The Middle Paleolithic period refers to what time. Lower Paleolithic
In 1865 John Lubbock proposed to designate the era when people made tools from stone by beating 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 grinding or polishing techniques.
Subsequently, such a simple definition of Paleolithic and Neolithic was the subject of debate and was clarified taking into account social, technological and economic aspects. Nowadays, many archaeologists prefer to designate the term “Paleolithic” the era of human development - from the appearance of the oldest 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 the archeology of Africa, instead of these terms, the names “Old Stone Age”, “Middle Stone Age” and “Late Stone Age” are used. The main criterion for their division is still the nature of stone tools, although data on the economy and lifestyle of ancient people are also significant in this regard.
Upper Paleolithic
UPPER PALEOLITHIC, or Late Stone Age. Approximately 50,000 years ago, with the beginning of the Upper Paleolithic era, significant changes occurred in human lifestyle. Modern and Upper Paleolithic Homo sapiens have much in common. With regard to stone tools, the monuments of the Upper Paleolithic (in Africa - the Late Stone Age) show such significant diversity in time and space that it is difficult to indicate any types that are characteristic of this era as a whole.
Lower Paleolithic
LOWER PALEOLITHIC, or ancient Stone Age. The first stone tools come from Africa, where the oldest fossil remains of the direct ancestors of man were found. These ancient tools are very crude and consist of pieces of rock that have been split to create sharp edges. However, obtaining such a sharp edge by splitting the stone required some skill. The tool could be a piece of stone itself (called a core) or flakes separated from it.
Middle Paleolithic
MIDDLE PALEOLITHIC, or Middle Stone Age. Approximately 200,000 years ago, hand axes, cleavers and other massive tools made by double-sided beating and which were an integral attribute of the Lower Paleolithic, lost their inherent ubiquity. Instead, tools made from flakes began to predominate in the inventory—primarily scrapers, pointed points, and tools with a serrated blade.
Paleolithic [using the example of Kuban]
The Paleolithic period covers the time from the emergence 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, several archaeological eras are distinguished, corresponding to the stages of human development and his material culture; these are the Olduvai and Abbeville eras, corresponding to the very initial stage of human history, the Acheulian (from 400 to 80 thousand years ago), the Mousterian (from 80 to 35 thousand years ago) and the Upper Paleolithic (from 35 to 10 thousand years ago).
Mousterian culture
Mousterian CULTURE - the latest culture of the ancient Paleolithic, follows and is replaced by Late Paleolithic cultures. Some researchers call it the Middle Paleolithic. First defined G. Mortillier in the late 60s of the 19th century and was named by him after the Le Moustier cave in Southwestern France (Dordogne). Distributed in Europe, south of approximately 54 degrees north latitude, in one or another variety in almost all of Africa, in the countries of the Middle East and Central Asia; The Nevasa culture in India also closely resembles the Mousterian culture. Most researchers classify the Mousterian culture according to geological periodization as the Upper Pleistocene...
Paleolithic (SIE, 1967)
PALEOLITHIC (from ancient Greek palaios - ancient and litos - stone) - the ancient Stone Age, the 1st of 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. Lubbock in 1865. The Paleolithic is the era of the existence of fossil humans. The climate of the earth, its flora and fauna in this era were quite different from the modern one. People used only chipped stone tools, not knowing polished stone tools and pottery. They were hunters and gatherers.
About 2.588 million years ago, the Pleistocene began - the longest section of the Quaternary period of the geological history of the Earth, or rather its earliest part - the Gelazian stage. At this time, significant changes occurred both in the Earth's climate and in its biosphere. Another decrease in temperature led to a decrease in the evaporation of water from the ocean surface, as a result of which the forests of East Africa began to be replaced by savannas. Faced with a lack of traditional plant foods (fruits), the ancestors of modern humans began to look for more accessible food sources in the dry savannah.
