Stone Age 29219 225950829 2008-07-16T04:26:15Z DaughterofSun 6715754 /* External links */ interwiki {{Stone Age}} The '''Stone Age''' is a broad [[prehistory|prehistoric]] time period during which [[human]]s widely used [[Rock (geology)|stone]] for toolmaking. [[Stone tool]]s were made from a variety of different kinds of stone. For example, [[flint]] and [[chert]] were shaped (or ''[[chipped stone|chipped]]'') for use as cutting tools and [[weapon]]s, while [[basalt]] and [[sandstone]] were used for [[ground stone]] tools, such as [[quern-stone]]s. [[Wood]], [[bone]], [[Animal shell|shell]], [[antler]] and other materials were widely used, too. During the most recent part of the period, [[sediment]]s (like [[clay]]) were used to make [[pottery]]. A series of metal [[technology]] innovations characterize the later [[Chalcolithic]] (Copper Age), [[Bronze Age]] and [[Iron Age]]. [[Image:Arrowhead.jpg|thumb|left|[[Obsidian]] [[projectile point]]]] The period encompasses the first widespread use of [[technology]] in [[human evolution]] and the spread of [[humanity]] from the [[savanna]]s of [[East Africa]] to the rest of the [[world]]. It ends with the development of [[agriculture]], the [[domestication]] of certain animals and the [[smelting]] of [[copper]] [[ore]] to produce metal. It is termed ''pre''historic, since humanity had not yet started [[writing]] -- the traditional start of [[history]] (i.e., [[recorded history]]). The term "Stone Age" was used by [[archaeology|archaeologists]] to designate this vast [[Metallurgy|pre-metallurgic]] period whose stone [[tool]]s survived far more widely than tools made from other (softer) materials. It is the first age in the [[three-age system]]. A division of the Stone Age into an older and younger part was first proposed by [[Jens Jacob Worsaae]] in 1859 through his work with Danish kitchen middens that began in 1851.<ref>[http://search.eb.com/eb/article-9077514 Worsaae, Jens Jacob Asmussen]." [[Encyclopædia Britannica]]. 2008. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 11 Apr. 2008</ref> The subdivision into the [[Palaeolithic]], [[Mesolithic]] and [[Neolithic]] periods that still is in use today, was made by [[John Lubbock]] in his now classic 1865 book ''Pre-historic Times''. These three periods are further subdivided. In reality, the succession of phases differs enormously from one [[region]] (and [[archaeological culture|culture]]) to another, indeed, humanity continued to expand into new areas even during the metal ages. Therefore, it is better to speak of ''a'' Stone Age, instead of ''the'' Stone Age. As a description of people living today, the term ''stone age'' is controversial. The Association of Social Anthropologists discourages this use. ==The Stone Age in archaeology== [[Image:Hook for angling, made of bone, from Swedish Stone Age, found in Skåne, Sweden.jpg|thumb|right|100px|Stone Age [[fish hook]]]] The date range of this period is ambiguous, disputed, and variable according to the region in question. While it is possible to speak of a general 'stone age' period for the whole of humanity, some groups never developed metal-[[smelting]] technology, so remained in a 'stone age' until they encountered technologically developed cultures. However, in general, it is believed that this period began somewhere around 3 [[million years ago]], starting with the first [[hominid]] tool-making in [[Africa]]. Most [[australopithecine]]s probably did not use stone tools (although they seem to be invented by ''[[Paranthropus robustus]]'') but the study of their remains still falls within the remit of archaeologists studying the period. Due to the prevalence of stone [[Artifact (archaeology)|artefacts]], which are frequently the only remains which still exist, [[lithic analysis]] is a major, and specialised, form of archaeological investigation for the period. This involves the measurement of the stone tools to determine their typology, function and the technology involved. This frequently involves an analysis of the [[lithic reduction]] of the raw materials, examining how the artefacts were actually made. This can also be examined through [[experimental archaeology]], by attempting to create replica tools. This is done by [[flintknapper]]s who reduce [[flint]]stone to a [[Flint (tool)|flint tool]]. ===Modern use of the term=== [[Image:National park stone tools.jpg|thumb|left|200px|A variety of [[stone tool]]s]] One problem with the term is that it implies that human advancement and time periods in prehistory are only measured by the type of tool material most widely used, rather than, for example, type of [[social organisation]], food sources exploited, or adaption to harsh [[climate]]s. This is a product of the level of knowledge of the distant past during the nineteenth century when the three age system was developed, a time when finds of [[artifact (archaeology)|artefacts]] were the main goal of an [[archaeological excavation]]. Modern archaeological techniques stress a wider collection of information that has expanded our knowledge of prehistory and rendered neat divisions such as the term 'Stone Age' increasingly obsolete. We now know that the changes in past societies over the millennia were complex and involved multiple factors such as the adoption of [[agriculture]], [[settlement]] or [[religion]] and that tool use is just one unrepresentative indicator of a society's practices and beliefs. Another problem connected with the term Stone Age is that it was created to describe the [[archaeological culture]]s of [[Europe]], and that it is inconvenient to use it in relation to regions such as some parts of the [[Americas]] and [[Oceania]], where [[farmers]] or [[hunter-gatherer]]s used stone for tools until European [[colonisation]] began. Metal-working was a much less important part of people's lives there and it is more useful to use other terms when dividing prehistory in those areas. The same incongruence applies to the Iron Age worldwide, because in the Americas iron (but not copper, [[silver]] or [[gold]]) was unknown until 1492, in Oceania until the 17th century. A Stone Age was usually followed by a [[Bronze Age]], during which [[metalworking]] technology allowed [[bronze]] (copper and [[tin]] or other metals) tools to become more common. The transition out of the Stone Age occurred between 6000 BC and 2500 BC for much of humanity living in North Africa, Asia and Europe. In some regions, such as [[Subsaharan Africa]], the Stone Age was followed directly by an [[Iron Age]]. It is generally believed that the [[Middle East]] and [[southeast Asia|southeastern Asia]]n regions progressed past Stone Age technology around 6000 BC. [[Europe]], and the rest of [[Asia]] became post-Stone Age [[society|societies]] by about 4000 BC. The [[Cultural periods of Peru|proto-Inca]] cultures of [[South America]] continued at a Stone Age level until around 2000 BC, when gold, copper and silver made their entrance, the rest following later. Australia remained in the Stone Age until the 17th century. We also now know that the transition from a Stone Age to a Bronze Age was not a neat switch but a long, gradual process involving the working of gold and copper at what are technically [[Neolithic]] sites. This "transition" period is known as the Copper age or [[Chalcolithic]]. It was a short and more a regional development, because alloying [[tin]] with copper began quite soon, except in regions lacking tin. [[Ötzi the Iceman]] for instance, a [[mummy]] from about [[33rd century BC|3300 BC]] carried with him a copper axe and a flint knife. Stone tool manufacture also continued long into the succeeding metal-using ages, possibly even until the [[Early Middle Ages]]. In Europe and North America, [[millstone]]s were in use until deep the 20th century, and still are in many parts of the world. == Chronology == The [[three-age system]] divides human technological [[prehistory]] into three periods: * The '''Stone Age''' * The [[Bronze Age]] * The [[Iron Age]] New ages and subages were added as new archaeological discoveries were made, and different schemes were developed to describe conditions in different places. A more modern [[periodization]] of the Stone Age stretches from the Paleolithic to the Neolithic in the following scheme (crossing an epoch boundary on the [[geologic time scale]]): * [[Pleistocene]] [[epoch (geology)|epoch]] (highly glaciated climate) ** [[Paleolithic]] age * [[Holocene]] [[epoch (geology)|epoch]] (modern