Early Prehistory


This lengthy period has an uncertain beginning and overlaps considerably with physical anthropology and human origins, and with geological and biological history. It is difficult to identify and date specific events, since academic consensus shifts somewhat with each new discovery.	Sapience Home Site Map About Sapience History Prehistory Pliocene Early Pleistocene Early Middle Pleistocene Late Middle Pleistocene Late Pleistocene

This lengthy period has an uncertain beginning and overlaps considerably with physical anthropology and human origins, and with geological and biological history. It is difficult to identify and date specific events, since academic consensus shifts somewhat with each new discovery.

Pliocene

5 Million to 2 Million years ago: Australopithecines.

Early Pleistocene

2 Million - 1 million years ago: Homo Habilis

Early Middle Pleistocene

1 million- 500 thousand years ago: Homo Erectus

Late Middle Pleistocene

500 Thousand - 100 Thousand years ago: Neanderthals

Late Pleistocene

100 thousand - 50 Thousand years ago: Modern man.


Other History Other prehistory This is followed directly by middle prehistory, which is better known. It is not always well distinguished from late prehistory. The study of antiquity including the 5th millennium BC, the 4th millennium BC, the 3rd millennium BC, the 2nd millennium BC, and the early 1st millennium BC can be connected. The study of this period in classical and medieval times is obscure and much scholarship relied heavily on the account of the Bible. I do not have details of early classical times. Late classical times including the 1st century CE, 2nd century CE, 3rd century CE, 4th century CE, and 5th century CE can be connected. Early medieval times including the 6th century, 7th century, 8th century, 9th century, and 10th century can be connected. Late medieval times including the 11th century, 12th century, 13th century, 14th century, and 15th century can be connected. Modern history The 16th century including the early 16th century, early mid 16th century, mid 16th century, late mid 16th century, and late 16th century has contributed only little information about this period.	Links to other sites: WWW VL - Prehistory. Timeline: 200,000-4000 BC Ancient History Infoplease.com Wikipedia - Paleolithic Wikipeda - Recent African Origins Wikipedia - Early Homo Sapiens Wikipedia - Early Human migrations Timelines of History- 1 Million to 3300 BC
For the 17th century, I do not yet have many details of the early 17th century, early mid 17th century, mid 17th century, late mid 17th century, or late 17th century. In the 18th century, studies in the classification of living organisms led to a recognition of the similarities between humankind and the great apes. I do not yet have many details for the early 18th century, early mid 18th century, mid 18th century, late mid 18th century, and late 18th century. Study of prehistory began chiefly in the 19th century. I do not yet have many details for the early 19th century. In the early mid 19th century, a three age system (stone, bronze, and Iron) was coming into use to aid in the classification of artifacts and cultures. In the mid 19th century, 1857, a skeleton of Neanderthal man was discovered. In the late mid 19th century, in 1865, the term paleolithic, or "old stone" age was used to describe cultures dating to this period. I do not yet have details for the late 19th century. Studies have continued in the 20th century, including the early 20th century, early mid 20th century, and mid 20th century. In the late mid 20th century including the early 1960s, late 1960s, early 1970s, and late 1970s, an early skeleton named Lucy was discovered. In the late 20th century including the early 1980s, late 1980s, early 1990s, and late 1990s, discoveries continued. The early 21st century, including the early 2000s can be connected. In the late 2000s, new developments included publication of the discovery of an early partially complete skeleton named Ardi. Details of 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 can be connected. The late 2010s including 2011 and 2012 can be connected. The future including the near future, middle future, and far future can be connected. Sociology Sociology can be examined and applied to Pliocene, early Pleistocene, early mid Pleistocene, late mid Pleistocene, and late Pleistocene times. Institutions Religion There is only uncertain and ambiguous evidence about religious beliefs from material remains, and discussion is highly speculative, but as far as can be determined, it would have been rudimentary compared to modern forms. Particular religions, if they existed, are thought to have resembled pagan religion. Religious organization is not known. Religious practices are not clear, although there is some evidence of burial customs, which could be related. Religious belief is unclear. Government There is likewise only uncertain and ambiguous evidence about government from material remains, and discussion is speculative. Particular governments would have been strictly local. Government activities including state relations, administration, and succession would have been rudimentary and informal. Government structure including forms of government, heads of state, executive systems, legislative systems, judicial systems, and political parties and interest groups seems to have been rudimentary at best. Law would have been limited to tribal law. Economics Economic systems including economic system behavior, economic system types, networks and firms might be connected. Industries including commercial and financial, communication, transportation, social and medical service, building related, manufacturing and extraction, and food related may possibly be connected. Economic activities including consumption, distribution and exchange, and production might be connected. Education Schools including higher education, secondary education, and primary education are indirectly connected. Educational organization including administration, faculty, students, and course materioa is indirectly connected. Teaching may be connected, but seems to have been informal. Research and discovery was slow. Families Families seem to have