It is believed that the earliest, crudest and most primitive stone tools currently found, made by the ancestors of modern man, date back to around this time (2.5-2.6 million years ago). Although quite recently, in May 2015, the journal Nature published the results of research and excavations in Lomekwi, where tools made by an as yet unidentified hominid were found, whose age is estimated at 3.3 million years. This is how the lower or early paleolithic– the most ancient part of the Paleolithic ( ancient stone age). In other regions of the planet, the production of stone tools (and, accordingly, the onset of the Paleolithic) began later. In Western Asia this happened about 1.9 million years ago, in the Middle East - about 1.6 million years ago, in Southern Europe - about 1.2 million years ago, in Central Europe - less than a million years ago.
Probably one of the first species of australopithecus to make stone tools was Australopithecus garhi (lat. Australopithecus garhi). His remains, about 2.6 million years old, were discovered only relatively recently, in 1996. Along with them, the most ancient stone tools were found, as well as animal bones with traces of processing with these tools.
Approximately 2.33 million years ago, Homo habilis (lat. Homo habilis) appeared, possibly descended from Australopithecus gari. Adapting to the savannah climate, he included roots, tubers and animal meat in his diet in addition to traditional fruits. At the same time, the first people were content with the role of scavengers, scraping off the remains of meat from the skeletons of animals killed by predators with stone scrapers, and extracting bone marrow from bones split by stones. It was Habilis who created, developed and spread the Olduvai culture in Africa, which flourished between 2.4 and 1.7 million years ago. At the same time as Homo habilis, there was another species - Rudolf man (lat. Homo rudolfensis), however, due to the extremely small number of finds, very little is known about him.
About 1.806 million years ago, the next - Calabrian - stage of the Pleistocene began, and around the same time two new species of people appeared: a working person (lat. Homo ergaster) and a erect person (lat. Homo erectus). The most important change in the morphology of these species was a significant increase in brain size. Homo erectus soon migrated from Africa and spread widely throughout Europe and Asia, moving from a scavenger role to a hunter-gatherer lifestyle that dominated the rest of the Paleolithic. Along with erectus, the Olduvai culture also spread (in Europe, before Leakey’s discoveries, it was known as Chelles and Abbeville). A man working in Africa soon created a more advanced Acheulian culture of stone processing, but it spread to Europe and the Middle East only after hundreds of thousands of years, and did not reach Southeast Asia at all. At the same time, in Europe, in parallel with the Acheulean, another culture arose - the Klektonian. According to various estimates, it existed in a period of time from 300 to 600 thousand years ago and was named after the city of Clacton-on-Sea in Essex (Great Britain), near which corresponding stone tools were found in 1911. Similar instruments were later found in Kent and Suffolk. The creator of these instruments was Homo erectus.
Approximately 781 thousand years ago, the Ionian stage of the Pleistocene began. At the beginning of this period, another new species appeared in Europe - Heidelberg man (lat. Homo heidelbergensis). He continued to lead a hunter-gatherer lifestyle and used stone tools belonging to the Acheulean culture, but somewhat more advanced.
Some time later - according to various estimates from 600 to 350 thousand years ago - the first people appeared, with Neanderthal features or protoanderthals.
The first attempts by man to use fire date back to the Early Paleolithic. However, fairly reliable evidence of fire control dates back to the very end of this period - a time about 400 thousand years ago.
Middle Paleolithic
The Middle Paleolithic replaced the Early Paleolithic about 300 thousand years ago and lasted until about 30 thousand years ago (in different regions the time boundaries of the period may differ significantly). During this time, significant changes occurred in all spheres of life of primitive humanity, coinciding with the emergence of new species of people.
From the proto-neanderthals that arose at the end of the Early Paleolithic, the classical Neanderthal (lat. Homo neanderthalensis) was formed by the second half of the Middle Paleolithic (approximately 100-130 thousand years ago).
