Precursors of Civilization--Lower to Upper Paleolithic

Describe the evolution of bipedalism, of toolmaking, and of language as evidence by artifacts and art.

1. Precursors of CivilizationPrecursors of Civilization
Lower to Upper PaleolithicLower to Upper Paleolithic

2. Introduction to the PeriodsIntroduction to the Periods
•Pre-toolmaking hominins: AustralopithecinesPre-toolmaking hominins: Australopithecines
•Lower Paleolithic: Choppers and HandaxesLower Paleolithic: Choppers and Handaxes
•Middle Paleolithic: Flake Tool TechnologyMiddle Paleolithic: Flake Tool Technology
•Upper Paleolithic: Specialized Tools, Rise of the Upper Paleolithic: Specialized Tools, Rise of the
ArtsArts
•Mesolithic: Rise of Settlements (Nittano, Japan)Mesolithic: Rise of Settlements (Nittano, Japan)
•Neolithic: Domestication of Plants and AnimalsNeolithic: Domestication of Plants and Animals

3. Lucy: a.k.a Australopithecus Lucy: a.k.a Australopithecus
AfarensisAfarensis
•No, no, not No, no, not that that Lucy!Lucy!
•Jeeves, can’t you get Jeeves, can’t you get anythinganything right? right?

4. Australopithecus Afarensis and Australopithecus Afarensis and
Homo Sapiens Homo Sapiens
•Notice the following: Notice the following:
•Apelike features, such asApelike features, such as
•Heavy brow ridgeHeavy brow ridge
•Forward-projecting lower faceForward-projecting lower face
•Long armsLong arms
•Curved fingersCurved fingers
•Humanlike features, likeHumanlike features, like
•S-shaped vertebraeS-shaped vertebrae
•Bowl-shaped pelvisBowl-shaped pelvis
•Arched feetArched feet
•Hands capable of manipulationHands capable of manipulation

5. Homo habilis: The HandymanHomo habilis: The Handyman
•Notice its brow ridges and its Notice its brow ridges and its
sloping foreheadsloping forehead
•But its face is somewhat But its face is somewhat
flatterflatter
•And its teeth are smallAnd its teeth are small
•Average cranial capacity was Average cranial capacity was
680 cubic centimeters680 cubic centimeters
•Compare that with Lucy’s Compare that with Lucy’s
kind: 440 cc. on averagekind: 440 cc. on average
•Chimps average 400 ccChimps average 400 cc

6. Homo habilisHomo habilis and the Oldowan and the Oldowan
TraditionTradition
•The first known toolmaker (upper The first known toolmaker (upper
left)left)
•His cranial capacity averaged 680 His cranial capacity averaged 680
cubic centimeters, compared to 440 cubic centimeters, compared to 440
of A. afarensis’s skullof A. afarensis’s skull
•Hands were better adapted; fingers Hands were better adapted; fingers
were not curvedwere not curved
•Choppers (lower left) involved Choppers (lower left) involved
knapping a few flakes off the coreknapping a few flakes off the core
•Both cores and flakes were used.Both cores and flakes were used.

7. Homo erectusHomo erectus or or ergasterergaster
Note:Note:
•Apelike but larger Apelike but larger
craniumcranium
•Postcranial SkeletonPostcranial Skeleton
•Vertebrae: S ShapedVertebrae: S Shaped
•Ribcage: Not funnel Ribcage: Not funnel
shaped, now like oursshaped, now like ours
•Pelvis: Bowl shapedPelvis: Bowl shaped
•Angle of ThighboneAngle of Thighbone

8. Homo erectus, the Acheulean Homo erectus, the Acheulean
Handaxe, and FireHandaxe, and Fire
•Notice the following;Notice the following;
•Homo erectus is fully bipedalHomo erectus is fully bipedal
•Cranial capacity is 1000 cc on averageCranial capacity is 1000 cc on average
•Has learned to control fire (above left)Has learned to control fire (above left)
•Signature tool: a well-designed Signature tool: a well-designed
handaxe, very symmetrical, with 25-75 handaxe, very symmetrical, with 25-75
retouches. retouches.
•Handaxe had multiple uses, from Handaxe had multiple uses, from
cutting to chopping to piercing.cutting to chopping to piercing.