climate) ** [[Mesolithic]] or [[Epipaleolithic]] age ** [[Neolithic]] age ** [[Copper Age]] ** [[Bronze Age]] ** [[Iron Age]] * [[History of the world|Historical period]] (written record begins) ===Paleolithic=== {{Main|Paleolithic}} [[Image:Neanderthal 2D.jpg|right|thumb|125px|Neanderthal hunter ([[American Museum of Natural History]]) ]] The '''Paleolithic''' (or '''Palaeolithic''') (from Greek: παλαιός, ''palaios'', "[[old]]"; and λίθος, ''[[lithos]]'', "stone" lit. "old age of the stone"; was coined by archaeologist [[John Lubbock, 1st Baron Avebury|John Lubbock]] in 1865.) is a [[Prehistory|prehistoric]] era distinguished by the development of [[stone tool]]s. It covers the greatest portion of humanity's time (roughly 99% of human history<ref name=Thoth&Schick>{{cite book |title=Handbook of Paleoanthropology |url=http://www.springerlink.com/content/u68378621542472j/ |author=Nicholas Toth and Kathy Schick |year=2007 |publisher=Springer Berlin Heidelberg |isbn=978-3-540-32474-4 (Print) 978-3-540-33761-4 (Online) |pages=1963 }}</ref>) on [[Earth]], extending from 2.5<ref>[http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761555928/Stone_Age.html "Stone Age," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2007] © 1997-2007 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Contributed by Kathy Schick, B.A., M.A., Ph.D. and Nicholas Toth, B.A., M.A., Ph.D.</ref> or 2.6<ref>{{cite book |title= The Encyclopedia Americana |author=Grolier Incorporated |Url=http://books.google.com/books?id=eRQaAAAAMAAJ&q=the+paleolithic+began+2.6+million+years+ago.&dq=the+paleolithic+began+2.6+million+years+ago.&pgis=1 |year=1989 |publisher=Grolier Incorporated |location=University of Michigan |isbn=ISBN 0717201201 |page=542 }}</ref><ref name=Thoth&Schick>{{cite book |title=Handbook of Paleoanthropology |url=http://www.springerlink.com/content/u68378621542472j/ |author=Nicholas Toth and Kathy Schick |year=2007 |publisher=Springer Berlin Heidelberg |isbn=978-3-540-32474-4 (Print) 978-3-540-33761-4 (Online) |pages=1963 }}</ref> million years ago, with the introduction of stone tools by [[hominid]]s such as ''[[Homo habilis]]'', to the [[Agriculture#History|introduction of agriculture]] and the end of the [[Pleistocene]] around 10,000&nbsp;BC.<ref name=Thoth&Schick>{{cite book |title=Handbook of Paleoanthropology |url=http://www.springerlink.com/content/u68378621542472j/ |author=Nicholas Toth and Kathy Schick |year=2007 |publisher=Springer Berlin Heidelberg |isbn=978-3-540-32474-4 (Print) 978-3-540-33761-4 (Online) |pages=1963 }}</ref><ref>[http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761555928_3/Stone_Age.html "Stone Age," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2007] © 1997-2007 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Contributed by Kathy Schick, B.A., M.A., Ph.D. and Nicholas Toth, B.A., M.A., Ph.D.</ref><ref>{{cite book |title= The Encyclopedia Americana |author=Grolier Incorporated |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=eRQaAAAAMAAJ&q=the+paleolithic+began+2.6+million+years+ago.&dq=the+paleolithic+began+2.6+million+years+ago.&pgis=1 |year=1989 |publisher=Grolier Incorporated |location=University of Michigan |isbn=ISBN 0717201201 |page=542 }}</ref> The Paleolithic era ended with the [[Mesolithic]], or in areas with an early [[Neolithic Revolution|neolithisation]], the [[Epipaleolithic]]. During the Paleolithic humans were grouped together in small scale societies such as [[Band society|bands]] and gained their subsistence from gathering plants and hunting wild animals.<ref name="McClellan">{{cite book | author=McClellan|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=aJgp94zNwNQC&printsec=frontcover#PPA11 | title=Science and Technology in World History: An Introduction| location=Baltimore, Maryland | publisher=JHU Press | year=2006 | id=ISBN 0801883601}} [http://books.google.com/books?id=aJgp94zNwNQC&printsec=frontcover#PPA8 Page 6-12 ]</ref> The Paleolithic is characterized by the use of [[Lithic reduction|knapped]] stone [[tool]]s, although at the time, humans also used wood and bone tools. Other organic commodities were adapted for use as tools, including leather and vegetable fibers; however, given their nature, these have not been preserved to any great degree. Humankind gradually evolved from early members of the genus ''[[Homo genus|Homo]]'' such as ''[[Homo habilis]]'' who used simple stone tools into fully behaviorally and anatomically modern humans (''[[Homo sapiens sapiens]]'') during the Paleolithic era.