been rudimentary in this period. Particular families can be connected. Kinship can be connected. Parenting can be connected. Marriage can be connected. Culture Behavioral culture Cultural events including disasters, holidays, gatherings, and other events might be considered. Recreation and entertainment including sports, games, theater, dance, and music might connected. Occupations including service occupations, industrial occupations, transportation occupations, communication occupations, building related occupations, and food related occupations seem not to have been highly specialized. Customs including institutional customs, dress and adornment customs, social interaction customs, living and dwelling customs, and vital customs can be used to consider possible developments of this period. Conceptual culture Philosophy including philosophical schools and doctrines, special topics, ethics, aesthetics, metaphysics, epistemology, and logic had not developed, but might be connected from later times. Applied science including applied social science, accounting, information science, medical science, navigation, engineering science, and measurement had not developed byt may be connected from later times. Mathematics including statistics, geometry, analysis, algebra, arithmetic, and mathematical foundations may be applied but had not developed in this period. Literature including literary works, types and genres, litearyr forms, and oral tradition may be applicable. Graphic arts may have been present, if drawing can be connected. Language is unknown for this period. Languages of the world cannot be traced to this period with any certainty. There is no known writing, and there is uncertain evidence from linguistic studies. Material culture is best known. The description and categorization of cultures is principally based on the types of stone tools used, and on this basis includes the lower paleolithic and middle paleolithic types. The upper paleolithic is largely found in middle prehistory. Miscellaneous artifacts including sculpture, musical instruments, toys, and medicines are not well known. Communication technology including electronic communication, written communication, and graphic communication might be connected. Transportation included few vessels, and was mostly limited to land transportation, with water transportation somewhat conjectural. Whether clothing was worn is uncertain, but probably consisted mostly of skins. Garments and articles of adornment are uncertain. Foodstuffs were principally direct natural edible products, and included a minimum of processing or preservation, or preparation. Shelter often consisted of caves. There was little if any building, and I have little evidence of materials, structures, furnishings, or outdoor buildings.Industrial technology consisted primarily of materials available in the environment. The use and control of fire developed. Animal fibers and bone tools, vegetable fibers and wood are thought to have been used, but these materials have not survived. Stone tools have survived and are better known. Anthropology Nothing is known of particular groups in this period. Human geography can be considered. African geography including Northern Africa, Eastern Africa, North Central Africa, Western Africa, South Central Africa, and Southern Africa will be significant. European geography including Balkan, Iberian, Italian, Northwest European, Island, Central European, East European, and Scandinavian geography can be considered. Asia including Southwest Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, and North Asia is also important. As far as is known, Oceanic geography including Australia and New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, and Antarctica included little if any human population. As far as is known, human population did not extend to North America or South America. Human ecology is highly important. Human effects on the environment seem to have been fairly minimal. Relationships with other life can be considered. environmental effects on people is highly important. This period is closely connected to physical anthropology. These connections include dispersion and racial variation. This period overlaps with studies of human origins. Demography is somewhat useful. There is little information on population change, or size and structure, nor direct information on rates of death, migration, or birth. In this period, any available figures are estimates. Social foundations such as group behavior, group types, social control, social interaction, and social presentation may be somewhat useful. Personal studies Nothing is known of biography in this period. Psychology can be examined only indirectly, through skeletal remains and other life forms. This includes social psychology, personality, mental disorders, developmental psychology, behavior patterns, mind, and behavioral elements. Knowledge of the human body, including form and appearance, life cycle, disease, body function, and body systems is indirectly useful, as some skeletal remains have been dated to this period. Science Biology is useful. Biohistory is somewhat useful, though the Precambrian, Paleozoic, and Mesozoic eras are of very limited used. Human history occurs entirely in the Cenozoic era. This period falls within the Pliocene and Pleistocene epochs of biohistory. Ecology, systematics, organism biology, cell biology, and molecular biology are less useful. Earth science is minimally useful. Geohistory is somewhat useful, though the Precambrian, Paleozoic, and Mesozoic eras are of very limited use. Human history occurs entirely in the Cenozoic Era. There are connections with the Pliocene and Pleistocene epochs of geohistory. Physical geography, atmospheric science, hydrospheric science, and geology are less directly useful. Astronomy is somewhat useful. Cosmology and galactic astronomy are not directly useful. Stellar astronomy is only somewhat useful. Solar system astronomy may be somewhat useful. Chemistry including chemical systems, chemical change, and chemical substances can be connected. Physics including the structure of matter, modern physics, electromagnetism, thermodynamics, and mechanics seems to be only indirectly useful.

