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200
The New Stone Age
The New Stone Age, or Neolithic Agre, started around 8000 B.C. and ended around 3000 B.C. The prehistoric people living during this age discovered the invention of polishing stone tools, making pottery and jewlery, growing crops, and raising animals. The Neolithic Age was more advanced than the Paleolithic Age. Some of the many accomplishments were the invention of tools, fire, and the development of language. -
300
The Bronze Age
The Bronze Age was a period when people began using bronze, instead of copper and stone, to make tools and weapons. It started in Sumer around 3000 B.C. The Bronze Age is more advanced than the stone age; artifacts and tools were made of carved stone. This period ended around 1200 B.C. -
400
Australopithecines
Australopithecines were a group of hominids that lived from 4 million to 1 million B.C. They were found in southern and eastern Africa. They were the first humanlike creature to walk upright. -
500
Homo habilis
Homo habilis lived from 2.5 million to 1.5 million B.C. They were discovered in East Africa and they were the first hominids to make stone tools, which made survival easier. -
Sep 5, 600
Homo erectus
Homo erectus lived from 1.6 million to 30,000 B.C. They were found in Africa, Asia, and Europe. Homo erectus means "upright man." They were smarter and more advanced than Homo habilis, and they were the first ones to develop technology. They were good hunters and developed better tools. They were the first hominids to migrate from Africa and settled in India, China, Southeast Asia, and Europe. They were also the first to use fire and developed the first words of language. -
Sep 5, 1200
Cro- Magnons
Cro-magnons lived from 40,000 to 8000 B.C. They were found in Europe, and they are fully modern humans. They were the first hominids to create art. They are classified as early groups of Homo sapiens, and are powerfully built. They migrated from North Africa to Europe and Asia. They made new tools and planned their hunts. Their advanced hunting skills allowed them to survive better in harsh conditions. They advanced in language and were able to communicate with one another. -
Sep 5, 1300
Homo sapiens
It is said that Homo erectus later developed into Homo sapierns, which means "wise men." Homo sapiens are the species name for modern humans. While they looked like Homo erectus, Homo sapiens were much more intelligent and had larger brains. -
Sep 5, 1300
Cave paintings
The discoveries on cave walls of drawings of people and animals date back to as early as 35,000 years ago. This gives information about the activities, hunting, and religious practices of prehistoric people. -
Sep 5, 1500
Nomads
Nomads were people who migrated from place to place finding new sources of food. Nomadic peoples' food supply depended on hunting animals and collecting plant foods, and these people were also known as hunter- gatherers. They invented tools to increase their food supplies, for example: spears would kill game from far distances, and digging sticks would ply plants loose from the ground. They launched a technological revolution and made many different tools. -
The Neolithic Revolution
The Neolithic Revolution, or the agricultural revolution, was a change from food- gathering to food- producing culture that started about 10,000 years ago. This represents one of the great breakthroughs in history. Climate change was the main reason why the agricultural revolution occurred during this period. Farming provided a steady source of food. Prehistoric people practiced slash-and- burning and domestication. -
Jarmo
Jarmo is an agricultural site located in northern Iraq. An agricultural settlement was built here about 9,000 years ago. Jarmo began a new era and foundation for modern life. The site was discovered by the Iraqi Directorate of Antiquities in 1940. It's known as one of the oldest agricultural communities in the world, dating back to 7000 B.C.E. -
Catal Huyuk
Archaeologists found the agricultural village, Catal Huyuk, or the "forked mound," in south-central Turkey, near a twin volcano. About 8,000 years ago, the village was home to about 6,000 people. It's rich soil produced crops, villagers raised sheep and cattle, and the village was home to many skilled workers. The settlement was known for its obsidian (volcanic ash) products. Catal Huyuk existed in 7500 BC to 5700 BC. It is the best preserved Neolithic site found today. -
The Old Stone Age
The more previous and longer part of the Stone Age, known as the Old Stone Age, or Paleolithic Age, lasted from approximately 2.5 million to 8000 B.C. Most of this age occurred during the Ice Age, which was a period in history in which glaciers moved and receded as many as 18 times. By the beginning of the Neolithic Age, these glaciers had retreated to about the same spot they currently occupy. During the Paleolithic Age, hominids were introduced to the invention of tools. -
Neanderthal
Neanderthals lived from 200,000 to 30,000 B.C. They were found in Europe and Southwest Asia. They were the first hominids to develop beliefs and perform rituals. They were also the first to have ritual burials. Neanderthals are early groups of Homo sapiens, but are not ancestors of modern humans. They often competed with Cro- Magnons for food and land. Neanderthals were powerfully built, with big muscles and thick bones. -
Sumer
When the population of early farming villages increased, social relationships weren't as easy to maintain. The change from a hunting/gathering village to a more civilized/settled village took a long time. Historians think the one of the very first civilizations started in Sumer. Complex institutions, record keeping formed. Sumer civillians were among the first to start using bronze for tools and weapons, starting the Bronze Age. Located in mesopotamia, Sumer was in part of a modern Iraq region. -
Ur
Ur was located in southern Iraq and was one of the earliest cities in Sumer. Ur was a very advanced civilization and prehistoric people lived in "well-defined" scoial classes. About 5,000 years ago, the irrigation system flourished in Ur, making their economy thrive. The people of Ur would often trade, or barter, with one another. The temple was a very important building in Ur. Priests would often conduct rituals to their city god. The Sumerian civilization was advancing immensley. -
Mary Leakey
Mary Leakey was a British archeaologist /anthropologist who found the first skull of a fossil ape. During her career she worked with her husband, Louis Leakey, finding tools and fossils of ancient hominids. She discovered Laetoli foorprints in volcanic ash. These footprints were made by australopithecines. When her husband died she became a leading paleontologist. -
Donald Johanson
Donald Johanson, an anthropologist, and his team were discovering fossils in the sites of Ethiopia. In 1974, Johanson and his team made a incredible discovery, a complete skeleton of an adult female hominid. They named her "Lucy", after the song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds." She is about 3.5 million years old, which is the oldest hominid found. -
Neolithic Ice Man
The Neolithic Ice Man is a well preserved natural nummy of a prehistoric traveler who lived in ice for about 5,000 years. A tool kit found near him provided us with information about the technology of tool making back then. He was found in September 1991 on the border of Austria and Italy. -
Toumai
A group of scientist disvoered a skull in Chad that was about 6 to 7 million years old. The skull was similar to a modern chimpanzee with the same brain capacity. Toumai, which means "hope of life," was the earliest human ancestor so far found. A group of scientists also discovered a 2.33- million- year- old jaw from Ethiopia, which is the oldest fossil leading the line to humans. Reserachers also discvoered a bone flute about 43,000 to 82,000 years old in 1996.
