Prehistory


This section deals with the earliest history of humankind as it has been and is being reconstructed from studies of archaeology and anthropology. The divisions are approximate, with considerable undertainty about the dates involved. The divisions are early, middle, and late prehistory. As details are added from archaological and anthropological studies, this picture of the human past is likely to change and become clearer, although the broad outlines are reasonably well established. Early and middle prehistory dates are given in years before present (2000), while beginning with late prehistory, the regular modern calendar is used, so that 8,000 BC corresponds to 10,000 years before present.	Sapience Home Site Map About Sapience History

This section deals with the earliest history of humankind as it has been and is being reconstructed from studies of archaeology and anthropology. The divisions are approximate, with considerable undertainty about the dates involved. The divisions are early, middle, and late prehistory. As details are added from archaological and anthropological studies, this picture of the human past is likely to change and become clearer, although the broad outlines are reasonably well established.

Early and middle prehistory dates are given in years before present (2000), while beginning with late prehistory, the regular modern calendar is used, so that 8,000 BC corresponds to 10,000 years before present.

History

Early prehistory(Before 50,000 years ago)

Before modern humans. Hominid species, Neanderthals.

Middle prehistory (50,000 - 10,000) years ago

The oldest known remains of anatomically and culturally modern man, as far as I have been able to determine, date from about 40-35,000 years ago, in North Africa and Iran. Between 35-30,000 years ago, there was still evidence of Neanderthal man in Europe, but Cro-Magnon cultures appeared there, as well as somewhat similar cultures in the Middle East. Between 30-25,000 years ago, Neandarthal man disappeared from the archeologial record, but the record concerning other stone age cultures is somewhat scanty. Between 25-20,000 years ago, cultures were still considered upper stone age. There may have been limited migration into the Americas. Between 20-15,000 years ago, modern man spread into Australia. Between 15-10 thousand years ago, the last ice age was coming to an end. Cultures called Mesolithic (middle stone age) were arising in Europe and the Middle East, while China, Japan, and central Asia were being inhabited. It is generally thought that the Americas were first populated during this period, by way of a fairly short-lived land bridge from Asia.

Late prehistory (8000 BC - 5000 BC)

The dating scheme shifts in this period, to the conventional historical periods. From about 8000 BC to about 7500 BC, Neolithic (New stone age) cultures developed in the Middle East. There is evidence of domestication of sheep and goats, and the beginnings of settled agriculture. From about 7500 BC to 7000 BC, these development continued, notably at Jericho (in modern Palestine), but also in other areas. From 7000 to 6500 BC, Pottery and weaving appeared in the archeological record. Between 6500 and 6000 BC, Settlement at Jericho delined, but the site called Catal Huyuk in modern Turkey) became prominent. From 6000 BC to 5500 BC, islands in the Eastern Mediterranean were first settled, farming began in Southeast Europe, and at Halaf in Mesopitamia, and animal and plant domestication began in the New World. From 5500 BC to 5000 BC, Farming apeared in Italy and southwest Europe and along the Nile River, appeared further south at Hassuna in Mesopotamia, and at Samarra in southern Mesopotamia, irrigated farming made its appearance.


