1. Examining History: Prehistory
PRE-HISTORY- period before written history
Approximately 2 million years ago, earliest people first began using small pieces of rock as tools
Massive development of humans over years in 4 major groups: ) Homo Habilis (2 million years ago) 2) Homo Erectus (1 million years ago) 3) Neanderthal ( years ago) 4) Cro-Magnon ( years ago)

2. Development of Humans Homo Erectus
Homo Habilis
Latin for “handy man” - first hominid to make tools
fossilized human bones found with stone tools and animal fossils
Skulls –a flatter head with a brain only 2/3 size of modern human; approximately 1.5 m tall
Built shelters of braches and collected bird eggs and wild berries for food; scavenger – not a hunter
Tools / weapons = rocks, braches, sharp stones
No clothes
Did not know how to use fire
Homo Erectus
Latin for “upright man” Discoveries of “Java Man” (Indonesia) and “Peking Man” (China”
Lived in Africa, south Europe, Asia
Skulls- humans had long, flat and sharply angled at back (between ape and human head)
Thighbone- identical to modern humans > walk upright
Charred animals bones found = they used fire to cook
Belief that homo erectus was a descendant of homo habilis
Make fire= first by coals or volcanic ash; later by friction= made life easier as they could survive in colder climates
Tools / weapons= bones, rocks, blades for carving,
Homo Sapiens
Latin for “reasoning man”
years ago= emergence of Homo Sapiens who evolved from homo erectus is the species to which all modern day people descended
Homo Habilis
Latin for “handy man”
Discoveries in 1930s by Louis and Mary Leakey
Lived in eastern Africa > spread north to Asia
fossilized human bones found with stone tools and animal fossils
Skulls – humans had a flatter head with a brain only 2/3 size; approximately 1.5 m tall
Built shelters of braches and collected bird eggs and wild berries for food; hunted wild pigs
Tools / weapons = rocks, braches, sharp stones
No clothes
Did not know how to use fire

4. Neanderthals vs Cro Magnon
South France- clearing away earth from back of a rock shelter locally known as Cro-Magnon
First appeared in Europe years ago following ice age
Brain as large as modern day human; approx. 2 metres tall with modern “faces”
Tools= slim, sharp edge blades, chisels, knives, spearheads, lamps (stone bowl with animal grease and lit fur or moss)
Animals bones and teeth used to make musical instruments, jewellery
Cave paintings, Fierce warriors - Wiped out Neanderthals
NEANDERATHAL
First discovered in Neander Valley- Germany
6 cm taller than homo erectus; thick eyebrow ridge
Tools= knives, spears made from chipped rock
Animals hides worn as clothes
Lived in caves kept warm with fire
First to bury the dead (graves with bodies carefully prepared

5. Great Leap Forward
years ago when changes brought about innovation, creativity to humans (Homo Sapiens Sapiens)
2 FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES OCCURRED:
Development of modern anatomy
Beginning of innovative behaviour
EFFECTS
Production of crafted tools and more sophisticated weapons
development of trade for raw materials and ornaments
Emergence of sculptures, paintings and crafted objects that showcased beauty and religion

6. Living in the Stone Age

7. “Lithos” = stone Paleolithic Age Greek “paleo” means “old”
Upper Paleolithic age was – years ago
Neolithic Age Greek “neo” means “new” Neolithic Revolution occurred between 9000 – 4000 BCE

8. Origins
PALEOLITHIC
The original human society – virtually all paleolithic societies shared similar traits
We evolved to be food gatherers, hunters and fishers
small groups (bands) of families – largest tribe would be ~ people
Nomadic to semi-nomadic – followed animal herds
Closer relationships between bands based on shared language and customs
Paleolithic- 1) People lived in small groups of 5-10 families
2) Nomadic to semi-nomadic (hunting and gathering)
3) close relationships between bands of people ie. Cro-Magnon society NEOLITHIC
1) People abandoned semi-nomadic life and began farming

9. Origins: Neolithic Society
NEOLITHIC – New Stone Age
About 10,000 YA people started to abandon semi-nomadic life and begin farming
Shift from food gathering to FOOD PRODUCING – change in culture
planting of crops & animal husbandry
Why? Mystery – no one really knows
End of glaciation – warmer climate & more grasslands and plants
Begins with the planting of wild grains (barley and wheat) and societies would continue to hunt and gather
As tools & weapons and knowledge of plants and animals advanced, so did human society – excess food could be stored = larger societies
Also farming is more efficient – 16 km2 of farm land supports 100 people, whereas only 1 person can be supported by H-G alone

10. Neolithic Tools
Digging stick
Neolithic farming tools
Sickle

11. Paleolithic society: Leadership & social organization
Very simple – societies formed around a “headman” – successful hunter
Many societies attribute spiritual powers to such a person
Women, children and bachelor males under his protection & guidance
“Marriage” = loosely attached pair- bonds
Connection between sexual intercourse & birth not well understood
“Sexual rights” more a matter of privilege than about parenting
Children belonged to the community

12. Neolithic Society: Leadership & social organization
As society grows it becomes more complex – new rules are needed
Society also needs protection – target for others needing food
“Warrior King” still important, but now that person will need to make wise laws and judge fairly
More occupations needed – society more hierarchical – class system emerges based on land ownership
Agriculture also more dependent on weather – shaman or priest also becomes important

13. Paleolithic religion Death was ever present reality for early humans
Idea of a life force that is in every living thing – Animism
Animism – everything can have a spirit: rocks, animals, rivers and lakes and people
Spirits are not always nice – most are dangerous
Rituals were created to communicate with spirits – shamans would have a special ability to do this
Spirits could be influenced by “pre- enacting” – ritualistic war dances, rain dances – maybe even drawing on cave walls