Neanderthals, who lived in small related groups, were able to perfectly adapt to the cold climate during the last ice age and populated large areas of Europe and Asia that were not covered with ice. Survival in harsh climates was made possible by a number of changes in the lives of these ancient people. They created and developed the Mousterian culture, which used Levallois techniques for stone processing and was the most progressive throughout most of the Middle Paleolithic. The improvement of hunting weapons (spears with stone tips) and a high level of interaction with their fellow tribesmen allowed Neanderthals to successfully hunt the largest land mammals (mammoths, bison, etc.), whose meat formed the basis of their diet. The invention of the harpoon made it possible to successfully catch fish, which became an important source of food in coastal areas. To protect themselves from the cold and predators, Neanderthals used shelter in caves and fire, and they also cooked food on fire. To preserve meat for future use, they began to smoke and dry it. An exchange with other groups of valuable raw materials (ochre, rare high-quality stone for making tools, etc.) that were unavailable in the area in which one or another group lived was developed.
Archaeological evidence and comparative ethnography studies indicate that Middle Paleolithic people lived in egalitarian (egalitarian) societies. Equal distribution of food resources avoided starvation and increased the community's chances of survival. Members of the group took care of injured, sick and old fellow tribesmen, as evidenced by remains with traces of healed injuries and at a considerable age (of course, by Paleolithic standards - about 50 years). Neanderthals often buried their dead, leading some scientists to conclude that they developed religious beliefs and concepts, such as belief in life after death. This can be evidenced, among other things, by the orientation of the graves, the characteristic poses of those who died in them, and the burial of utensils with them. However, other scientists believe that the burials were carried out for rational reasons. The development of thinking was manifested in the appearance of the first examples of art: rock paintings, decorative items made of stone, bone, etc.
About 195 thousand years ago, anatomically modern Homo sapiens appeared in Africa. According to the currently dominant hypothesis of the African origin of man, after several tens of millennia, anatomically modern people began to gradually spread beyond Africa. There is some evidence that about 125 thousand years ago, having crossed the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, they appeared on the Arabian Peninsula (the territory of modern UAE), a little later - about 106 thousand years ago - on the territory of modern Oman, and about 75 thousand years ago - possibly on the territory of modern India. Although no human remains have been found in those places dating back to this time, the obvious similarities between stone tools found there and in Africa suggest that they were created by modern man. Another group of people, passing through the Nile Valley, reached the territory of modern Israel about 100-120 thousand years ago. The settlers moving south and east gradually populated south-east Asia, and then, taking advantage of the reduced sea level due to glaciation, about 50 thousand years ago they reached Australia and New Guinea, and a little later, about 30 thousand years ago - and numerous islands east of Australia.
The first anatomically modern humans (Cro-Magnons) entered Europe through the Arabian Peninsula about 60 thousand years ago. About 43 thousand years ago, large-scale colonization of Europe began, during which Cro-Magnons actively competed with Neanderthals. In terms of physical strength and adaptability to the climate of Europe during the glaciation period, the Cro-Magnons were inferior to the Neanderthals, but were ahead of them in technological development. And after 13-15 thousand years, by the end of the Middle Paleolithic, the Neanderthals were completely forced out of their habitat and became extinct.
Along with the Mousterian culture itself, in the Middle Paleolithic era its local variants also existed in some regions. Very interesting in this regard is the Aterian culture in Africa, which was discovered at the beginning of the 20th century near the city of Bir el-Ather in eastern Algeria, after which it was named. Initially, it was believed that it first appeared about 40 thousand years ago, then this boundary was pushed back to 90-110 thousand years. In 2010, the Moroccan Ministry of Culture published a press release reporting that in the prehistoric caves of Ifri n'Amman, objects of Aterian culture dating back up to 175 thousand years were discovered. In addition to stone tools, drilled mollusk shells were also found at Aterian sites , presumably serving as jewelry, which indicates the development of aesthetic feelings in humans.In Europe, there were such early and transitional varieties of Mousterian as the Teillac and Micoq industries.In the Middle East, the Emirian culture developed from Mousterian.
