Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic - these are three large cultural and historical periods of the Stone Age. It got its name due to the fact that weapons in those days were made only of stone, and only towards the end of the century did bones begin to be used and the century lasted more than one hundred thousand years. But even now, thanks to numerous historical and archaeological finds, we can learn at least the main moments of the life of primitive people at the dawn of human civilization.
What is a Paleolithic?
The most ancient history of mankind is the Paleolithic era, the longest period of the Stone Age, which began more than 2.5 million years ago. Its main feature is the evolution of people: from an animal to a primitive communal system. The emergence and development of speech is very important and significant. The Paleolithic is divided into three stages: early, middle and late.
Early Paleolithic
This is the first and longest stage. The beginning of the Paleolithic is associated with the appearance of the first ape-like man - the archanthrope. They were not tall (1.5 - 1.8 m), had characteristic clearly defined brow ridges and a sloping chin. They used animal skins as clothing, lived in caves and, according to many scientists, actively practiced cannibalism. The main feature of the early Paleolithic is the beginning of the use of stone homemade tools. They were made by cutting off everything superfluous from one stone to another in order to form a chip or cutting edge. Gradually, the manufacturing technique improved, and hand axes and the so-called drills appeared - tools with which they dug up roots or cut down trees. Another significant evolutionary step of the early Paleolithic was the use of fire. Traces of ancient bonfires aged 1.5 million years were found on the territory of Africa and Asia. But at this stage, he could only support the fire, they had not yet mined it on their own.
Middle Paleolithic
Homo erectus is still the predominant species at this time, and its evolution continues. In Africa, about 200-300 thousand years ago, a new species appeared, which, in terms of brain volume, was close to modern humans - this is the Neanderthal. They were distinguished by taller stature and a very strong muscular physique, which gave them considerable physical strength. The Middle Paleolithic is an era of survival, since Neanderthals lived in perhaps the most difficult climatic conditions - during the Ice Age.
It helped to survive that people learned to make their own fire on their own, by carving. It was discovered, most likely, by accident during the manufacture of another sharp stone tool. At the same time, the first spears and knives, arrowheads and scrapers for processing animal skins appeared. The social structure is developing, people live in large groups, taking care of the elderly. Art is born in the form of rock paintings depicting hunting or, very often, women, which can be regarded as prerequisites for matriarchy.
Late Paleolithic
This is the period when a person appeared, reminiscent of the modern - Cro-Magnon, he is named after the Cro-Magnon cave, in which his remains were found. The Cro-Magnon phenotype resembles modern people: a high forehead, a pronounced chin, smaller muscles, developed hand motor skills, which made it possible to manufacture improved tools for hunting and everyday life. The main material is still stone. During the late Paleolithic-Mesolithic (early) period, the first similarity of boats appeared. This was preceded by the manufacture of the first rafts from logs or dry rods. Needles were made from bones, the progenitors of modern ones, they were used to make clothes, rods. Figurines made of mammoth tusks and bones, rock art were actively developed. The Paleolithic era at a later stage marked the beginning of the domestication of wild animals, the first, as you know, were dogs. The Cro-Magnons determined the time according to the solar and lunar calendars. gradually replaced by matriarchal Making the first clay figurines characterizes the Paleolithic. The Neolithic is marked by the appearance of the first pottery.
Mesolithic
This era begins after the end of the last ice age. This segment is controversial among historians. It is most pronounced in the north of modern Europe. During this period, weapons continued to improve, bows and arrows appeared. People domesticated wild animals: buffaloes, horses, cows. Society develops, and the first norms of behavior, rules appear. The Mesolithic is characterized by the further development of speech.
Neolithic
If the Paleolithic is a period of active hunting, fishing and gathering, then one of the main events of the Neolithic is the transition to a productive economy: agriculture and cattle breeding. People became more attached to one place, the first houses, huts and even cities began to appear. Clay began to be used for making dishes and in art.
The Neolithic, like the Paleolithic, is divided into early, middle and late periods. And each of them proceeded unevenly, not at the same time, different cultures entered each stage at different times. Even then, for example, the territory of modern China could boast of high development.
Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic - these are milestones in the evolution of man as a biological species. For thousands of years, he has won his place under the sun from nature. One type replaced another, tools were improved, the system changed from the herd, characteristic of animals, to the primitive communal one, art was born.
In 1865 John Lubbock proposed to designate the era when people made tools from stone by upholstering or splitting a piece of rock, the term "paleolithic" (ancient ). At a later time - in the era (New Stone Age) - stone tools were made using the grinding or polishing technique.
In the future, such a simple definition of the Paleolithic and Neolithic was the subject of discussions and was refined taking into account social, technological and economic aspects. Nowadays, many archaeologists prefer to use the term “paleolithic” to refer to the era of the formation of man - from the appearance of the most ancient stone tools (about 2.5 million years ago) to the end of the last glaciation (about 10,000 years ago), which approximately coincides (at least in some regions of the globe) with the time of domestication of animals and plants.
The Paleolithic era is usually divided into three stages - , And Paleolithic In African archeology, these terms are replaced by the names "Old Stone Age", "Middle Stone Age" and "Late Stone Age". The main criterion for their separation is still the nature of stone tools, although data on the economy and lifestyle of ancient people are also significant in this respect.
Upper Paleolithic
UPPER PALEOLITH, or Late Stone Age. Approximately 50,000 years ago, with the beginning of the Upper Paleolithic era, significant changes took place in the way of life of a person. Modern and Upper Paleolithic Homo sapiens have much in common. As far as stone tools are concerned, the sites of the Upper Paleolithic (in Africa - the Late Stone Age) show such a significant diversity in time and space that it is difficult to indicate any of their types characteristic of this era as a whole.
Lower Paleolithic
LOWER PALEOLITH, or Old Stone Age. The first stone tools come from Africa, where the oldest fossil remains of the direct ancestors of man were also found. These ancient tools are very crude and are pieces of rock, split in such a way that sharp edges are obtained. However, in order to obtain such a sharp edge by splitting the stone, a certain skill was required. A piece of stone itself (it is called a core) and flakes separated from it could serve as a tool.
Middle Paleolithic
MIDDLE PALEOLITH, or Middle Stone Age. Approximately 200,000 years ago, hand axes, jibs and other massive tools, made by the double-sided upholstery method and which were an integral attribute of the Lower Paleolithic, lost their ubiquitous distribution. Instead, tools made from flakes begin to predominate in the inventory, primarily scrapers, pointed points, tools with a serrated blade.
Paleolithic [on the example of Kuban]
The Paleolithic covers the time from the appearance of man on earth (more than 2.5 million years ago) to the beginning of geological modernity (10 thousand years). In the Paleolithic, in turn, there are several archaeological epochs corresponding to the stages of human development and its material culture; such are the Olduvai and Abbeville eras, corresponding to the very initial stage of human history, the Acheulian (from 400 to 80 thousand years), the Mousterian (from 80 to 35 thousand years) and the Upper Paleolithic (from 35 to 10 thousand years ago).
Mousterian culture
MUSTIER CULTURE - the latest culture of the ancient Paleolithic, follows and is replaced by cultures of the late Paleolithic. Some researchers distinguish it under the name of the Middle Paleolithic. First defined G. Mortillet in the late 60s of the 19th century and named after the Le Moustier cave in southwestern France (Dordogne). Distributed in Europe, south of about 54 degrees north latitude, in various varieties almost throughout Africa, in the countries of the Middle East and Central Asia; the Nevaza culture in India also resembles the Mousterian culture in many ways. According to geological periodization, most researchers attribute the Mousterian culture to the Upper Pleistocene...
Paleolithic (SIE, 1967)
PALEOLITH (from other Greek palaios - ancient and litos - stone) - the ancient Stone Age, the 1st of the two main periods of the Stone Age. The division of the Stone Age into Paleolithic and Neolithic (New Stone Age) was first proposed by J. Lebbock in 1865. The Paleolithic is the era of the existence of fossil man. The climate of the earth, its flora and fauna in this era was quite different from the modern one. People used only chipped stone tools, not knowing polished stone tools and pottery. They were hunters and gatherers.