Other History

Other prehistory

This is followed directly by middle prehistory, which is better known. It is not always well distinguished from late prehistory.

The study of antiquity including the 5th millennium BC, the 4th millennium BC, the 3rd millennium BC, the 2nd millennium BC, and the early 1st millennium BC can be connected.

The study of this period in classical and medieval times is obscure and much scholarship relied heavily on the account of the Bible. I do not have details of early classical times. Late classical times including the 1st century CE, 2nd century CE, 3rd century CE, 4th century CE, and 5th century CE can be connected. Early medieval times including the 6th century, 7th century, 8th century, 9th century, and 10th century can be connected. Late medieval times including the 11th century, 12th century, 13th century, 14th century, and 15th century can be connected.

Modern history

The 16th century including the early 16th century, early mid 16th century, mid 16th century, late mid 16th century, and late 16th century has contributed only little information about this period.

For the 17th century, I do not yet have many details of the early 17th century, early mid 17th century, mid 17th century, late mid 17th century, or late 17th century. In the 18th century, studies in the classification of living organisms led to a recognition of the similarities between humankind and the great apes. I do not yet have many details for the early 18th century, early mid 18th century, mid 18th century, late mid 18th century, and late 18th century. Study of prehistory began chiefly in the 19th century. I do not yet have many details for the early 19th century. In the early mid 19th century, a three age system (stone, bronze, and Iron) was coming into use to aid in the classification of artifacts and cultures. In the mid 19th century, 1857, a skeleton of Neanderthal man was discovered. In the late mid 19th century, in 1865, the term paleolithic, or "old stone" age was used to describe cultures dating to this period. I do not yet have details for the late 19th century.

Studies have continued in the 20th century, including the early 20th century, early mid 20th century, and mid 20th century. In the late mid 20th century including the early 1960s, late 1960s, early 1970s, and late 1970s, an early skeleton named Lucy was discovered. In the late 20th century including the early 1980s, late 1980s, early 1990s, and late 1990s, discoveries continued.

The early 21st century, including the early 2000s can be connected. In the late 2000s, new developments included publication of the discovery of an early partially complete skeleton named Ardi. Details of 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 can be connected. The late 2010s including 2011 and 2012 can be connected.

The future including the near future, middle future, and far future can be connected.

Sociology

Sociology can be examined and applied to Pliocene, early Pleistocene, early mid Pleistocene, late mid Pleistocene, and late Pleistocene times.

Institutions

Religion

There is only uncertain and ambiguous evidence about religious beliefs from material remains, and discussion is highly speculative, but as far as can be determined, it would have been rudimentary compared to modern forms. Particular religions, if they existed, are thought to have resembled pagan religion. Religious organization is not known. Religious practices are not clear, although there is some evidence of burial customs, which could be related. Religious belief is unclear.

Government

There is likewise only uncertain and ambiguous evidence about government from material remains, and discussion is speculative. Particular governments would have been strictly local. Government activities including state relations, administration, and succession would have been rudimentary and informal. Government structure including forms of government, heads of state, executive systems, legislative systems, judicial systems, and political parties and interest groups seems to have been rudimentary at best. Law would have been limited to tribal law.

Economics

Economic systems including economic system behavior, economic system types, networks and firms might be connected. Industries including commercial and financial, communication, transportation, social and medical service, building related, manufacturing and extraction, and food related may possibly be connected. Economic activities including consumption, distribution and exchange, and production might be connected.

Education

Schools including higher education, secondary education, and primary education are indirectly connected. Educational organization including administration, faculty, students, and course materioa is indirectly connected. Teaching may be connected, but seems to have been informal. Research and discovery was slow.

Families

Families seem to have been rudimentary in this period. Particular families can be connected. Kinship can be connected. Parenting can be connected. Marriage can be connected.

