Evidence of S&T During Prehistoric Times PDF

30/08/2023 LESSON 02 EVIDENCE OF S&T DURING PREHISTORIC TIMES GEC 17: SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY 1 DISCOVERY INVENTION MAN’S ACHIEVEMEN...

30/08/2023 LESSON 02 EVIDENCE OF S&T DURING PREHISTORIC TIMES GEC 17: SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY 1 DISCOVERY INVENTION MAN’S ACHIEVEMENT IN SCIENCE CAN BE CATEGORIZED INTO TWO 2 1  30/08/2023 Why is PREHISTORY difficult? Much of the human story remains a mystery because writing has existed for only about 5,000 years. Archaeologists dig at sites where people have left traces and use a variety of methods to date and analyze found objects. Anthropologists study culture (knowledge, art, customs) by examining artifacts that people in the past made or used. 3 A TIMELINE OF EARLY HOMINIDS HOMINIDS WERE THE EARLY PROTO- HUMANS. They were known for sharpening objects with silicon rocks. They began to master the use of their hands and fingers. HOMINID VS HOMININ The group consisting of all The group consisting of modern and extinct Great modern humans, extinct Apes (that is, modern humans, human species and all our chimpanzees, gorillas and immediate ancestors orangutans plus all their (including members of the immediate ancestors). genera Homo, Australopithecus, Paranthropus and Ardipithecus). Source: https://earthhow.com/human-evolution-timeline/ 4 2  30/08/2023 A TIMELINE OF EARLY HOMINIDS Australopithecus afarensis 3.85 – 2.95 million years ago Named in 1978, discovered in Hadar, Ethiopia, and Laetoli, Tanzania. Au. afarensis had both ape and human characteristics: had ape-like face proportions, braincase (~brain is about 1/3 of modern humans), long and strong arms and fingers adapted for climbing trees, small canine teeth and stood on two legs and walked upright. Au. afarensis mainly a plant-based diet, including leaves, fruit, seeds, roots, nuts, and insect and probably the occasional small vertebrates, like lizards. ►"Lucy", reconstructed skeleton (Chip Clark, Smithsonian Institution) Source: https://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-fossils/species EARLY HOMINIDS ▲3.9 mya 5 A TIMELINE OF EARLY HOMINIDS Australopithecus africanus 3.3 – 2.1 million years ago The Taung child (1924) was the first to establish that early fossil humans occurred in Africa. Prof. Raymond Dart described it and named the species Au. africanus. Au. africanus was anatomically similar to Au. afarensis, but with rounder cranium (bigger brain) and small teeth. They also had long arms, strongly sloping face and a pronounced jaw. They walked bipedally but also adapted to climbing. ►The Taung Child (Chip Clark, Smithsonian Institution) Source: https://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-fossils/species ▲3.9 mya ▲3.3 mya 6 3  30/08/2023 A TIMELINE OF EARLY HOMINIDS Homo habilis 2.4 – 1.4 million years ago Homo habilis was nicknamed “handyman” because of their ability to carve tools. One of the earliest members of the genus Homo, has a slightly bigger braincase, and smaller face and teeth than earlier hominins. Homo habilis still retains ape-like features (long arms and face). The diet of H. habilis was flexible and versatile. They ate a broad range of foods, including some tougher foods like leaves, ►KNM-ER 1813 (Chip Clark, Smithsonian Institution) woody plants, and some animal tissues. Source: https://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-fossils/species EARLY HOMINIDS ▲3.9 mya ▲3.5 mya ▲2.4 mya 7 A TIMELINE OF EARLY HOMINIDS Homo rudolfensis 1.9 – 1.8 million years ago Homo rudolfensis was discovered in Koobi Fora in the Lake Turkana basin, Kenya. It has one really critical feature: a braincase size of 775 cubic centimeters, which is considerably above the upper end of H. habilis braincase size. Originally considered to be H. habilis, the ways in which H. rudolfensis differs is in its larger braincase, longer face, and larger molar and premolar teeth. ►KNM-ER 1470 (Chip Clark, Smithsonian Institution) Source: https://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-fossils/species EARLY HOMINIDS ▲3.9 mya ▲3.5 mya ▲2.35 mya ▲1.9 mya 8 4  30/08/2023 A TIMELINE OF EARLY HOMINIDS Homo erectus 1.89 mya – 110,000 years ago Early African Homo erectus fossils (called Homo ergaster) are the oldest known early humans to have possessed modern human-like body proportions with relatively elongated legs and shorter arms compared to the size of the torso. (Upright man) Homo erectus ate meat and other types of protein. It is also speculated that honey and underground tubers may have been significant food sources as well. The earliest evidence of hearths (campfires) occur during the time range of Homo erectus. ►Turkana boy KNM-WT 15000 (Chip Clark, Smithsonian Institution) Source: https://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-fossils/species EARLY HOMINIDS ▲3.9 mya ▲3.5 mya ▲2.35 mya ▲1.9 mya ▲1.89 mya 9 A TIMELINE OF EARLY HOMINIDS Homo heidelbergensis 700,000 – 200,000 years ago This early human species had a very large browridge, and a larger braincase and flatter face than older early human species. It was the first to live in colder climates (wide bodies were likely an adaptation to conserving heat). It lived at the time of the oldest definite control of fire and use of wooden spears, and it was the first to routinely hunt large animals, broke new ground, and build shelters from simple dwellings out of wood and rock. ►Kabwe skull (Jim Di Loreto and Don Hurlbert, Smithsonian Institution) Source: https://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-fossils/species