14. Caves at Lascaux [lass co]
Painting at Lascaux Caves (south central France) found in BCE
Painters used irregularities in cave walls to add a 3-D effect to figures
Paintings portray an awe and reverence towards animals which shows that perhaps for the first time people were expressing religious beliefs (rituals related to hunting magic; sacrifices of animals)

15. Lascaux Cave painting

16. Venus of Willendorf
Small sculptures such as the Venus of Willendorf were common to the Paleolithic Age
Sculpture features exaggerated curves (large breasts and wide hips) on female figure
Venus figurines are symbolic of the importance of fertility of a mother goddess

17. Neolithic Religion
Understanding of agriculture lead to more complex ideas of religion
Humans can now “create” things
Spirits take on human form – polytheistic gods
Priestly class emerges to perform rituals to appease and summon the aid of the gods
A seed is planted in a womb (soil) lead to deeper understanding of sex – religion now strictly regulates sexual practices as they lead to the creation of new life

18. Some form of Human sacrifice was common

19. STONEHENGE Located on Salisbury Plain in England Created 2800-1500 BCE
Stonehenge is an example of a Neolithic megalith (megalith = Greek for “big stones”)
Exact purpose is unknown: religious rituals, agricultural markers or astronomical observatories?

20. Mystery of Stonehenge
Stonehenge was built in 3 major stages over years (tribal people, Beaker people, Battle Axe folk people
Megaliths stones approx. 45 t and Heel Stone is 31 t
Great debate over the positioning of the stones
stones reflect an understanding of astronomy and mathematics (positions reflect sunrise, eclipses of sun and moon
stones could be a religious ritual to sun or moon gods
Others believe stones were built to show changing seasons for agriculture

21. Two different ideas of God
Agricultural society
Nomadic Animal Herders
Great Goddess is mother earth
Earth = womb, which is female
Male principal is supportive
All agricultural peoples worshipped an earth goddess ( Inana – Sumeria, Ishtar – Babylon, Isis – Egypt
God is a woman
Moved around from pasture to pasture
Not connected to the earth
Greater reverence for the Male principal – the great Father – from whose seed the tribe descended
Through this descent pattern, nomadic societies could determine their social ties & relations
Example: Aryan nomads (India, Persia, Greece) & Semitic nomads (Hebrews / Israelites, Arab tribes)
God is patriarchal

22. Weapons & Technology PALEOLITHIC
Excellent big-game hunters due to advances in weapons & strategies
Better tools for skinning game, preparing food, sewing clothes
Cro-Magnons stored food over winter showing more planning
Bow and arrow around invented about BCE
NEOLITHIC
Improved tools which helped farm and make weapons and tools: sickle, axe, hoe
Domestication of animals to do manual work and the planting of crops freed people from the pursuit of food
leisure activities (art, music, sports, religion)
PALEOLITHIC
Better hunting strategies due to co-operation and more lethal weapons
Better tools for skinning game, preparing food, sewing clothes
Cro-Magnons stored food over winter showing more planning
Invention of the bow and arrow around BCE made hunting more easy
NEOLITHIC
More efficient tools (sickle made of flint blades and antler; axes, hoe, copper use) which helped farm and make weapons and tools
Domestication of animals to do manual work and the planting of crops freed people from the pursuit of food
New time for leisure activities (art, music, sports, religion)

25. Major Innovations of the Stone Age
More complex human societies (from semi-nomadic to permanent cities; domestication of animals; leisure time)
Development of social hierarchies
Development of alliances and cooperation
Marriage customs
Development of trade goods and routes
Religious rituals
Refined sense of artistic beauty

26. ALL THESE LEAD TO THE FIRST “CIVILIZATION”

27. Characteristics of Civilization
Civilization: Comes from the Latin root civilis = civil
Civil is related to the Latin work civis = citizen & civitas = city
So, civilization refers to people who live in cities

28. Centralized Government
Society more complex
Laws needed to regulate society
Judges needed to adjudicate disputes
Leadership & power usually vested in a king
King – divine right & hereditary title

29. Advanced / intensive Agriculture
Agricultural intensity = land must be more productive to support those who are not farmers or food producers
Irrigation, building dikes, reclaiming land and developing a calendar

30. Specialized Occupations
Complex society = more specialized needes
Food surpluses allows for some to pursue other occupations
Trades: weavers, carpenters, bakers, brewers, teachers etc…
Also, artists and musicians

31. Class Structure With private property of land came inequality
Some would accumulate more land and “hire” others to work it
As land became scarce, and land passed down through inheritance, people were born into a station in life with little or no chance to change
Over time, land became concentrated in the hands of the few (10-20% of the population) and the many (80-90%) had to work for the few
Those who owned land (nobility) had the power and the right to make the rules

32. Merchants and Trade
Merchants: new class who produce nothing but arrange for the exchange of goods
Some would specialize in a particular area of trade (spice, textiles, precious stones & metals)
Trade lead to the development of currency

33. Writing & Science Writing is essential for civilization
Laws need to be written, records need to be kept, messages communicated and knowledge preserved
Also a system of weights and measure and calculating was also needed – leads to the development of mathematics

34. Organized Religion
Religion is the “glue” of civilization – it is necessary to keep the whole thing together
Civilization requires that many thousands of people work together (often with great inequality) – a common purpose is needed
Religion legitimizes the use of power and authority of government,
Also religion instills a divine sense of morality = social order
Religious institutions often provided basic education