We explain what the stone age is, what are its characteristics and its stages. In addition, the ancestors of the human and more.
What is the stone age?
The stone age is The first of the prehistory periods and is characterized by the use of stone as a fundamental tool in human societies. It covers from the invention of the first tools, almost 3 million years ago, to the discovery of metals, towards 4000 BC. C.
The stone age It is made up of three stages: Paleolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic . It is a proposed periodization from archeology and is based on the identification of stages around the development of material technology and tools manufacturing techniques.
Stone age characteristics
The stone age was characterized by:
- The evolution of the human species and the existence of various hominid genres that inhabited different parts of the world.
- The organization of small societies that lived nomad during the Paleolithic period.
- The use of stone As a main element for the creation of tools and constructions along with wood, bone and other elements extracted from nature.
- Climate changes consequence of the glaciation period.
- The appearance of the form of sedentary life and the development of agricultural and livestock techniques during the Neolithic period.
Stone stages
The stone age is divided into three general periods:
- Paleolithic . It is the most extensive period and includes from the evolution of the first hominids to the development of food production techniques (agriculture and livestock) and sedentary life. Paleolithic societies were characterized by nomadism, organization in small groups and an economy based on hunting and collection.
- Mesolithic . It is the period that includes the first economic changes that carried out some societies and that allowed to develop an agricultural and livestock production economy. In addition, these societies developed the first seasonal settlements.
- Neolithic . This period was characterized by the development of agriculture and livestock, and the settlement of populations around cultivation areas. Also, ceramics were created and work techniques were perfected in stone, bone and ivory.
Technological development in the stone age
An element that distinguished humans from the rest of the animals was the development of technology, that is, their ability to transform objects of nature into tools. To make their tools, human beings used hard stones (such as flint and obsidian), woods, bones and animal antlers.
Human groups used different tools manufacturing techniques throughout the stone age.
During the Paleolithic period:
- Percussion technique . It consisted of hitting one stone with another, or with an element that works as chisel, until a cutting object is achieved.
- Pressure technique . With a bone instrument, it was pressed on specific areas of the stone tool to carve the edges and achieve a better edge.
- PULVAL TECHNIQUE . The stone was worked by rubbing it until it shaped and removed it. More fragile materials such as bone or animals of animals were worked on stone blocks, and they could shape them.
During the Neolithic period:
- Modeling technique . It consisted of stacking clay rolls until reaching a piece of ceramic of the desired height. Then he smiled with his hands to shape and let it dry before cooking it in furnaces.
- Torno technique . The invention of the lathe allowed to vary the forms of the ceramic vessels and refine their edges.
Hominization process
During the stone age the hominization process was given, which includes the biological and cultural changes that crossed the human species until you have the characteristics of the current human being.
It is considered that the Australopithecus It is the first ancestor of man. It is a genre of hominids that existed 4 million years ago and could adapt to climatic changes in Africa that transformed the jungle into a savanna. The Australopithecus They were bipeds, that is, they leaned on two feet, which left their hands free to manipulate simple objects and tools.
The following evolutionary stages correspond to the so -called Homos:
- Homo habilis . It was characterized by having a more rounded skull, larger teeth, a face with less prominent jaw and greater motor skill. This genre lived 2.5 million years ago throughout the African continent. You owe your name to your ability to make tools and make homes.
- Homo erectus . It was differentiated by a major cranial cavity, a robust and higher body. He lived 1.8 million years ago. His name is because it was the first species to walk in a totally upright way. He stood out for learning to manipulate fire, develop animal hunting and manufacture stone axes.
- Neanderthal and Homo sapiens . They are two genres that were characterized by a greater opening of the jaw and a large cranial capacity. They appeared 200,000 years ago and stood out for the use of more elaborate tools and the burial of their dead.
- Homo sapiens sapiens . It is estimated that it appeared 100,000 years ago and is the genre that includes the current human being. It was distinguished by cultural features such as language and rituals. Until 30,000 years ago, the Homo sapiens and the Homo sapiens sapiens They coexisted in Africa, Asia and Europe.
References
- Fernández Martínez, VM (2007). Prehistory. The long path of humanity. Editorial Alliance.
- Fernández Vega, AM, Cabrera Valdes, V. and Muñoz Amilibia, AM (2008). Prehistory. National University of Distance Education.
- “Stone Age” in History
- “Stone Age” in Britannica
- “Stone Age” in Ancient
- “The first humans and the first societies” in Magazine Components
- “The era of ancient stone” in the truth
- “Homo erectus” in BBC
