Stone Age Facts
The Stone Age was the earliest period of human culture where stone tools were first used. Get ready to be wowed and enthralled as we explore the world of the Stone Age in the interesting piece.
1. Interestingly, the Stone Age started around 2.5 million years ago.
2. In the stone age, there were four types of humans; Toolmakers (Homo habilis), Fire makers( Homo erectus), Neanderthals (called homo neanderthalensis), and modern humans ( Homo sapiens).
3. Unlike the modern age, humans used to live in the caves because all they had to was find food to eat in other to survive and protect themselves from wild animals.
4. Humans often use animal skins to keep themselves warm during the Stone Age.
5. Some of the animals during the stone age period such as the Wooly Rhinoceros, Woolly Mammoth, Cave Bear, and Giant Bear are believed to no longer be in existence.
6. Majority of the tools made in the stone age era were made from stones or wood. Typical examples include a stone knife, bone needles, bone flute, stone ax, bow, and arrow.
7. Domestication of dogs started in the stone age era as they were often regarded as wild animals.
8. The stone age is divided into three periods: The Paleolithic(Old Stone Age), Mesolithic(Middle Stone Age), and The Neolithic (New Stone Age).
9. Interestingly, the Paleolithic and Mesolithic people were nomadic hunters such that they follow the animals they hunted and also gathering fruits and berries when necessary.
10. The gradual development of agriculture and domestication of animals during the Neolithic period aided the settlement of people into different communities.
11. Surprisingly, during the Neolithic era, houses in Skara Brae had beds, cupboards, shelves, and chairs.
12. The Paleolithic era lasted for a long time such that it is believed it accounts for over 99% of all human history.
13. Over 40% of skeletons recovered from the Egyptian cemetery during the Mesolithic period showed traces of violent injuries. Archaeologists suggest it might be proof of warfare during the middle stone age.
14. Archaeologists suggests that the first set of wine were made in the Republic of Georgia during the stone age period.
15. Cave painting was very prominent during the stone age as people often painted pictures of animals on the walls of a cave.
16. The U-Shaped sickle was used to gather grains in the stone age.
17. The stone age folks often unite in groups of 20-50 people in an attempt to help each other survive.
18. Interestingly, during the early stone age, humans communicated with each other via cries and gestures to express their fear, joy, anger, or alertness to danger.
19. Two of the best hunting techniques back then was to dig a hole near where the animals usually drink water or chasing the animal in groups till it gets to a water channel filled with mud.
20. Unconventional music instruments such as Flutes were surprisingly made from bird bones and mammoth ivory during the stone age period.
21. Necklaces and bracelets were made from tusks, bones, and shells during the stone age period.
22. The oldest stone tools date as far back as 3.3 million years ago. It was believed that archaeologists found the tool at Lake Turkana in Kenya between 2012-2014.
23. The earliest known shoes were made around 5,500 years ago and it comprises of a single piece of leather that is sewn together by pieces of thin leather.
24. Until the bronze age, objects like weapons, armors, tools, and building materials that were much stronger were very difficult to make.
25. Interestingly, in the early stages of the stone age, Europe was still attached to Africa which means the early men could have walked from South Africa to London.
26. One of the greatest mysteries in human history is the mysterious monument of Stonehenge that was built during the Neolithic period.
27. Diets in the stone age is believed to be much healthier than now because it contained no processed or sugary foods.
28. Due to the abundance of clay in the stone age period, it birthed the use of Pottery.
29. Copper metallurgy was introduced towards the end of the Neolithic era which marks the transition into the Bronze age.
30. The Mesolithic period was very important as it shaped the continent and island of this modern age due to a shift in climate change.
31. The longest stone age period is the Paleolithic era which lasted about 9,600 BCE. It also gave birth to the first production of stone artifacts.
32. The Acheulean hand axes were made by the early human species (Homo erectus) about 500 million years ago.
33. During the Paleolithic period, the “Venus figurines” are usually considered as art forms of the upper stone age era. It dates back to between 28,000 to 25,000 years ago.
34. The first set of weapons on record are wooden spears from north Germany and it dates back to over 380,000-400,000 years ago.
35. The middle Paleolithic period birthed the use of fire and it later became widely accepted amongst others.