Physical and natural science Physics and chemistry do not seem to be directly significant to prehistory. Astronomy is also indirectly significant. Solar system astronomy is somewhat applicable to human prehistory. The sun, solar planetary systems, minor bodies, interplanetary medium, and solar system history will also be somewhat useful. Stellar atronomy, galactic astronomy, and cosmology are at best indirectly applicable. Earth science including geology, hydrospheric science, atmospheric science, physical geography is slightly more useful. Geohistory is more directly useful, although the Precambrian, Paleozoic, and Mesozic periods are not particularly relevant: Human prehistory is entirely contained in the Cenozoic. There are connections with the Pliocene, Pleistocene, and Holocene epochs. Biology including molecular biology, cell biology, organism biology, systematics, and ecology is also somewhat useful in studies of prehistory. Biohistory is also connected, although the Precambrian, Paleozoic, and Mesozoic eras ended long before humans appeared in the fossil record. Human history is entirely contained in the Cenozoic era. There are connections with the Pliocene, Pleistocene, and Holocene Epochs. Personal studies Studies of the human body such as body function, disease, life cycle, and form and appearance are generally considered at too low a level of detail for historical studies, and are usually considered indirectly through physical anthropology. Body systems including structural componients are most easily preserved. Vital, reporductive, and control systems can be examined only indirectly.Psychology including subjects of behavioral elements, mind, behavior patterns, mental disorders, personality, and social psychology is also difficult to apply, since there are no living subjects and no historical records. Biography is not as useful as it is for later periods because of the lack of records.	Links to other sites History of Archaeology- Wikipedia US Census Bureau - Historical Estimates of World Population HistoryWiz - The Ancient World. This is rather weak on prehistory. 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
Anthropology Social foundations which further includes social interaction, social control, group behavior, and types of groups will be significant. Social presentation will be somewhat useful. Demography including the study of birth and fertility, migration, morbidity and mortality, population structure, and population change will also be significant. World population at 10,000 BC is estimated at 1 million to 10 million people: By 5000 BC it is estimated at 5 million to 20 million people. Physical anthropology is also important. The subject of human origins somewhat overlaps prehistory. Racial variation also falls with this period, and problems of human dispersion may also fall within this period. Human ecology deals largely with environmental influence on people, and with the connections with other life forms. It is speculated that hunting by prehistoric man contributed to the extinction of large ice-age mammals. Human impact on the environment otherwise seems to have been fairly minimal. Human geography including Africa, South America, and Oceania is also highly significant. European geography including Balkan, Italian, Iberian, Northwestern, Island, Central, Eastern, and Scandinavian geography is important. Asian geography including Southwest Asia, South Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and North Asia is significant. North America including Southern North America, Middle North America, and Northern North America is useful. Particular groups are not as useful as I would like. Culture Material culture has survived better than other areas. Industrial technology includes tools, fuel, and rudiments of chemical technology, but no machinery, utilities, or other technology. Foodstuffs including agricultural (or natural) products, processed and preserved foods, and prepared foods are significant. Building techology including materials, building components, furnishings, complete buildings, and outdoor structures have been identified. Clothing including fabrics, garments, and accessories is also important. Transportation devices were limited to vessels and to land and water transportation, There is little evidence of communication technology other than perhaps drawing. Other artifacts including toys, weaponry, medicine, musical instruments, and sculpture during this period seem to be rather scanty. Only fragmentary knowlege of conceptual culture such as mathematics, applied science, or philosophy survives. Information on language including linguistics, writing, and languages of the world is scanty. Graphic arts include drawing and painting: Printmaking, photography, and computer graphics were later invntions, but may be applied to studies of this period. Literature did not exist except in the form of oral traditions and stories. Literary forms and genres and specific literary works do not really apply, except to secondary literature about this period. Mathematics is unknown, except possibly for arithmetic and counting. Behavioral culture is also not well known. Information about Customs including vital customs, living and dwelling customs, dress and adornment, social interaction, and institutional customs can be somewhat inferred from material culture and examples of living people. Information about occupations including food-related, building-related, transportation, communication, industrial, and service occupations can also be identified. Some information about recreation and entertainment including dance, music, theater, games, and sports can be gathered. Cultural events such as holidays, disasters, gatherings, and miscellaneous events are obscure and only indirectly useful. Institutions Details of families including marriage, parenting, kinship, and particular families are at least somewhat speculative. Education during this period seems to have been mostly informal, however, modern research, teaching, cultural institutions, educational organization, and particular schools that deal with this period are significant. Economics is also somewhat speculative. Industries, and economic systems are important. Economic activities including production, exchange and distribution, and consumption are important. Government is also small-scale and somewhat speculative. The origins of law and government activities and organization are obscure. particular governments are most likely to have been local, though national and international governments sometimes sponsor studies of this period. Religion including beliefs and practices of the period is somewhat speculative. Religious organization may have been unstructured, fragmented, or highly structured. Particular religions are difficult to identify. Religions during this period seem to have been mostly pagan, and include European, Asiatic, African, and American Indian varieties. There is an apparent conflict with what has been discovered about this period using methods of archeology and the traditions of Abrahamic religion. There is less conflict with Asiatic or secularist views. Sociology Social structure and change can be somewhat examined. social structure is somewhat important. Anthropological structure, cultural structure, institutional structure, racial and ethnic structure, and class structure are all fairly simple for the types of societies that existed. Social types in this period are limited to hunting and gathering and horticultural societies: Fully agrarian and industrial societies came later. Social change is somewhat useful. Social change factors including natural change, demographic change, cultural change, and institutional change can be considered. Processes including innovation, transmission, adaptation, and extinction are not well understood. Particular changes involve the beginnings of the agricultural revolution. Communities are significant, but few modern cities can be traced to this period. Not all the modern peoples are recognizable in this period. Nations are at best weakly connected. Algeria, Afghanistan, Peru, Nepal, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Venezuela, Malaysia, North Korea, Taiwan can be considered. Western civilization did not yet exist in its modern form, although some predecessors may be identified. I know nothing of Spain. Anglic peoples such as are now found in the UK have not yet been closely examined. I also have no information on Latin peoples including those that are included in France and Italy. Northeast European peoples including those in parts of Russia, Ukraine, and Poland can be examined. I have no information on Germanic peoples including those in what is now Germany. The prehistory of Asiatic peoples can be most easily followed. Morocco. The Middle east as represented by nations of Egypt, Turkey, and Iran seems to have been at the forefront of cultural development. South Asian peoples such as those of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh also seem to have been later to develop. The Orient including peoples of China, Japan and S. Korea was later in developing. Southeast Asia including peoples of Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand is presumably later, but little is known of the prehistory of these peoples. Central asia is likewise obscure. . Little is known of African peoples including those of Kenya. Eastern Africa including Ethiopia, Sudan, Tanzania has been examined somewhat. Western Africa including Nigeria has not yet been carefully examined. Central Africa including Congo has not yet been closely examined. Southern Africa including South Africa has also not yet been closely examined. Little is also known of American Indian peoples. Archeological finds in what is now Canada can be examined. Meso-American indians and archeological finds in what is now Mexico can be identified. South American Indians in what are now Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina may be identified. North American Indian peoples can be identified in what is now the United States. Other History Events of this period are followed immediately by antiquity, specifically the 5th Millennium BC. Information about it was increasingly lost in later periods of antiquity. Some information about prehistory was probably lost and forgotten in the classical and medieval period. This subject has been extensively studied in the modern period. Biblical and classical sources were taken for granted in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. The modern sciences of anthropology and archaeology developed in the 19th century. I have little information on their development in the early 19th century, the early-mid 19th century, but in the mid-19th century, the discovery of Neanderthal man in 1857 marks a beginning of one kind. This helped stir interest in the subject, and in the late-mid 19th century and late 19th century, prehistoric anthropology became increasingly significant. This has developed even more in the 20th century. In the early 20th century, archeological methods began to develop, and in the early-mid 20th century, developed even more. In the mid 20th century, the introduction of radiocarbon dating made more accurate chronologies of late prehistory, and in the late-mid 20th century, methods appropriate to dating of earlier remains were found, as well as major new discoveries. In the late 20th century, developments are still new, and likewise in the early 21st century. The early 2000s and late 2000s will be useful. The best information has been slow to make it to the general public, and there is a great deal of confusion and misinformation about prehistory. The future of these studies including near future, middle future, and far future is obscure.