<ref>[http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761566394/Human_Evolution.html "Human Evolution," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2007] © 1997-2007 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Contributed by Richard B. Potts, B.A., Ph.D.</ref> During the end of the Paleolithic specifically the Middle and or Upper Paleolithic humans began to produce the earliest works of art and engage in religious and spiritual behavior such as burial and ritual.<ref>{{cite book |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=3tS2MULo5rYC&pg=PA162&dq=Uniquely+Human+cognitive-linguistic+base&ei=nNUeR9fmBo74pwKwtKnMDg&sig=3UsvgAnE5B-vzb55I6W6OqqhJy4| title=Uniquely Human|Author=phillip lieberman|isbn=0674921836| year=1991|}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=xCa5zfefWVUC&printsec=frontcover&vq=Middle+Paleolithic&rview=1&source=gbs_summary_r#PPA133,M1 |title=African Foragers: Environment, Technology, Interactions |last=Kusimba |first=Sibel |year=2003 |publisher=Rowman Altamira |isbn=ISBN 075910154X |pages=285 }}</ref><ref name=ScienceDaily>World's Oldest Ritual Discovered -- Worshipped The Python 70,000 Years Ago The Research Council of Norway (2006, November 30). World's Oldest Ritual Discovered -- Worshipped The Python 70,000 Years Ago. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 2, 2008, fromhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/11/061130081347.htm</ref><ref name="McClellan">{{cite book | author=McClellan|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=aJgp94zNwNQC&printsec=frontcover#PPA11 | title=Science and Technology in World History: An Introduction| location=Baltimore, Maryland | publisher=JHU Press | year=2006 | id=ISBN 0801883601}} [http://books.google.com/books?id=aJgp94zNwNQC&printsec=frontcover#PPA8 Page 6-12 ]</ref> The climate during the Paleolithic consisted of a set of glacial and interglacial periods in which the climate periodically fluctuated between warm and cool temperatures. ''See also: [[Human evolution]]'' ====Lower Palaeolithic==== {{main|Lower Palaeolithic}} Near the end of the [[Pliocene]] [[epoch]] in Africa, an early ancestor of modern humans, called ''[[Homo habilis]]'', developed the earliest known stone tools. These were relatively simple tools known as [[Chopper (archaeology)|choppers]]. ''Homo habilis'' is presumed to have mastered the [[Oldowan]] era tool case which utilized stone [[lithic flake|flakes]] and [[lithic core|cores]]. This [[archaeological industry|industry]] of stone tools is named after the site of [[Oldupai Gorge]] in [[Tanzania]]. These humans likely subsisted on scavenged meat and wild plants, rather than hunted [[prey]]. Around 1.5 million years ago, a more evolved human species, ''[[Homo erectus]]'', appeared. ''H. erectus'' learned to control fire and created more complex chopper tools, as well as expanding [[Single-origin hypothesis|out of Africa]] to reach Asia, as shown by sites such as [[Zhoukoudian]] in [[China]]. By 1 million years ago, the earliest evidence of humans in Europe is known, as well use of the more advanced [[handaxe]] tool. ====Middle Palaeolithic==== {{main|Middle Palaeolithic}} This period began about 200,000 years ago and is most well-known as being the era during which the [[Neanderthal]]s lived (c. 120,000&ndash;35,000 years ago). The stone artefact technology of the Neanderthals is generally known as the [[Mousterian]]. The Neanderthals eventually disappeared from the archaeological record, replaced by modern humans who first appeared in [[Ethiopia]] around 100,000 years ago. Although often identified in the public's mind as primitive, there is evidence that Neanderthals nursed their elderly and practised [[ritual]] burial indicating an organised society. The earliest evidence of settlement in [[Australia]] dates [[History of Australia before 1901|to around 40,000 years ago]] when modern humans likely crossed from Asia by hopping