1. Paleolithic Era (The Old Stone Age)
The Earliest Period of Human History
4.5 billion B.C.
Planet Earth formed.
3 billion B.C.
First signs of primeval life (bacteria and blue-green algae) appear in oceans.
600 million B.C.
Earliest date to which fossils can be traced.
4.4 million B.C.
Earliest known hominid fossils (Ardipithecus ramidus) found in Aramis, Ethiopia, 1994.
4.2 million B.C.
Australopithecus anamensis found in Lake Turkana, Kenya, 1995.
3.2 million B.C.
Australopithecus afarenis (nicknamed “Lucy”) found in Ethiopia, 1974.
2.5 million B.C.
Homo habilis (“Skillful Man”). First brain expansion; is believed to have used stone tools.
1.8 million B.C.
Homo erectus (“Upright Man”). Brain size twice that of Australopithecine species.
1.7 million B.C.
Homo erectus leaves Africa.
100,000 B.C.
First modern Homo sapiens in South Africa.
70,000 B.C.
Neanderthal man (use of fire and advanced tools).
35,000 B.C.
Neanderthal man replaced by later groups of Homo sapiens (i.e., Cro-Magnon man, etc.).
18,000 B.C.
Cro-Magnons replaced by later cultures.
15,000 B.C.
Migrations across Bering Straits into the Americas.
10,000 B.C.
Semi-permanent agricultural settlements in Old World.
10,000–4,000 B.C.
Development of settlements into cities and development of skills such as the wheel, pottery, and improved methods of cultivation in Mesopotamia and elsewhere.

2. Time Scale and Timeline
Our dividing line in Judeo-Christian calendar – B.C./A.D.
B.C. – Before Christ
Also known as B.C.E. – Before Common Era
A.D. – Anno Domini (The Year of Our Lord).
Timeline
4.5 billion B.C. - Planet Earth formed.
600 million B.C. - Earliest date to which fossils can be traced.
Paleolithic Era (Old Stone Age) - this period dates from about 2 million B.C. (the time of the first toolmakers) to about 10,000 B.C.

3. Ancient Buildings and Monuments
The study of past societies through an analysis of what people have left behind.
Artifacts are those things that people left behind, they can include:
Tools and Weapons
Art and Sculpture
Pottery
Ancient Buildings and Monuments
Human Remains
Jewelry

4. The study of human life and culture
The remains of ancient plants and animals.
By studying fossils archaeologists and anthropologists can learn about what people ate, what animals they had around, and their way of life.
Carbon dating can be used to date organic artifacts, or things that were once alive
All living things contain a radioactive isotope of Carbon called Carbon 14 which they absorb from the sun while they are alive.
Carbon 14 has a half-life of 5000 years. That means it takes 5,000 years for half of the Carbon 14 in something to break down.
If we know how much Carbon 14 something has left we can count back to how much is had to begin with to determine the age of the artifact. Is limited to things 50,000 years old or less.

5. Humans and other creatures that walk upright on two feet.
The first Hominids, they are thought to have emerged in East Africa in the Great Rift Valley between 3-4 million years ago.
Homo habilis- meaning handy human was a phase between Australopithecus and Homo Erectus that emerged between million years ago.
These were
Second stage in early human development, Homo erectus, which means upright human being, emerged about 1.8 million years ago.
These were the first hominids to leave Africa and moved into Europe and Asia.
They also used more complex tools

6. Lucy
3.2 million B.C. - "Lucy"
The most complete skeleton of a 3-million-year-old hominid was a milestone in the search for human ancestors, found in Ethiopia, 1974.
Humans are mammals of the Primate order. The earliest primates evolved about 65 million years ago in the geological period known as the Paleocene epoch.
Australopithecines that have been considered ancestral in the lineage leading to the human genus Homo include A. afarensis (an important skeleton of which is popularly known as Lucy) and A. africanus.
“Hominid”- humanlike primate.
Lucy, a hominid, is said to be the oldest, most complete and best preserved skeleton of an erect-walking human ancestor ever found. Discovered by Dr. Donald Johanson in November, 1974, in the Afar Desert in Ethiopia, Lucy is believed to be approximately 3.5 million years old. The skeleton on display is one of a limited number of reproductions produced by the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. The original bones were returned to Ethiopia in 1980.

