The Stone Age lasted 3.4 million years and is divided into the Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic periods, named after the Greek for “stone.” In this time, humans were doing everything for the first time. We all remember our first time.
The Paleolithic period is the earliest & longest in the Stone Age. Humans banded together, hunted, gathered, and used tools. These humans were taller and healthier. Guess there is something to that paleo diet everyone is talking about.
Fire changed our lives. When early humans learned to control the flames, they became the masters of their own domain. More BBQs meant less illnesses from eating raw meat, so the first men had more time to bro down. Who’s grilling?
Rub wood quickly over tinder and blow. Tinder, rub wood, blow... sounds good!
Set up the hand drill, wind up a strap, and let friction work its magic.
Create flames with stone & a striker, knife, or axe, depending on your mood.
An ice age is a long, cold, period, where ice sheets cover much of the Earth (duh). Many of the animals that lived in this time have since gone extinct, but their less scary (and less hairy, usually) relatives can be found all over the world.
· 5,000,000 BCE - 2,000 BCE
· North America, Europe, Asia
· Elephant cousin
· 7,000,000 BCE - 10,000 BCE
· South America
· Armadillo aunt
· 2,500,000 BCE - 10,000 BCE
· the Americas
· Unconfirmed relative of Dracula
Hunting & gathering was the most successful human adaptation. Many strategies were used, including trapping, fishing, and gathering nuts, berries, and other edible food. Props to these guys for knowing what was ok to eat without the Internet.
A variety of fruits,
berries, nuts,
beans, and seeds
An assortment of
vegetables and roots
Different types of
mushrooms, mollusks,
insects, and worms
Fishing is an ancient practice that dates back at least 40,000 years ago. While most of the early humans were nomadic, fishers were known to set up permanent settlements. Because as everyone going through a breakup knows, there are plenty of fish.
Early fishers commonly used
barbed spears or harpoons to
hook the catch of the day in
Paleolithic times.
The winds of change were blowing in the Mesolithic, or middle, period of the Stone Age. Better hunting techniques expanded their palettes, but changing climate meant they had to make some lifestyle adjustments. It was time to settle down.
Fishing
Building huts
(the original
glamping)
Skinning
animals for
fur, leather,
anything
else
Gathering
wood for
campfire
barbecues
Making
woolly
mammoth
jerky
Preparing
food
Cooking
over the
open flame
Gathering
the goods
Around 15,000 years ago, the cuteness of wolf puppies got the best of some brave men, who decided to breed them as pets. By finding the friendliest and prettiest pups, they created the dogs we know and love today. And thank goodness for that.
Humans during the Mesolithic Period were the first to modernize stone tools. This advancement of technology is literally what separated them from chimps. We’re not saying that this led to the iPhone, but we’re not not saying that either.
Paleolithic Period
tools unchanged
from what was
found in nature
Mesolithic Period
chipped stone,
mounted with
serrated edges
Neolithic Period
polished
stone tools
Early men began herding sheep & goats and keeping cattle & pigs. These animals were like a one-stop grocery store for the villages because they could be used for milk and fresh meat as well as bone tools, leather, and wool. Paper or plastic?
Pigs 11,000 BCE
Cattle 10,000 BCE
Sheep 12,000 BCE
Cave painting was common as far back as 25,000 BCE but the Mesolithic men were the first to make their art portable. They created figurines, beads, and decorative tools. Because pizazz is definitely what the stone tools were missing.
Stone idols, art, and jewelry found in Lepinski Vir, the oldest and most significant human settlement, gave insight into a complex and cultured society. These stone faces all shared a strange expression - the original emoji?
The Neolithic Period, the final of the three Stone Age divisions, is marked by the beginning of agriculture and the development of pottery. Who would have thought growing crops and making ceramic bowls would be on the same level in history?
18,000 years ago, the climate warmed. Humans began collecting wheat and bringing the seeds back to their settlements to plant.
When gathering
seeds, some fell
in the dirt
Wheat grew and
settlements
formed around
New tools were
created for the
harvest
Seeds were
collected to
plant later
Plots were plowed to
ensure max growth
And that's how we
became farmers
Corn was first grown by men in Mexico around 10,000 years ago. Maize then spread to every continent, except Antarctica. Since corn can be used for tortillas, we can probably thank these early farmers for tacos, too. Corn-gratulations!
Wheat was first cultivated around 9,600 BCE and early humans made some of the most important early technological advancements, like soil preparation, crop rotation, and horse-drawn plows, to increase production. Pretty s-wheat, right?
Domesticated chickens are relatives of wild junglefowl found on the Indian subcontinent. Humans recognized the importance of brunch and began keeping chickens for their eggs around 7,500 BCE. It took a while for hollandaise to catch up.
Cattle 10,000 BCE
Horse 6,000 BCE
Sheep 12,000 BCE
Pig 11,000 BCE
Duck 6,000 BCE
Chicken 8,000 BCE
Lama 4,400 BCE
Cavia 7,000 BCE
Alpaca 4,400 BCE
Turkey 2,000 BCE
Writing is the representation of language through symbols. Independently conceived and developed in Mesopotamia and Mesoamerica, writing allowed humans to express ideas and emotions. I wonder where we can find the earliest, “u up?” message.
The Tărtăria tablets date back to around 5,300 BCE and contain what some think is the earliest writing. The meaning of the symbols is unknown, but it was likely religious, not 50 Stones of Grey.
