The Development of Paleolithic & Neolithic Cultures

1. The Development of Paleolithic & Neolithic Cultures From the Dawn of Time to c. 3500 BCE

2. Timeline • 15 Billion years ago: Universe, Big Bang? • 5 Billion Years Ago: Earth forms • 2 Billion Years Ago: Life begins • 2 M Years Ago: Homo Erectus • 200,000 BCE: Homo Sapiens • 40,000 BCE: Homo Sapiens Sapiens • 10,000 – 4,000 BCE: Farming Package • 3,500 BCE Civilization

3. Recap from Last Time • Why Study History? • What is civilization? • “Civilization is a race between education and catastrophe” H.G. Wells • Unfinished business • Questions about overview videos? • Why begin with Ancient Near East?

4. Defining features of civilization • Cities • Writing • Monumental architecture • Collective sense of superiority over subject people and resources • Growing need to exploit natural resources

5. Overview • Discuss Cain &Abel • Geological Developments • Evolutionary Developments • Cultural Developments • Paleolithic • Neolithic • Summary

6. Painting by Titianc. 1540

7. Discuss Cain & Abel • Prior to the killing of Abel, what had Cain done wrong? • How did it portray Cain and his descendants? • What sort of society did it portray? • Paleolithic • Neolithic • Civilization • Did the story convey anything about the author(s) perspective or biases?

8. Revised Standard Version 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.

9. A Roman Catholic Version 3 Time passed and Cain brought some of the produce of the soil as an offering for Yahweh, 4 while Abel for his part brought the first-born of his flock and some of their fat as well. Yahweh looked with favour on Abel and his offering. 5 But he did not look with favour on Cain and his offering, and Cain was very angry and downcast.

12. Formation of the Mediterranean Sea

13. The Mediterranean Sea

14. Evolutionary ChangeHominidsHomo erectus2,000,000 years ago

15. What differentiates humans from other primates? • Use/manufacture of tools • Use of symbols to communicate • Size of brain, especially the prefrontal cortex • Existence of a soul • Something else, such as monogamy,

16. Migration of Homo Sapiens Sapiens

17. Cultural ChangeLascaux Wall paintings

22. “Venus Figure”of Willendorf from Paleolithic remainsc. 30,000 BCEin Austria

24. What are the features of Paleolithic Culture? • Hunter Gatherers B. Stone Tools • No permanent settlements • Less hierarchical E. Less patriarchal

25. The Fertile Crescent

26. Catalhuyuk or Catalhoyuk

27. Catalhüyük

28. Mother Goddess sculpture from Catal Huyuk

30. Clothed Hunterc. 4000 BCE

32. What was the purpose of Stonehenge? Why does it capture the imaginations of modern observers? What does it tell us about the people who constructed it?

33. Burial Mounds Around Stonehenge

36. Construction of Stonehenge

37. Preseli Mountain in Wales

42. What was the defining feature of neolithic culture? • Agriculture • Animal husbandry • Permanent settlements • Denser populations • Increasing hierarchy/patriarchy

43. Geological Developments • Formation of the world: 5 Billion Years Ago • Continental drift • Long term trend of rising sea levels with periodic reversals known as Ice Ages - the last ice Age was approximately 20,000 years ago • Formation of the Mediterranean Sea occurred roughly 5 million years ago

44. Evolutionary Development • Pre-human • Human

45. Pre-Human Evolutionary Developments • Life begins c. 2 Billion years ago • bacteria and algae form • 6 Million Years ago hominid creatures are wandering the earth • human-like apes with small brains • not erect when walking • Many species of hominids which have since died out

46. Human Evolution • 5 - 10 million years ago: first human in E. Africa • standing erect • larger brains but still not within modern ranges • 400 K - Homo sapiens - increased brains • East Africa • 130 K to present - Homo sapiens sapiens • tools (rocks, bones) • fire • 40K BCE - homo sapiens sapiens moves into Europe

47. Cultural Development • Paleolithic - Old Stone Age - to 10,000 BCE • hunting & food gathering • Neolithic - New Stone Age - to 3,500 BCE • agricultural subsistence and eventually surplus • irrigation • private property • increased social & economic differentiation • cities emerge • political differentiation underscores economic status

48. Neolithic Humans • Hunter gatherers for the most part; frequently on the move, but as we approach 3500 BCE, the widespread adoption of agriculture makes permanent settlements more common • More varied diet than modern humans; animal dung, bark, and roots were regularly eaten • As permanent settlements become more common, commerce develops and the dissemination of knowledge and customs picks up speed

49. Neolithic Revolution • Agriculture allowed humans to develop permanent settlements instead of traveling to remain close to migrating herds of wildlife • The effects of permanent settlements were profound • Houses • Pottery for storage of food surplus and seed grain • Increased population • Longer life expectancy (25-30 years – arthritis at 26!) • Increased specialization • Better tools (axes, shovels, hammers, etc…) • More elaborate culture

50. Civilization Begins c. 3500 BCE • Permanent settlements typically began in river valleys • Tigris-Euphrates (3500 BCE) • Nile (3000BCE) • Indus (2500 BCE) • Metallurgy developed around the same time • Indicators of civilized society include • Writing • dense populations and large buildings for gathering purposes • formal political systems • economic activity beyond food subsistence - crafts