7. Homo Erectus 1.8 million B.C. - Homo erectus (“Upright Man”).
Brain development – range – 775 to 1,235 cm3 (modern man – 1,300 to 1,600 cm3)
Stone artifacts and weapons.
By about 1.6 million years ago, H. habilis had evolved into a larger, more robust, and larger-brained species known as Homo erectus. Cranial capacities ranged from about 900 cc in early specimens to 1050 cc in later ones. H. erectus persisted for well over a million years and migrated off the African continent into Asia, Indonesia, and Europe.   
Between 500,000 and 250,000 years ago, H. erectus evolved into H. sapiens. Transitional forms between H. erectus and H. sapiens are referred to as archaic H. sapiens. With the exception of H. sapiens neandertalensis (Neanderthal man), no additional subspecies are recognized. Indeed, some scientists consider Neanderthal a separate species. Archaic H. sapiens changed gradually, becoming somewhat larger, more gracile and larger-brained through time. Cranial capacity, for example, increased from about 1150 cc in early transitional forms to the current world average of just over 1350 cc.
Homo erectus, extinct hominid living between 1.6 million and 250,000 years ago.
Homo erectus is thought to have evolved in Africa from H. habilis, the first member of the genus Homo. Anatomically and physiologically, H. erectus resembles contemporary humans except for a stouter bone structure. The size of its braincase (850–1000 cc), approaches that of H. sapiens, but the cranial bones are more massive than either those of H. habilis or modern humans.
H. erectus dispersed into Asia more than 1.3 million years ago, and into Europe by at least 400,000 years ago. Fossils of this species were first discovered in 1891 by French anatomist Eugene Dubois in Java. The specimen, which came to be known as “Java man,” was at first classified as Pithecanthropus erectus.

8. About 250,000 years ago Homo sapiens emerged.
Homo Sapiens means “Wise Person.”
This group split into two distinct groups:
Neanderthals and Homo Sapiens Sapiens
Discovered in the Neander Valley in Germany.
Thought to have lived between 100,000 and 30,000 years ago; they lived in Europe and Turkey.
They used stone tools, and buried their dead. It is thought they had some primitive religious beliefs.
It was originally thought that they were killed off by homo sapiens sapiens, but new evidence has recently emerged that shows that there was some genetic mixing between the two groups.
Neanderthals
Homo Sapiens Sapiens

9. There are two theories for this migration:
Modern Human Beings
Believed to have appeared in Africa between 150, ,000 years ago
Began to migrate outside of Africa 100,000 years ago.
Believed by many to have replaced the Neanderthals by 30,000 B.C..
By 10,000 B.C. Homo Sapiens Sapiens could be found throughout the world due to migration.
There are two theories for this migration:
One is the “out of Africa” model which states that homo sapiens sapiens migrated out of Africa and slowly replaced other groups they encountered throughout the world.
The other theory is the multiregional model, which states that development from earlier hominids to modern humans occurred in different locations in Africa, Asia, and Europe at different times.

10. Homo Sapiens
Homo sapiens (anatomically modern people) emerged in Africa between 100,000 and 400,000 years ago.
Homo sapiens – Latin for knowing man.
Homo sapiens migrated from Africa to Eurasia, Australia, and the Americas.
By 150,000 years ago in Africa and Asia and 28,000 years ago in Europe (Cro-Magnon man), the transition to H. sapiens was complete, and fully modern humans became the single surviving hominid species.
Cro-Magnon man, an early Homo sapiens (the species to which modern humans belong) that lived about 40,000 years ago. Cro-Magnon man was anatomically identical to modern humans, but differed significantly from Neanderthals.
The abrupt disappearance of Neanderthal populations and the associated Mousterian technologies, the sudden appearance of modern Homo sapiens (who had arisen earlier in Africa and migrated to Europe) and the associated upper Paleolithic technologies, and the absence of transitional anatomical or technological forms have led most researchers to conclude that Neanderthals were driven to extinction through competition with Cro-Magnon or related populations. Greater linguistic competence and cultural sophistication are often suggested as characteristics tilting the competitive balance in favor of upper Paleolithic groups. Finely crafted stone and bone tools, shell and ivory jewelry, and polychrome paintings found on cave walls all testify to the cultural advancement of Cro-Magnon man.