9. Homo heidelbergensisHomo heidelbergensis or or “Archaic” “Archaic” Homo Homo
sapienssapiens
•Left: Skull. Note heavy brow ridge, prognathismLeft: Skull. Note heavy brow ridge, prognathism
•Right:: Artist’s conception of “Heidelberg Man”Right:: Artist’s conception of “Heidelberg Man”

10. Levallois Flake and Flaking Levallois Flake and Flaking
TechniqueTechnique

11. Manufacturing Levallois Cores Manufacturing Levallois Cores
and Flakesand Flakes
•Knapper drew outline of flake on stone moduleKnapper drew outline of flake on stone module
•Strikes flake of desired shapeStrikes flake of desired shape
•This required knowledge of the rock’s pattern of This required knowledge of the rock’s pattern of
fracturefracture
•H. heidelbergensis prepared the rock beforehand H. heidelbergensis prepared the rock beforehand
to control how it would break when it was to control how it would break when it was
struck and so ensure that the right shape (e.g. struck and so ensure that the right shape (e.g.
cutting, perforation, piercing) was producedcutting, perforation, piercing) was produced

12. Homo neanderthalensis Homo neanderthalensis or or
NeanderthalsNeanderthals
•A controversial figureA controversial figure
•Some say they were a lot like Some say they were a lot like
us, and that we might have us, and that we might have
his geneshis genes
•Others would say that they Others would say that they
were too different from us to were too different from us to
even be our ancestors. even be our ancestors.
•Top: a preconceived notion Top: a preconceived notion
of Neanderthal as “caveman”of Neanderthal as “caveman”
•Bottom: artists conception of Bottom: artists conception of
Neanderthal childNeanderthal child

13. Humanlike Attributes of Humanlike Attributes of
NeanderthalsNeanderthals
•In Shanidar, Iraq, the Neanderthals In Shanidar, Iraq, the Neanderthals
show signs of compassion.show signs of compassion.
•One individual had a disability, yet One individual had a disability, yet
lived to be 40 yearslived to be 40 years
•They also seemed to have a They also seemed to have a
conception of an afterlifeconception of an afterlife
•As shown by the actual burial site at As shown by the actual burial site at
La Ferrassie, France, with seven La Ferrassie, France, with seven
tombs including a man, a woman and tombs including a man, a woman and
several children’s graves lying side by several children’s graves lying side by
side (above).side (above).
•An artist’s conception of a burial An artist’s conception of a burial
taking place in Shanidar (below)taking place in Shanidar (below)

14. Mousterian TraditionMousterian Tradition
•Positively identified with NeanderhalsPositively identified with Neanderhals
•Le Moustier, France is a Neanderthal siteLe Moustier, France is a Neanderthal site
•Belongs to Belongs to Middle PaleolithicMiddle Paleolithic
•More sophisticated than Oldowan or Acheulean, More sophisticated than Oldowan or Acheulean,
both both Lower PaleolithicLower Paleolithic
•François Bordes François Bordes categorizes the Mousterian categorizes the Mousterian
into 63 typesinto 63 types

15. Mousterian Tool AssemblageMousterian Tool Assemblage
•Sample includes scrapers, points, and handaxesSample includes scrapers, points, and handaxes
•Other types included notched objects (probably for spear shafts), burins for Other types included notched objects (probably for spear shafts), burins for
engraving, and knivesengraving, and knives

16. Chatelperronian: First of the Upper Chatelperronian: First of the Upper
PaleolithicPaleolithic
•Here are the later tools made Here are the later tools made
by Neanderthals, the by Neanderthals, the
Chatelperronian Chatelperronian
•Compare the Compare the
Chatelperronian point with Chatelperronian point with
the scraper and burin from the scraper and burin from
thethe
•Blades, characteristic of the Blades, characteristic of the
Upper Paleolithic, are at least Upper Paleolithic, are at least
twice as long as they are twice as long as they are
wide, and usually longerwide, and usually longer

17. Upper Paleolithic: The Great Upper Paleolithic: The Great
Leap Forward?Leap Forward?
•Probably begins about 50,000 BPProbably begins about 50,000 BP
•Primary AttributesPrimary Attributes
•Shift from flake tools to blades, and more recent sites Shift from flake tools to blades, and more recent sites
yield small and smaller blades--microbladesyield small and smaller blades--microblades
•Populations subsist on greater range of animal and plant Populations subsist on greater range of animal and plant
speciesspecies
•The sites themselves increase in sizeThe sites themselves increase in size
•Increase of bone, antler, ivory, shell, and other materials Increase of bone, antler, ivory, shell, and other materials
for toolsfor tools

18. Upper Paleolithic: Associated Upper Paleolithic: Associated
AttributesAttributes
•Associated AttributesAssociated Attributes
•Greater use of “imported” goods: Greater use of “imported” goods:
•Raw materials found that are obtainable only at Raw materials found that are obtainable only at
great distances from inhabited sites.great distances from inhabited sites.
•This either suggests long distance travel or more This either suggests long distance travel or more
likely trade.likely trade.
•More elaborate burials, with grave goods.More elaborate burials, with grave goods.
•Appearance and elaborate use of symbols and Appearance and elaborate use of symbols and
works of art.works of art.