from island to island. Middle Palaeolithic peoples demonstrate the earliest undisputed evidence for [[art]] and other expressions of abstract thought such as intentional burial of the dead. ====Upper Palaeolithic==== [[Image:Paleo ptg lascaux unicorn.jpg|thumb|The [[cave art]] of [[Lascaux]] is an example of Upper Palaeolithic culture]] {{main|Upper Palaeolithic}} From 35,000 to 10,000 years ago (the end of the [[last ice age]]) modern humans spread out further across the [[Earth]] during the period known as the Upper Palaeolithic. After the arrival of the first modern humans ([[Cro-Magnon]]s) in Europe a relatively rapid succession of often complex stone artefact technologies took place during this period, including the [[Châtelperronian]], [[Aurignacian]], [[Solutrean]], [[Gravettian]] and [[Magdalenian]]. The Americas were colonised via the [[Bering land bridge]] which was exposed during this period by lower sea levels. These people are called the [[Paleo Indians]], and the earliest accepted dates are those of the [[Clovis culture]] sites, some 13,500 years ago. Globally, societies were [[hunter-gatherer]]s but evidence of regional identities begins to appear in the wide variety of stone tool types being developed to suit different environments. ===Epipalaeolithic/Mesolithic=== :''Main articles: [[Epipalaeolithic]], [[Mesolithic]]'' The period between the end of the last ice age, 10,000 years ago to around 6,000 years ago, was characterised by rising sea levels and a need to adapt to a changing environment and find new food sources. The development of [[microlith]] tools began in response to these changes. They were derived from the previous Palaeolithic tools, hence the term Epipalaeolithic. However, in Europe the term [[Mesolithic]] (Middle Stone Age) is used, as the tools (and way of life) were imported from the [[Ancient Near East|Near East]]. There, microlith tools permitted more efficient hunting, while more complex settlements, such as [[Lepenski Vir]] developed based around fishing. Domestication of the [[dog]] as a hunting companion probably dates to this period. The earliest known battle occurred during the Mesolithic period at a site in Egypt known as [[Cemetery 117]]. === Neolithic === {{Main|Neolithic}} [[Image:Skara Brae house 9.jpg|thumb|[[Skara Brae]], [[Scotland]]. [[Europe]]'s most complete [[Neolithic]] village]] The [[Neolithic]], New Stone Age, was characterized by the adoption of [[agriculture]], the so-called [[Neolithic Revolution]], the development of [[pottery]] and more complex, larger settlements such as [[Çatal Hüyük]] and [[Jericho]]. The first Neolithic cultures started around 7000 BC in the [[fertile crescent]]. Agriculture and the culture it led to spread to the [[Mediterranean]], the [[Indus valley]], [[China]] and [[Southeast Asia]]. Due to the increased need to harvest and process plants, ground stone and polished stone artifacts became much more widespread, including tools for grinding, cutting, and chopping. The first large-scale constructions were built, including settlement towers and walls, eg: [[Jericho]] and ceremonial sites, eg: [[Stonehenge]]. These show that there was sufficient resources and co-operation to enable large groups to work on these projects. To what extent this was a basis for the development of elites and social hierarchies is a matter of on-going debate.<ref> Ian Kuijt (2000) [http://books.google.com/books?id=kz79KLC6yLoC&pg=PA316&dq=neolithic+society+(general+information)&lr=&sig=Cfzhgod1DrWCne5b61g8GHsS3PI#PPA317,M1 "Life in Neolithic Farming Communities: Social Organization, Identity, and differentiation" page 317] Springer press </ref> Although some late Neolithic societies formed complex stratified chiefdoms similar to Polynesian societies such as the [[Ancient Hawaii]]ans, most Neolithic societies were relatively simple and [[egalitarian]]<ref>{{cite book |title=Evolutionary Origins of Morality: Cross-disciplinary Perspectives |author=Leonard D. KatzRigby |url= http://books.google.com/books?id=inmTyPPdR5oC&pg=RA1-PA158&dq=Neolithic+egalitarianism&lr=&sig=VOAK5WWAg2del4rIQKQIaQ4EGzQ#PRA1-PA158,M1|year=2000 |location=United kingdom|pages=352 |ibsn=0719056128 |publisher=Imprint Academic}} Page 158</ref> though Neolithic cultures were noticeably more hierarchical than the [[Paleolithic]] cultures that preceded them and [[Hunter-gatherer]] cultures in general.