11. Neanderthal man
100,000 – 35,000 years ago - subspecies of Homo sapiens.
Use of fire and advanced tools.
Neanderthal man, a subspecies of Homo sapiens, the species to which contemporary humans belong, known as H. sapiens neandertalensis after Neanderthal, Germany, the valley where the first specimen was found. Many scientists classify Neanderthal as its own species (H. neandertalensis), pointing to the large number of anatomical differences between it and H. sapiens.   
Anatomically Neanderthals were somewhat shorter but much more robust than contemporary H. sapiens. Distinctive cranial features of Neanderthals included prominent brow ridges, low, sloping foreheads, a chinless and heavy, forward-jutting jaw, and extremely large front teeth. The shoulders and pelvis were wider, the rib cage more conical in shape, and the forearms and lower legs shorter.
The unique anatomy of Neanderthals probably reflects the fact that they were the first hominid to spend extensive periods of time in extremely cold environments, having evolved in Europe at the onset of the most recent glaciation of that continent.

12. During the last ice age between 100,000 B. C. and 8000 B. C
During the last ice age between 100,000 B.C. and 8000 B.C. the water level in the oceans dropped revealing a land bridge over the Bering Strait connecting Asia and North America

13. Homo habilis 2.5 million B.C. - Homo habilis (“Skillful Man”).
First brain expansion; is believed to have used stone tools.
The first member of the genus Homo, a small gracile species known as H. habilis, was present in east Africa at least 2 million years ago. H. habilis was the first hominid to exhibit the marked expansion of the brain (with an average cranial capacity of about 750 cc) that would become a hallmark of subsequent hominid evolutionary history.

14. Cro-Magnon man
35,000 B.C. - Neanderthal man replaced by later groups of Homo sapiens (i.e., Cro-Magnon man).
18,000 B.C. - Cro-Magnons replaced by later cultures.
15,000 B.C. - Migrations across Bering Straits into the Americas.

16. The Migration
The migration of modern Homo sapiens. The scheme outlined above begins with a radiation from East Africa to the rest of Africa at least by 100 thousand years ago and is followed by an expansion from the same area to Asia, probably by two routes, southern and northern between 60 and 40 thousand years ago. Oceana, Europe and America were settled from Asia in that order.

17. Lifestyle of the Early Humans
Early humans were hunters and gatherers.
Paleolithic people were nomads – they moved from place to place.
The life of early hunter-gatherer societies was shaped by their physical environment.
Their survival depended on the availability of wild plants and animals.
Early human societies, through the development of culture, began the process of overcoming the limits set by the physical environment.
Most scientists believe that Homo sapiens developed language about 70,000 years ago.
Nomads lived in small bands numbering about people. Everyone contributed to feeding the group. In general, men hunted or fished. Women, with their small children, gathered berries, fruit, nuts, wild grain, roots, or even shellfish.
Ordinarily, people lived till about 30 years of age – if something happened to you, you got left behind.
Although they depended wholly on their environment, people found ways to adapt to their surroundings. They made simple tools and weapons out of materials at hand – stone, bone, or wood.
Spoken language let them cooperate during the hunt and perhaps discuss plans for the future.
Still, prehistoric people faced severe challenges from the environment. During several ice ages, the Earth cooled. Thick glaciers (sheets of ice) spread across parts of Asia, Europe, and N. America. To endure the cold, Paleolithic people invented clothing. Wrapped in animal skins, they took refuge in caves or under rocky overhangs during the long winters. They also learned to build fires for warmth and cooking. In this harsh life, only the hardy survived.
They lived in maternalistic society – women were in charge because they brought you into this world.