EARLY HOMINIDS ▲3.9 mya ▲3.5 mya ▲2.35 mya ▲1.9 mya ▲1.89 mya ▲700,000 ya 10 5  30/08/2023 A TIMELINE OF EARLY HOMINIDS Homo neanderthalensis 400,000 – 40,000 years ago Neanderthals are our closest extinct human relative. Their skulls include the large middle part of the face, angled cheek bones, and a huge nose for humidifying and warming cold, dry air. Their bodies were shorter and stockier (adaptation to cold environments). Their brains were just as large as ours and often larger. They made and used sophisticated tools, controlled fire, lived in shelters, made and wore clothing, were skilled hunters and also ate plant foods, and occasionally made symbolic or ornamental objects. ►La Ferrassie, Neanderthalensis skeleton (Chip Clark, Smithsonian Institution) Source: https://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-fossils/species EARLY HOMINIDS ▲3.9 mya ▲3.5 mya ▲2.35 mya ▲1.9 mya ▲1.89 mya ▲700,000 ya ▲400,000 ya 11 A TIMELINE OF EARLY HOMINIDS Homo sapiens 300,000 years ago - present The species that you and all other living human beings on this planet belong to is Homo sapiens. During a time of dramatic climate change 300,000 years ago, Homo sapiens evolved in Africa. INSERT YOUR Like other early humans that were living at this time, PICTURE they gathered and hunted food, and evolved behaviors HERE that helped them respond to the challenges of survival in unstable environments. Source: https://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-fossils/species EARLY HOMINIDS ▲3.9 mya ▲3.5 mya ▲2.35 mya ▲1.9 mya ▲1.89 mya ▲700,000 ya ▲400,000 ya ▲300,000 ya to present 12 6  30/08/2023 Check the interactive timeline here: https://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human- evolution-interactive-timeline 13 OUT OF AFRICA Hominids started moving out of Africa, primarily through the land bridges during the cold cycles. Homo erectus was first hominid to migrate, followed by Homo sapiens around 100,000 years ago (some of them might have used boats). Two groups of Homo sapiens migrated: NEANDERTHALS ►Tried to explain and control their world. Developed religious beliefs and performed rituals. Fashioned stone blades and scrapers. CRO-MAGNONS SPREADING ► Migrated from North Africa to Europe and Asia. Used specialized tools, hunting AROUND THE WORLD strategies and spoken language. Thrived more compared to Neanderthals. 14 7  30/08/2023 15 THE DAWN OF THE FIRST CIVILIZATIONS People discovered, learned and developed science and technology as the consequence of their search for food, and other survival needs, for practical reasons and even curiosity. 16 8  30/08/2023 STONE AGE BRONZE AGE IRON AGE EVIDENCE OF S&T during Prehistoric Times 17 THREE AGE SYSTEM 3 DISTINCT PERIODS STONE AGE (2.6 MYA – 3,300 BCE) PALEOLITHIC PERIOD Man is primarily a food gatherer and hunter and lived in caves or huts. MESOLITHIC PERIOD Tools gradually develop from single to all-purpose tools to specialized tools NEOLITHIC used for specified PERIOD functions. 18 9  30/08/2023 THREE AGE SYSTEM PALEOLITHIC STONE AGE PERIOD (2.6 MYA – 3,300 BCE) Also called “Old Stone Age.” Ancient humans from this period lived in caves, huts and are basically hunter- gatherers. They used basic stone and bone tools, as well as crude stone axes, for hunting birds and wild animals. They cooked prey (woolly mammoths, bisons, etc.), controlled fire and ate berries. First to leave behind art ►Early human ancestors painting a bison inside a cave during the Paleolithic Age. and carved small figurines. Prisma/Universal Images Group/Getty Images 19 PALEOLITHIC TOOLS Stone tools were 4 FUNDAMENTAL TOOL TRADITIONS 1. PEBBLE TOOL TRADITION made from a variety of stones. ►The very first stone tools were probably naturally broken, sharp- Flint and chert were shaped edged rocks that were casually picked up, used or chipped for use as cutting and discarded. tools, flakes, blades and weapons Simple flaked tools like choppers, scrapers, or Basalt and sandstone were rudimentary cutting used for ground stone tools. instruments. Wood, bone, shell, antlers Oldowan toolkit is the and other materials were earliest universally Oldowan toolkit acknowledge stone tool. widely used as well. 20 10  30/08/2023 2. BIFACIAL OR HANDAXE TOOL TRADITION 4 FUNDAMENTAL TOOL TRADITIONS 3. FLAKE TOOL TRADITION Achulean Handaxe 4. BLADE TOOL TRADITION ► This tool tradition is used as knives and scrapers. This is produced by striking the core of a stone with a stone hammer or by using a stone hammer with bone or wood as an intermediate object between the hammer and the potential stone tool. 21 22 11  30/08/2023 Paleolithic Characteristic Emergence of other First regular Geographic Probable Associated period lithic technology technologies appearance range toolmakers adaptations Earlier Stone Late gracile Increased carnivory, (Oldowan) cores African origin, Age / Lower Digging sticks/probes? ~2.6 Ma Australopiths, early initial dispersal from and flakes then Eurasia Paleolithic Homo, Homo erectus Africa (Acheulean) large Homo erectus, Further Wooden spears, controlled use African origin, cutting tools: ~1.7 Ma Archaic Homo biogeographic of fire then Eurasia handaxes, etc. sapiens expansion Limited evidence of Archaic Homo Middle Stone Prepared cores, jewelry/beads; increasingly Clear evidence for African origin, sapiens, Anatomically Age / Middle retouched flake sophisticated compound tools; ~300 Ka the emergence of then Eurasia modern Homo Paleolithic forms, flake tools many examples of 'precocious' cumulative culture sapiens LSA-like artifacts Cave art, increasingly African origin, sophisticated bone tools