Culture

Behavioral culture

Cultural events including disasters, holidays, gatherings, and other events might be considered. Recreation and entertainment including sports, games, theater, dance, and music might connected. Occupations including service occupations, industrial occupations, transportation occupations, communication occupations, building related occupations, and food related occupations seem not to have been highly specialized. Customs including institutional customs, dress and adornment customs, social interaction customs, living and dwelling customs, and vital customs can be used to consider possible developments of this period.

Conceptual culture

Philosophy including philosophical schools and doctrines, special topics, ethics, aesthetics, metaphysics, epistemology, and logic had not developed, but might be connected from later times. Applied science including applied social science, accounting, information science, medical science, navigation, engineering science, and measurement had not developed byt may be connected from later times. Mathematics including statistics, geometry, analysis, algebra, arithmetic, and mathematical foundations may be applied but had not developed in this period. Literature including literary works, types and genres, litearyr forms, and oral tradition may be applicable. Graphic arts may have been present, if drawing can be connected. Language is unknown for this period. Languages of the world cannot be traced to this period with any certainty. There is no known writing, and there is uncertain evidence from linguistic studies.

Material culture is best known. The description and categorization of cultures is principally based on the types of stone tools used, and on this basis includes the lower paleolithic and middle paleolithic types. The upper paleolithic is largely found in middle prehistory. Miscellaneous artifacts including sculpture, musical instruments, toys, and medicines are not well known. Communication technology including electronic communication, written communication, and graphic communication might be connected. Transportation included few vessels, and was mostly limited to land transportation, with water transportation somewhat conjectural. Whether clothing was worn is uncertain, but probably consisted mostly of skins. Garments and articles of adornment are uncertain. Foodstuffs were principally direct natural edible products, and included a minimum of processing or preservation, or preparation. Shelter often consisted of caves. There was little if any building, and I have little evidence of materials, structures, furnishings, or outdoor buildings.Industrial technology consisted primarily of materials available in the environment. The use and control of fire developed. Animal fibers and bone tools, vegetable fibers and wood are thought to have been used, but these materials have not survived. Stone tools have survived and are better known.

Anthropology

Nothing is known of particular groups in this period.

Human geography can be considered. African geography including Northern Africa, Eastern Africa, North Central Africa, Western Africa, South Central Africa, and Southern Africa will be significant. European geography including Balkan, Iberian, Italian, Northwest European, Island, Central European, East European, and Scandinavian geography can be considered. Asia including Southwest Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, and North Asia is also important. As far as is known, Oceanic geography including Australia and New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, and Antarctica included little if any human population. As far as is known, human population did not extend to North America or South America.

Human ecology is highly important. Human effects on the environment seem to have been fairly minimal. Relationships with other life can be considered. environmental effects on people is highly important.

This period is closely connected to physical anthropology. These connections include dispersion and racial variation. This period overlaps with studies of human origins.

Demography is somewhat useful. There is little information on population change, or size and structure, nor direct information on rates of death, migration, or birth. In this period, any available figures are estimates.

Social foundations such as group behavior, group types, social control, social interaction, and social presentation may be somewhat useful.

Personal studies

Nothing is known of biography in this period.

Psychology can be examined only indirectly, through skeletal remains and other life forms. This includes social psychology, personality, mental disorders, developmental psychology, behavior patterns, mind, and behavioral elements.

Knowledge of the human body, including form and appearance, life cycle, disease, body function, and body systems is indirectly useful, as some skeletal remains have been dated to this period.

Science

Biology is useful. Biohistory is somewhat useful, though the Precambrian, Paleozoic, and Mesozoic eras are of very limited used. Human history occurs entirely in the Cenozoic era. This period falls within the Pliocene and Pleistocene epochs of biohistory. Ecology, systematics, organism biology, cell biology, and molecular biology are less useful.

Earth science is minimally useful. Geohistory is somewhat useful, though the Precambrian, Paleozoic, and Mesozoic eras are of very limited use. Human history occurs entirely in the Cenozoic Era. There are connections with the Pliocene and Pleistocene epochs of geohistory. Physical geography, atmospheric science, hydrospheric science, and geology are less directly useful.

Astronomy is somewhat useful. Cosmology and galactic astronomy are not directly useful. Stellar astronomy is only somewhat useful. Solar system astronomy may be somewhat useful. Chemistry including chemical systems, chemical change, and chemical substances can be connected. Physics including the structure of matter, modern physics, electromagnetism, thermodynamics, and mechanics seems to be only indirectly useful.