During the same period, there were also independent cultures in Africa, formed from the earlier Acheulean, such as Sangoi and Stilbeian. The Howiesons-Port culture, which arose (possibly from the Stilbeian) in South Africa about 64.8 thousand years ago, is very interesting. In terms of the level of production of stone tools, it corresponds rather to the cultures of the beginning of the Late Paleolithic, which appeared 25 thousand years later. We can say that in terms of its level it was significantly ahead of its time. However, having existed for just over 5 thousand years, it disappeared approximately 59.5 thousand years ago, and tools from more primitive cultures reappeared in the region of its distribution.
Late Paleolithic
The Late Paleolithic - the third and final stage of the Paleolithic - began about 40-50 thousand years ago and ended about 10-12 thousand years ago. It was during this period that modern man became first the dominant and then the only representative of his own species. The changes in the life of mankind during this period are so significant that they are called the Late Paleolithic revolution.
During the Late Paleolithic, significant climate changes occurred in areas inhabited by humans. Since the vast majority of the period occurred during the last ice age, the overall climate of Eurasia varied from cold to temperate. Along with climate changes, the area of the ice sheet changed, and, accordingly, the area of human distribution. Moreover, if in the northern regions the territory suitable for habitation decreased, then in the more southern regions it increased due to a significant decrease in the level of the World Ocean, the waters of which were concentrated in glaciers. So, during the maximum of the Ice Age, which occurred 19-26.5 thousand years ago, sea level fell by about 100-125 m. Therefore, many archaeological evidence of human life who lived on the coast in those days is now hidden by the waters of the seas and is located at a considerable distance from the modern coastline. On the other hand, glaciation and low sea levels allowed man to move across the Bering Isthmus that existed at that time to North America.
Since the beginning of the Late Paleolithic, the variety of artifacts left by people has increased significantly. Manufactured instruments are becoming more specialized, and their manufacturing technologies are becoming more complex. Important achievements are the invention of various types of tools and weapons. In particular, about 30 thousand years ago a spear thrower and a boomerang were invented, 25-30 thousand years ago - a bow and arrow, 22-29 thousand years ago - a fishing net. Also at this time, a sewing needle with an eye, a fishing hook, a rope, an oil lamp, etc. were invented. One of the most important achievements of the Late Paleolithic can be called the taming and domestication of the dog, which, according to various estimates, occurred 15-35 thousand years ago (and possibly earlier). A dog has much better developed hearing and sense of smell than a human, which makes it an indispensable assistant in protecting against predators and hunting. More advanced tools and weapons, methods of hunting, building housing and making clothing allowed people to significantly increase their numbers and populate previously undeveloped territories. The earliest evidence of organized human settlements dates back to the Late Paleolithic. Some were used year-round, although more often people moved from one settlement to another depending on the season, following food sources.
Instead of a single dominant culture, various regional cultures with numerous local varieties arise in different places, existing partly simultaneously and partly replacing each other. In Europe, these are the Chatelperonian, Seletian, Aurignacian, Gravettian, Solutrean, Badegulian and Magdalenian cultures. In Asia and the Middle East - Baradostian, Zarzian and Kebarian.
In addition, during this period the flourishing of fine and decorative arts began: Late Paleolithic man left many rock paintings and petroglyphs, as well as artistic products made of ceramics, bone and horn. One of the ubiquitous varieties is female figurines, the so-called Paleolithic Venus.
Paleolithic - from Greek. palaios "ancient", litos "stone". It covers the time from the beginning of the Pleistocene (Quaternary, anthropogenic period, “Ice Age”) to the Holocene (Quaternary period, post-glacial era), i.e., at least 2 million years.
The Paleolithic, in turn, according to the level of occurrence of cultural layers, is divided into early (lower), middle and late (upper) (periodization according to G. Mortilier, French scientist).
Paleolithic (3 million - 14 thousand)
Early: Olduvai era - appearance of Homo habilis - from 2.5 million to 400 thousand years; Acheulian - 300 - 100 thousand years ago (archanthrope);
Middle: Moustier - 100-40 thousand years ago (Neanderthal)
Late (according to Leroy-Gourhan): Chatelperron (35-30 thousand years ago), Aurignacian (30-25), Gravet (25-20), Solutre (20-15), Madeleine (15-10 thousand years ago)
In France, the discovery of the Paleolithic is associated with the name of Jacques Boucher de Pert (1788-1868), who collected a grandiose collection of Paleolithic stone tools on the coastal terraces of the river. Somme. In 1846-47. His first publications were released, which were met with skepticism by academic science.