Physical and natural science

Physics and chemistry do not seem to be directly significant to prehistory. Astronomy is also indirectly significant. Solar system astronomy is somewhat applicable to human prehistory. The sun, solar planetary systems, minor bodies, interplanetary medium, and solar system history will also be somewhat useful. Stellar atronomy, galactic astronomy, and cosmology are at best indirectly applicable.

Earth science including geology, hydrospheric science, atmospheric science, physical geography is slightly more useful. Geohistory is more directly useful, although the Precambrian, Paleozoic, and Mesozic periods are not particularly relevant: Human prehistory is entirely contained in the Cenozoic. There are connections with the Pliocene, Pleistocene, and Holocene epochs.

Biology including molecular biology, cell biology, organism biology, systematics, and ecology is also somewhat useful in studies of prehistory. Biohistory is also connected, although the Precambrian, Paleozoic, and Mesozoic eras ended long before humans appeared in the fossil record. Human history is entirely contained in the Cenozoic era. There are connections with the Pliocene, Pleistocene, and Holocene Epochs.

Personal studies

Studies of the human body such as body function, disease, life cycle, and form and appearance are generally considered at too low a level of detail for historical studies, and are usually considered indirectly through physical anthropology. Body systems including structural componients are most easily preserved. Vital, reporductive, and control systems can be examined only indirectly.Psychology including subjects of behavioral elements, mind, behavior patterns, mental disorders, personality, and social psychology is also difficult to apply, since there are no living subjects and no historical records. Biography is not as useful as it is for later periods because of the lack of records.