18. Paleolithic man lived in groups called clans.
“Paleo” means old “Lithic” means stone
Paleolithic= Old Stone Age. This era was called the stone age because early man used stone to make his tools and weapons.
Paleolithic man lived in groups called clans.
These clans got their food by Hunting and Gathering
Once the food supply ran out they would move to a different area.
Because they moved from place to place they were Nomadic.
Essential Knowledge
Were Nomadic: Wandered from place to place in search of food and shelter
Invented the first tools and weapons including simple stone tools.
Lived in groups called clans of about people, used caves for shelter.
Learned to make and control fire to keep warm and cook their food.
Developed oral, or spoken language
Made cave art and statues.
The role of men was to do the hunting
The role of women was gathering and caring for children

19. Hunter-Gatherer Societies During the Paleolithic Era (Old Stone Age)
Were nomadic – migrated in search of food, water, and shelter.
Invented the first tools, including simple weapons.
Learned how to make fire.
Lived in clans.
Developed oral language.
Created “cave art”
Major developments of the Upper Paleolithic 1. Technological change and innovation. 2. A broadening of the subsistence base to include big game hunting, small mammal trapping, fishing and bird catching. 3. Manufacture of non-utilitarian objects, particularly those for personal adornment and cave paintings. 4. Larger more permanent settlement - increasing numbers, sizes and densities of habitation sites. 5. Greater social integration and trade as evidenced by the movement of raw materials over great distances. 6. The elaboration of burial practices, including the inclusion of personal items as grave offerings. 7. The production of art, particularly cave paintings and sculpture.

20. Paleolithic animals Siberian mammoth – entombed in frozen earth.
Eight-foot skeleton of a cave bear.

21. Paleolithic Tools
Barbed harpoon, toggling harpoon, slate point, net sinker.
Hand Axe *Needle

22. Paleolithic Cave Art (Lascaux)
Lascaux is perhaps the most famous of all the cave art sites, with approximately 2000 images. The site is dated to about 17,000BP. It was discovered accidentally, in These paintings are perhaps best known for their true artistic character. They depict different animals (horses, bison, deer, bulls, etc.). Unlike figures from many other caves, the animals of Lascaux are full of motion.

23. Bison
Altamira was discovered in 1879, and was the first site to be recognized. It was recently dated to approximately 14,000BP. The surprising quality of the paintings and their exceptionally well preserved state caused their specialists to doubt whether they were genuine.

25. Les Trois-Freres “The Sorcerer”
Les Trois Freres site is famous for the so-called "dancing sorcerer".
Les Trois Freres site is famous for the so-called "dancing sorcerer". Notwithstanding these odd combinations of traits, the figure is also staring directly out of the wall, while most cave art is in profile. It has been argued that these kinds of depictions are related to shamanistic practices, in which the meaning is culturally bound.
A strange semi-human representation engraved and painted in black. Note the lively round eyes with pupils; the stag’s ears and powerful antlers; the absence of a mouth; the long beard; the forearms ending in joined hands; the human feet; the lavish tail.

26. Religion
About 30,000 years ago, people began to leave evidence of their belief in a spiritual world.
They believed that the world was full of spirits and forces that might reside in animals, objects or dreams.
***Such beliefs are called animism.
Cave paintings may have been part of animists religious rituals in which hunters sought help from the spirit world for success in an upcoming hunt.
Archeologists also found small stone statues of pregnant women – symbols meant to ensure survival of the band. They suggest that early people worshiped earth-mother goddesses, givers of food and life.
Toward the end of the Old Stone Age, some people began burying their dead with great care. This practice suggests a belief in life after death.
They probably believed the afterlife would be similar to life in this world, so they provided the dead with tools, weapons, and other needed goods.