<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=3u6JNwMyMCEC&pg=PA422&lpg=PA422&dq=paleolithic+history+violence&source=web&ots=JLvUQmZfSv&sig=CREh_uTCaX3MR8Ncw5ZTp7lUtvA#PPA420,M1 Guthrie, pg 420.]</ref> The earliest evidence for established [[trade]] exists in the [[Neolithic]] with newly settled people importing exotic goods over distances of many hundreds of miles. [[Skara Brae]] located on [[Orkney]] island off [[Scotland]] is one of [[Europe]]'s best examples of a Neolithic village. The community contains stone beds, shelves and even an indoor toilet linked to a stream. == Material culture == === Food and drink === [[Food]] sources of the [[hunter-gatherer]] humans of the Stone Age included both animals and plants that were part of the [[environment (biophysical)|environment]] in which these humans lived. These humans liked animal [[organ (anatomy)|organ]] meats, including the [[liver]]s, [[kidney]]s and [[brain]]s. They consumed little [[dairy product]] or [[carbohydrate]]-rich plant foods like [[legume]]s or [[cereal grain]]s. They also ate leaves and roots. They hunted animals.{{Fact|date=December 2007}} Large seeded [[legume]]s were part of the human diet long before the [[neolithic]] agricultural revolution as evident from archaeobotanical finds from the [[Mousterian]] layers of [[Kebara Cave]], in Israel.<ref name="doi10.1016/j.jas.2004.11.006">{{cite journal |author=Efraim Lev, Mordechai E. Kislev, Ofer Bar-Yosef |title=Mousterian vegetal food in Kebara Cave, Mt. Carmel |journal=Journal of Archaeological Science |volume=32 |issue=3 |pages=475–484 |year=March 2005 |doi=10.1016/j.jas.2004.11.006}}</ref> Moreover, recent evidence indicates that humans processed and consumed wild cereal grains as far back as 23,000 years ago in the [[Upper Paleolithic]].<ref name="pmid15295598">{{cite journal |author=Piperno DR, Weiss E, Holst I, Nadel D. |title=Processing of wild cereal grains in the Upper Palaeolithic revealed by starch grain analysis. |journal=Nature |volume=430 |issue=7000 |pages=670–3 |year=2004 Aug 5 |pmid=15295598 |doi=10.1038/nature02734 |url=http://anthropology.si.edu/archaeobio/Ohalo%20II%20Nature.pdf}}</ref> Near the end of the [[Wisconsin glaciation]], 15,000 to 9,000 years ago, the [[Megafauna]] occurred in [[Asia]], [[Europe]], [[North America]] and [[Australia]]. This was the first [[Holocene extinction event]]. This event possibly forced modification in the dietary habits of the humans of that age and with the emergence of [[agricultural practices]], plant-based foods also became a regular part of the diet. This extinction may have been caused by humans over hunting wild game animals such as the [[Wooly mammoth]] although other scientists believe that the megafauna extinction was instead caused by climate change. {{Cquote|The first [[wine-tasting]] may have occurred when [[Paleolithic]] humans slurped the juice of naturally [[fermentation (food)|fermented]] [[wild grapes]] from animal-skin pouches or crude wooden [[bowl (vessel)|bowl]]s.|||William Cocke|[[National Geographic News]]}} === Shelter and habitat === [[Image:Paulnabrone.jpg|thumb||[[Poulnabrone dolmen]] in [[County Clare]], [[Ireland]]]] Around 2 million years ago, [[Homo habilis]] is believed to have constructed the first man-made structure in [[East Africa]], consisting of simple arrangements of stones to hold branches of trees in position. A similar stone circular arrangement believed to be around 500 thousand years old was discovered at [[Terra Amata]], near [[Nice]], [[France]]. Several human habitats dating back to the Stone Age have been discovered around the globe, including: * A tent-like structure inside a cave near the [[Grotte du Lazaret]], [[Nice]], [[France]]. * A [[Dolní Věstonice (archaeology)|structure]] with roof supported with timber, discovered in [[Dolni Vestonice]], [[Czechoslovakia]], dates to around 23,000 BC. The walls were made of packed clay blocks and stones. * Many huts made of [[mammoth]] bones were found in [[Eastern Europe]] and [[Siberia]]. The people who made these huts were expert mammoth hunters. Examples have