In 1865, J. Lubbock, in his book “Prehistoric Times,” proposed dividing the Stone Age into two eras - “Neolithic” and “Paleolithic”, highlighting thus. the most ancient stage of human history.
Modern man appeared about 100 thousand years ago (Cro-Magnon man). But already among the Neanderthals, the beginnings of art were revealed; the presence of burials indicates the existence of rituals and beliefs.
Among the Cro-Magnons, works of art appeared about 30 thousand years ago. The artistic creativity of primitive people was not art in the modern sense. It did not stand out as an independent type of activity and was organically connected with other forms of life. But art from the very beginning has had a special quality - it has always been associated with the expression of feelings.
Early Paleolithic- the carriers of material culture were Australopithecus, later Pithecanthropus. The sites are dominated by hand axes and choppers - pebble tools with only one edge chipped off. They master driven hunting, which requires mutual understanding, so it is believed that the result was the appearance of the rudiments of speech. Fire.
Middle Paleolithic- relatively warm period. Neanderthals. More advanced tools split stone into thin plates (scrapers, stone knives, chisels, gimlets - more than 60 types of tools in total). Neanderthal art is primitive - repeating marks on stones (de L'Aze, France). Funeral rituals (in the fetal position).
Late Paleolithic- the more complex way of life of the Cro-Magnons contributes to the emergence of more cultures (for example, in Syria and Palestine there are about 12 cultures).
Groups of crops:
Group of pre-glacial European tribes (Southern France, Northern Spain: Altamira, Lascaux, La Madeleine, Aurignac, Cro-Magnon, Solutre)
Kostenki culture (20 thousand, Don steppes, 40 km from Voronezh, Kostenki village)
Mediterranean culture
Caucasus, Crimea, Iran, India
One of the first manifestations of art is the image of hands or prints (negative and positive). Rock carvings of animals - hunting scenes (from simple silhouettes to polychrome images). Paints are natural dyes. Thread. "Twisted Perspective" Images of humans are rare (less realistic than images of animals). Paleolithic Venus.
It is considered the first period and the first period in human history. The beginning of the Early Paleolithic is determined by the beginning of the use of stone tools by the ancestors of modern humans, representatives of the species (homo habilis).
The Early Paleolithic began at the end of the Pliocene, approximately 2.6-2.5 million years ago. At that time, human ancestors were quite primitive hominids, which, at the same time, already showed their progressiveness in relation to other primates. In particular, a skilled person’s hand developed the ability to grip forcefully, which allowed human ancestors in those distant times to use various tools - sticks, stones, etc. Then the very first culture of stone processing appeared, which was called Olduvai, after the Olduvai cave in Tanzania, where the oldest stone tools were first found.
The first stone tools were very primitive and were ordinary flakes from stones, split stones. Homo habilis split stones to obtain a sharp edge with which they could cut meat from bones, break tendons, pierce the skin of animals, and were also intended for chopping and chopping. In the Early Paleolithic, there are several cultures that determine the level of human development and the level of development of stone processing technology: Olduvai culture (2.6-1.8 million years ago), Acheulean culture (1.7-0.1 million years ago), Abbeville culture culture (1.5-0.3 million years ago), Klekton culture (0.6-0.4 million years ago).
The Early Paleolithic occupies almost the entire history of human evolution from a primitive hominid to more or less modern forms of man. The first Paleolithic period lasted for 2.5-2.4 million years, ranging from 2.6-2.5 million years ago to 150-100 thousand years ago. During this time, a primitive hominid was able to evolve into Homo erectus () (1.8 million years ago - 24 thousand years ago), who could already create very complex stone products - arrowheads and spears, stone axes and knives, fishing hooks, decorations, etc. In addition to stone, for the same purposes - creating tools and hunting - the ancient man of the Lower Paleolithic era used wood and bone.