The Paleolithic is the most important cultural and historical period of the Stone Age. It got its name due to the fact that the main material for the manufacture of tools was stone. The Paleolithic era was of great importance for all mankind, since during this period there was an accumulation of the necessary experience, knowledge and qualities that allowed it to develop into a modern look.
Characteristic features of the Paleolithic
The history of the origin of man is characterized by a long time span. Thanks to archaeological excavations, scientists were able to establish the main stages of human evolution, the most important inventions and problems that were characteristic of each period.
The Paleolithic is an important historical period during which the formation of man took place, the formation of primitive society.
In the Paleolithic era, natural and climatic conditions, flora and fauna differed significantly from modern ones. People lived in small communities, using stone tools for their household needs. At that time, they could not yet grind stone and use other hard rocks, but they learned to use wood, leather, and bones for their own purposes.
Rice. 1. Stone tools.
The appropriating economy is characteristic of the entire era: primitive people provided their livelihood through gathering and hunting. Cattle breeding and agriculture were not yet known, and fishing was just beginning to develop. The most important achievement of man in the Paleolithic era was the appearance of speech.
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The Paleolithic is the longest stage of the Stone Age, which, for greater convenience, was divided by scientists into three main eras:
- lower (early) Paleolithic;
- middle paleolith;
- Upper (Late) Paleolithic.
All Paleolithic epochs differ significantly from each other in the ways of making tools and weapons, their forms, and anthropological characteristics.
Early Paleolithic
This is the initial and longest era of the Paleolithic, which is characterized by the appearance of the first ape-like man - the archanthrope. He was notable for his short stature, sloping chin and well-defined superciliary arches.
The most important achievements of this period include:
- the beginning of the use of homemade stone tools;
- use of fire - the archanthrope could already support fire, but had not yet learned how to get it.
Middle Paleolithic
Throughout the Middle Paleolithic, there was a gradual development and improvement of the abilities of Homo erectus. In the course of evolution, a new species appeared - the Neanderthal, whose brain volume was already much closer to modern man. He also had a massive build and tall stature.
Rice. 2. Neanderthal.
The Middle Paleolithic is an era of survival, since the life of primitive people proceeded against the backdrop of extremely harsh climatic conditions, during the Ice Age.
The following features are characteristic of the Middle Paleolithic era:
- self-producing fire by carving it;
- the emergence of new types of tools: knives, spears, arrowheads, scrapers;
- improvement of social organization - people unite in large groups, take care of the elderly;
- the birth of primitive art - the appearance of the very first rock paintings.
Late Paleolithic
This period was marked by the appearance of the Cro-Magnon man, an ancient man who outwardly had much in common with modern man. He had a high forehead, a well-defined chin, and developed fine motor skills of his hands.
The main achievements of the Late Paleolithic include:
- making primitive boats;
- weaving baskets from willow twigs;
- the manufacture of bone needles, with the help of which clothes were sewn together;
- the active development of art: rock painting, the manufacture of primitive figurines from bones and tusks of a mammoth;
- domestication of wild animals, the first of which was the dog;
- determination of time according to the lunar and solar calendars;
- replacement of primitive society with a tribal community;
- making pottery.
Rice. 3. Rock art.
On the territory of Russia, sites of primitive people of the Paleolithic era were found in the settlements of Sungir, Kostenki, Karacharovo, and some others. Valuable archaeological finds helped scientists to restore the way of life, the features of housekeeping of distant ancestors.
Primitive history originates in the Stone Age, which was replaced by the Bronze Age, and then the Iron Age. These stages of human development were of great importance, since they predetermined the formation of modern society.
Table of Ages
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When studying the topic "Paleolithic", we learned what period of time the Paleolithic era took, into what periods it was divided. We got acquainted with the characteristics of the periods, found out how man developed during the Paleolithic years, what were his most important achievements.
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