been found along the [[Dniepr]] river valley of [[Ukraine]], including near [[Chernihiv]], in [[Moravia]], [[Czech Republic]] and in southern [[Poland]]. * An animal hide tent dated to around 15000 to [[10000 BC]], in the [[Magdalenian]], was discovered at Plateau Parain, [[France]]. * [[Megalithic tomb]]s, multi-chambered and [[dolmen]]s, single-chambered, were [[Grave (burial)|graves]] with a huge stone slab stacked over other similarly large stone slabs. They have been discovered all across [[Europe]] and [[Asia]] and were built in the [[Neolithic]]. Several tombs with copper and bronze tools have also been discovered, illustrating the problems of attempting to define periods based on technology. ===Art=== [[Pre-historic art]] can only be traced from surviving artefacts. [[Prehistoric music]] is inferred from found instruments, while [[parietal art]] can be found on rocks of any kind. The latter are petroglyphs and rock paintings. The art may or may not have had a [[religion|religious]] function. ====Petroglyphs==== {{main|Petroglyph}} [[Petroglyph]]s appeared in the New Stone Age, commonly known as Neolithic period. A Petroglyph is an abstract or symbolic image recorded on stone, usually by prehistoric peoples, by means of ''carving'', pecking or otherwise incised on natural rock surfaces. They were a dominant form or pre-writing symbols used in communication. Petroglyphs have been discovered in different parts of the world, including [[Asia]] ([[Bhimbetka|Bhimbetka, India]]), [[North America]] ([[Death Valley National Park]]), [[South America]] ([[Cumbe Mayo]], [[Peru]]), and Europe ([[Rock carvings at Alta|Finnmark, Norway]]). ====Rock paintings==== [[Image:Bhimbetka rock paintng1.jpg|thumb|left|250px|A rock painting at Bhimbetka, India, a [[World heritage site]]]] {{main|Cave painting}} Rock paintings were ''painted'' on rock and were more naturalistic depictions than petroglyphs. In paleolithic times, the representation of humans in cave paintings was rare. Mostly, animals were painted: not only animals that were used as food but also animals that represented strength like the [[rhinoceros]] or large [[Felidae|cats]] (as in the [[Chauvet Cave]]). Signs like dots were sometimes drawn. Rare human representations include handprints and half-human/half-animal figures. The Cave of Chauvet in the [[Ardèche]] ''[[département]]'', France, contains the most important preserved cave paintings of the paleolithic era, painted around 31,000 BC. The [[Altamira (cave)|Altamira]] cave paintings in [[Spain]] were done 14,000 to 12,000 BC and show, among others, [[bison]]s. The hall of bulls in [[Lascaux]], [[Dordogne]], France, is one of the best known cave paintings from about 15,000 to 10,000 BC. The meaning of the paintings remains unknown. The caves were not in an inhabited area, so they may have been used for seasonal rituals. The animals are accompanied by signs which suggest a possible magic use. Arrow-like symbols in Lascaux are sometimes interpreted as [[calendar]] or [[almanac]] use. But the evidence remains inconclusive.{{Fact|date=July 2008}} The most important work of the Mesolithic era were the marching Warriors, a rock painting at Cingle de la Mola, [[Castellón]] in Spain dated to about 7,000&ndash;4,000 BC. The technique used was probably spitting or blowing the pigments onto the rock. The paintings are quite naturalistic, though stylized. The figures are not three-dimensional, even though they overlap.{{Fact|date=July 2008}} ===Stone Age rituals and beliefs=== Modern studies and the in-depth analysis of finds dating from the Stone Age indicate certain rituals and beliefs of the people in those prehistoric times. It is now believed that activities of the Stone Age humans went beyond the immediate requirements of procuring food, body coverings, and shelters. Specific rites relating to death and burial were practiced, though certainly differing in style and execution between cultures. Several Stone Age-dated sites of the in different parts of the world indicate traces of [[dancing]], dancing in files, and initiation rites.