During the Early Paleolithic period, people predominantly led a nomadic lifestyle. They were engaged in hunting and gathering. Agriculture and livestock farming did not yet exist in those days.
History of the Stone Age video:
The 72 Balconies company will help you make your home more convenient and comfortable. Finishing of loggias in Tyumen from professionals with extensive experience. Visit the website to view all services and contact specialists.
Paleolithic - (Old Stone Age)
The Stone Age is the initial and longest period in human history. Begins around 1 million BC. and continues until 13-10 thousand years BC. It was during this period that the first people appeared on the territory of Ukraine. All ancient people are called paleoanthropes or archanthropes (palaios - ancient, anthropos - man). Resettlement was carried out in two ways: from Europe and Transcaucasia. More than 500 sites of ancient people have been explored on the territory of Ukraine. The most famous ancient sites: Kirillovskaya on the territory. modern Kiev, Kodak on the Dnieper, Mizinskaya on the Desna, Korolevo in the Transcarpathian region, Luka Vrublevskaya on the Dniester, Amvrosievskaya in the Donbass, Kiik-Koba cave in the Crimea, Derkulskaya, Radomyshlskaya, Stone Grave, etc.
Early Paleolithic
From 1 million years to approximately 150 thousand years BC.
Europe had a warm, humid climate. In the Early Paleolithic era, Ukraine was inhabited by Pithecanthropus (Pithecos monkey, Anthropos - man)
The occupation of people is gathering. Ancient tools: digging stick, clubs, sharpened stone, spears, hooks, and later a massive stone chopper. They lead a wandering lifestyle and unite into a primitive herd. Later, they explore the caves, make barriers at the entrance, and make tents from skins.
Middle Paleolithic 150 thousand years BC – 40 -35 thousand years BC
The era of the glacier, a significant part of Ukraine was unsuitable for human life, the periglacial tundra had poor vegetation, there were swamps and lakes.
During this period, a new type of person appeared - the Neanderthal (short, stooped, with a massive chin and sloping forehead); many remains of Neanderthals who lived 100 - 50 thousand years BC were found. About 100 thousand years BC. people mastered fire, which helped scare away predators, illuminate caves, warm people, smoke meat and store it for future use... Their skins and furs of wild animals made clothes, shoes, tightening the skins with animal tendons. Labor tools are more diverse: hand axes, scrapers, flint spear tips. Products made from bone and horn are used: bone piercings, awls, needles, harpoons.
The main activities were collective hunting of men for large animals: mammoths, cave bears, old men prepared tools, women fished, gathered, and tanned skins. In a cave or houses made from the bones of large animals, covered with skins, there lived a clan community, a group of blood relatives, where everyone had equal rights and responsibilities and contributed their labor to the cause of the entire tribe. The average life expectancy is about 20 years, the clan community consisted of no less than 20-30 (a smaller number could not resist predators and do everything possible to support the life of the clan) and no more than 100 (a larger number in one area would not be able to feed itself)
Late Paleolithic 40- 35 – 13-10 thousand years BC
In this era, a new type of person appears - the Cro-Magnon (the name comes from the Cro-Magnon cave in France, where such people were first found), not much different from modern humans in appearance.
Around 40 BC Primitive art, rock painting, and religious beliefs appear. The dog was tamed. The tools were more varied.
Mesolithic ( Middle Stone Age ) 13-10 thousand – 7 thousand years BC
The melting of the glacier, the formation of the modern landscape of Europe, mountains, valleys, rivers, lakes, modern flora and fauna appeared. Ancient people populated the entire territory of Ukraine. Dugout boats and rafts appear, often along rivers, pushing off with a pole, people move far from their homes.
Large houses appear where the entire clan community lives.
In the Mesolithic era, bows and arrows and darts were invented, and people switched to individual hunting of artiodactyls and waterfowl. The domestication of wild animals began. At the end of the Mesolithic there is a transition from matriarchy to patriarchy, where a man becomes the head of the clan. The tribal community will be replaced by the neighbor's community.
