Neolithic Age Quiz

The Neolithic period was the final division of the Stone Age, characterized by the Neolithic Revolution which included the introduction of farming, domestication of animals, and a shift from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to one of settlement. The term 'Neolithic' was coined by Sir John Lubbock in 1865. The Neolithic began about 12,000 years ago in the Near East and lasted in the Near East until the transitional period of the Chalcolithic (Copper Age) from about 6,500 years ago (4500 BC). In other places, such as Ancient Egypt, the Neolithic lasted until c. 3150 BC. Early Neolithic farming was limited to a narrow range of plants, both wild and domesticated, and the keeping of dogs. The major advance of Neolithic 1 was true farming, with emmer wheat being domesticated and animals being herded and domesticated. Settlements became more permanent, with mudbrick houses. The Late Neolithic began around 6,400 BC in the Fertile Crescent, with distinctive cultures emerging, such as the Halafian and Ubaid. In Southeast Europe, agrarian societies first appeared in the 7th millennium BC in Albania, and in most of Western Europe, it followed over the next two thousand years. Recent advances in archaeogenetics have confirmed that the spread of agriculture from the Middle East to Europe was strongly correlated with the migration of early farmers from Anatolia about 9,000 years ago. The megalithic temple complexes of Ġgantija on the Mediterranean island of Gozo (in the Maltese archipelago) and of Mnajdra (Malta) are notable for their gigantic Neolithic structures.Neolithic Age: A Summary

• The Neolithic Age is characterized by the development of settled agriculture and the use of polished or ground stone tools.

• The population of the Neolithic Age rose rapidly, followed by a population crash after 5000 BC.

• The Neolithic Age is characterized by Ash Mounds in South India and the Nanzhuangtou, Pengtoushan, and Peiligang cultures in East Asia.

• The Longshan culture existed in the middle and lower Yellow River valley areas of northern China between 3000 and 1900 BC.

• The 'Neolithic' remains a living tradition in small and remote pockets of West Papua.

• The Formative stage is equivalent to the Neolithic Revolution period in Europe, Asia, and Africa.

• The shelter of the early people changed dramatically from the Upper Paleolithic to the Neolithic era.

• The development of agriculture in the Neolithic Age resulted in the possibility of producing surplus crop yields.

• The identifying characteristic of Neolithic technology is the use of polished or ground stone tools.

• Neolithic people were skilled farmers, manufacturing a range of tools necessary for the tending, harvesting and processing of crops.

• Neolithic peoples in the Levant, Anatolia, Syria, northern Mesopotamia, and Central Asia were also accomplished builders.

• Most clothing appears to have been made of animal skins in the Neolithic Age.Oldest structures and cultures in the world

• The earliest known structure in England dates back to 3838 BC.

• The oldest freestanding structure in the world is the Neolithic temple of Ġgantija in Gozo, Malta.

• The Early Neolithic period in the Levant lasted from 9500-8000 BC, while in Europe it lasted from 5000-4000 BC, and in other regions, it varies greatly.

• The Middle Neolithic period in the Levant lasted from 8000-6000 BC, while in Europe it lasted from 4000-3500 BC, and in other regions, it varies greatly.

• The Later Neolithic period lasted from 6500-4500 BC, in Europe from 3500-3000 BC, and in other regions, it varies greatly.

• The Chalcolithic period lasted from 4500-3300 BC in the Near East, from 3000-1700 BC in Europe, and in other regions, it varies greatly.

• In the Americas, the Eneolithic period ended as late as the 19th century AD for some peoples.

• The comparative chronology of these periods varies greatly depending on the region.

• There are many different cultures and sites associated with these periods, each with their own specific time periods.

• The information provided for each period is only a rough estimate, and more specific information can be found by consulting each culture individually.

• There are extensive notes, references, and citations available for further research on these topics.

• External links are also available for additional information on these cultures and structures.