{{Fact|date=July 2008}} == Popular culture == As a [[slang]] term, "Stone Age" is sometimes used to describe living tribal peoples, to imply "backwardness". In 2007, the Association of Social Anthropologists called the term "offensive" when applied to any living peoples, saying such language has been used "as a pretext for depriving such peoples of land and other resources". {{Cquote|All anthropologists would agree that the negative use of the terms "primitive" and "stone age" to describe tribal peoples has serious implications for their welfare.||||[[BBC News]]}} The image of the [[caveman]] is commonly associated with the Stone Age. For example, the 2003 [[documentary series]] showing the evolution of humans through the Stone Age was called ''[[Walking with Cavemen]]'', although only the last programme showed humans living in caves. While the idea that human beings and [[dinosaur]]s coexisted is sometimes portrayed in popular culture in cartoons, films and computer games, such as ''[[The Flintstones]]'' and ''[[One Million Years B.C.]]'', the notion of primates and dinosaurs co-existing is not supported by any scientific evidence. Other depictions of the Stone Age include the best-selling ''[[Earth's Children]]'' series of books by [[Jean M. Auel]], which are set in the [[Palaeolithic]] and are loosely based on archaeological and [[anthropology|anthropological]] findings. The 1981 [[film]] ''[[Quest for Fire]]'' by [[Jean-Jacques Annaud]] tells the story of a group of humans searching for their lost fire. The phrase "bomb them back into the Stone Age", was made by then [[Chief of Staff]], [[US Air Force]] General [[Curtis E. Lemay]], when in 1965, he made the statement towards the North Vietnamese, during the [[Vietnam War]]; "They've got to draw in their horns and stop their aggression, or ''we're going to bomb them back into the stone age.''" The gist of that statement implied a fierce aerial attack that would have utterly destroyed its target's [[infrastructure]], forcing its survivors to revert to primitive technology in order to survive. == See also == * [[Human evolution]] * [[Lithic reduction]] * [[Megalith]] * [[Prehistoric music]] * [[Prehistoric warfare]] * [[Stone age diet]] (also know as the [[Paleolithic diet]], it is a modern diet that seeks to replicate the dietary habits of Stone Age hunter-gatherers) * [[Three-age system]] == Notes == * {{Cite book|last=Scarre|first=Christopher (ed.)|year=1988|title=Past Worlds: The Times Atlas of Archaeology|publisher=Times Books|location=London|id=ISBN 0-7230-0306-8}} * {{Cite book|last=Schick|first=Kathy D.|coauthors=Nicholas Toth|title=Making Silent Stones Speak: Human Evolution and the Dawn of Technology|publisher=Simon & Schuster|location=New York|year=1993|id=ISBN 0-671-69371-9}} == References == {{Reflist}} == External links == {{Commonscat|Stone Age}} * [http://history-world.org/stone_age.htm The Stone Age] * [http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/w/x/wxk116/axe/ Stone Age Handaxes] * [http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/w/x/wxk116/habitat/ Stone Age Habitats] {{Three-age system of Archaeology}} [[Category:Stone Age| ]] [[Category:Periods and stages in archaeology|Stone Age]] [[af:Steentydperk]] [[als:Steinzeit]] [[ar:عصر حجري]] [[an:Edat de Piedra]] [[ast:Edá de Piedra]] [[bn:প্রস্তর যুগ]] [[be:Каменны век]] [[be-x-old:Каменны век]] [[bg:Каменна ера]] [[ca:Edat de pedra]] [[cs:Doba kamenná]] [[cy:Oes y Cerrig]] [[da:Stenalder]] [[de:Steinzeit]] [[et:Kiviaeg]] [[el:Εποχή του Λίθου]] [[es:Edad de Piedra]] [[eo:Ŝtonepoko]] [[eu:Harri Aro]] [[fa:عصر سنگ]] [[fr:Âge de la pierre]] [[fy:Stientiid]] [[gan:石器時代]] [[ko:석기 시대]] [[hi:पाषाण युग]] [[hr:Kameno doba]] [[io:Petr-epoko]] [[id:Zaman Batu]] [[is:Steinöld]] [[it:Età della pietra]] [[he:תקופת האבן]] [[lv:Akmens laikmets]] [[lt:Akmens amžius]] [[mk:Камено доба]] [[ml:ശിലായുഗം]] [[ms:Zaman Batu]] [[mn:Чулуун зэвсгийн үе]] [[nl:Steentijd]] [[ja:石器時代]] [[no:Steinalderen]] [[nn:Steinalderen]] [[oc:Edat de la pèira]] [[pms:Età dla pera]] [[nds:Steentiet]] [[pl:Epoka kamienia]] [[pt:Idade da Pedra]] [[ro:Epoca de piatră]] [[ru:Каменный век]] [[scn:Etati dâ Petra]] [[simple:Stone Age]] [[sl:Kamena doba]] [[sr:Камено доба]] [[fi:Kivikausi]] [[szl:Epoka kamjyńa]] [[sv:Stenåldern]] [[th:ยุคหิน]] [[tr:Taş Devri]] [[tl:Panahon ng Bato]] [[uk:Кам’яна доба]] [[yi:שטיין עפאכע]] [[zh-yue:石器時代]] [[zh:石器時代]]