lascaux (France) are the most famous. They were done inside caves and were polychrome , meaning that several colours were used. These were obtained by mixing mineral dust with egg or fat to give it the right consistency. Paleolithic artists painted solitary animals in a naturalistic style, showing nature realistically. They made use of the irregularities in the rock to create relief in their drawings.
The Levantine area on the Iberian Peninsula: the paintings date from the Epipaleolithic. The paintings in Valltorta (Castellón) and Cogull (Lleida) are the most famous. These were painted in shallow caves. Few colours were used and they were eventually done in monochrome (one colour). They painted human figures and animals in hunting scenes. The style was schematic , meaning they drew simplified outlines. They did not try to represent nature realistically, but to capture a scene and suggest movement.
Bison in Altamira cave, Cantabria (left) and a hunting scene in the Cova dels Cavalls, Barranco de la Valltorta, Castellón
Portable art (which could be carried from one place to another) consists of:
Engravings on pieces of stone or bone. The engravings were drawings done on a hard surface by making incisions with an even harder tool.
Figurines (small statues) of human figures or animals. They were made of stone, wood, bone and ivory. Some of them are associated with fertility worship, such as the female statues called Venus.
Other objects , like adornments , batons of command (which gave authority or power to their owner), amulets (objects which protected people from evil and brought good luck) and talismans (objects which were believed to have magical powers).