19. Upper Paleolithic: The BladesUpper Paleolithic: The Blades
•Blades begin roughly 40,000 Years BPBlades begin roughly 40,000 Years BP
•Comparative efficiencyComparative efficiency
•Levallois cores may produce 5 flakesLevallois cores may produce 5 flakes
•Many more blades could be produced from Many more blades could be produced from
same core--and with longer cutting edgesame core--and with longer cutting edge
•Unlike other traditions, blade traditions are Unlike other traditions, blade traditions are
shorter livedshorter lived

20. Upper Paleolithic AssemblageUpper Paleolithic Assemblage
•Upper Paleolithic Tools (left to right): biconical bone point, Upper Paleolithic Tools (left to right): biconical bone point,
Perigordian flint blade, prismatic blade core, Soluterean Perigordian flint blade, prismatic blade core, Soluterean
Willow leaf point, double-row barbed harpoon point Willow leaf point, double-row barbed harpoon point
(various sites in France)(various sites in France)

21. The Solutrean PointsThe Solutrean Points
•Note the followingNote the following
•There is an aesthetic as well as a practical side to these pointsThere is an aesthetic as well as a practical side to these points
•There is a conscious effort to shape them like a laurel leafThere is a conscious effort to shape them like a laurel leaf
•There is variation in design. There is variation in design.

22. Magdalenian Tool TraditionMagdalenian Tool Tradition
•Notice that the harpoon heads (to the left) are made of Notice that the harpoon heads (to the left) are made of
bone; ivory and wood also become important materials bone; ivory and wood also become important materials
in addition to stonein addition to stone
•Art is also coming into being, as evidenced by this horse’ Art is also coming into being, as evidenced by this horse’
head carving to the right.head carving to the right.

23. Upper Paleolithic Art: Cave PaintingsUpper Paleolithic Art: Cave Paintings
•This illustration from This illustration from
Lascaux Cave, S. France, Lascaux Cave, S. France,
shows how much fine detail shows how much fine detail
goes into animals (upper left)goes into animals (upper left)
•Humans in contrast are Humans in contrast are
drawn, if at all, as stick drawn, if at all, as stick
figures, such as shown by this figures, such as shown by this
sketch at Lascaux (lower left)sketch at Lascaux (lower left)
•The bird-like stick the man is The bird-like stick the man is
dropping could represent a dropping could represent a
totem or symbol of a clantotem or symbol of a clan
•All this, of course, is based All this, of course, is based
on speculation and inference on speculation and inference
from living cultures.from living cultures.

24. Upper Paleolithic Art: Portable Upper Paleolithic Art: Portable
SculptureSculpture
•Figurines also figure prominently in Upper Paleolithic artFigurines also figure prominently in Upper Paleolithic art
•Top: Venus figure from Willendorf, Austria; this is the Top: Venus figure from Willendorf, Austria; this is the
style of figurine most often representedstyle of figurine most often represented
•The lower figure is a frieze imitation of a Paleolithic The lower figure is a frieze imitation of a Paleolithic
statuettestatuette
•She is somewhat thinner than the “classic” Venus She is somewhat thinner than the “classic” Venus
•She is also holding a cone-shaped object, which some She is also holding a cone-shaped object, which some
archaeologists interpret as a cornucopiaarchaeologists interpret as a cornucopia
•There are several variations of the Venus motif; some There are several variations of the Venus motif; some
are even thinner than the lower figureare even thinner than the lower figure
•Patricia Rice, an archaeologist specializing in Paleolithic Patricia Rice, an archaeologist specializing in Paleolithic
art, points out that the styles vary considerably. art, points out that the styles vary considerably.

25. Commonalities of the PaleolithicCommonalities of the Paleolithic
•The Paleolithic is the longest of all stone ages, covering roughly The Paleolithic is the longest of all stone ages, covering roughly
2 million years.2 million years.
•Several hominin species lived side by sideSeveral hominin species lived side by side
•The last non-modern form, the Neanderthal, died off about The last non-modern form, the Neanderthal, died off about
30,000 BCE (Before Common Era)30,000 BCE (Before Common Era)
•They were all foragers, or hunters or gatherersThey were all foragers, or hunters or gatherers
•The first signs of the arts—cave murals and portable sculptures-- The first signs of the arts—cave murals and portable sculptures--
begins in the Upper Paleolithicbegins in the Upper Paleolithic
•Next, we will look briefly at the Mesolithic, which included the Next, we will look briefly at the Mesolithic, which included the
first settlementsfirst settlements
•Then focus on the Neolithic: we will look at the Neolithic for Then focus on the Neolithic: we will look at the Neolithic for
both the Egyptians and the Mesopotamians. both the Egyptians and the Mesopotamians.