Links to other sites
History of Archaeology- Wikipedia
US Census Bureau - Historical Estimates of World Population
HistoryWiz - The Ancient World. This is rather weak on prehistory.
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

Anthropology

Social foundations which further includes social interaction, social control, group behavior, and types of groups will be significant. Social presentation will be somewhat useful. Demography including the study of birth and fertility, migration, morbidity and mortality, population structure, and population change will also be significant. World population at 10,000 BC is estimated at 1 million to 10 million people: By 5000 BC it is estimated at 5 million to 20 million people. Physical anthropology is also important. The subject of human origins somewhat overlaps prehistory. Racial variation also falls with this period, and problems of human dispersion may also fall within this period. Human ecology deals largely with environmental influence on people, and with the connections with other life forms. It is speculated that hunting by prehistoric man contributed to the extinction of large ice-age mammals. Human impact on the environment otherwise seems to have been fairly minimal. Human geography including Africa, South America, and Oceania is also highly significant. European geography including Balkan, Italian, Iberian, Northwestern, Island, Central, Eastern, and Scandinavian geography is important. Asian geography including Southwest Asia, South Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and North Asia is significant. North America including Southern North America, Middle North America, and Northern North America is useful. Particular groups are not as useful as I would like.

Culture

Material culture has survived better than other areas. Industrial technology includes tools, fuel, and rudiments of chemical technology, but no machinery, utilities, or other technology. Foodstuffs including agricultural (or natural) products, processed and preserved foods, and prepared foods are significant. Building techology including materials, building components, furnishings, complete buildings, and outdoor structures have been identified. Clothing including fabrics, garments, and accessories is also important. Transportation devices were limited to vessels and to land and water transportation, There is little evidence of communication technology other than perhaps drawing. Other artifacts including toys, weaponry, medicine, musical instruments, and sculpture during this period seem to be rather scanty.

Only fragmentary knowlege of conceptual culture such as mathematics, applied science, or philosophy survives. Information on language including linguistics, writing, and languages of the world is scanty. Graphic arts include drawing and painting: Printmaking, photography, and computer graphics were later invntions, but may be applied to studies of this period. Literature did not exist except in the form of oral traditions and stories. Literary forms and genres and specific literary works do not really apply, except to secondary literature about this period. Mathematics is unknown, except possibly for arithmetic and counting.

Behavioral culture is also not well known. Information about Customs including vital customs, living and dwelling customs, dress and adornment, social interaction, and institutional customs can be somewhat inferred from material culture and examples of living people. Information about occupations including food-related, building-related, transportation, communication, industrial, and service occupations can also be identified. Some information about recreation and entertainment including dance, music, theater, games, and sports can be gathered. Cultural events such as holidays, disasters, gatherings, and miscellaneous events are obscure and only indirectly useful.

Institutions

Details of families including marriage, parenting, kinship, and particular families are at least somewhat speculative. Education during this period seems to have been mostly informal, however, modern research, teaching, cultural institutions, educational organization, and particular schools that deal with this period are significant. Economics is also somewhat speculative. Industries, and economic systems are important. Economic activities including production, exchange and distribution, and consumption are important. Government is also small-scale and somewhat speculative. The origins of law and government activities and organization are obscure. particular governments are most likely to have been local, though national and international governments sometimes sponsor studies of this period. Religion including beliefs and practices of the period is somewhat speculative. Religious organization may have been unstructured, fragmented, or highly structured. Particular religions are difficult to identify. Religions during this period seem to have been mostly pagan, and include European, Asiatic, African, and American Indian varieties. There is an apparent conflict with what has been discovered about this period using methods of archeology and the traditions of Abrahamic religion. There is less conflict with Asiatic or secularist views.

Sociology

Social structure and change can be somewhat examined. social structure is somewhat important. Anthropological structure, cultural structure, institutional structure, racial and ethnic structure, and class structure are all fairly simple for the types of societies that existed. Social types in this period are limited to hunting and gathering and horticultural societies: Fully agrarian and industrial societies came later. Social change is somewhat useful. Social change factors including natural change, demographic change, cultural change, and institutional change can be considered. Processes including innovation, transmission, adaptation, and extinction are not well understood. Particular changes involve the beginnings of the agricultural revolution.

Communities are significant, but few modern cities can be traced to this period.

Not all the modern peoples are recognizable in this period. Nations are at best weakly connected. Algeria, Afghanistan, Peru, Nepal, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Venezuela, Malaysia, North Korea, Taiwan can be considered.

Western civilization did not yet exist in its modern form, although some predecessors may be identified. I know nothing of Spain. Anglic peoples such as are now found in the UK have not yet been closely examined. I also have no information on Latin peoples including those that are included in France and Italy. Northeast European peoples including those in parts of Russia, Ukraine, and Poland can be examined. I have no information on Germanic peoples including those in what is now Germany.

The prehistory of Asiatic peoples can be most easily followed. Morocco. The Middle east as represented by nations of Egypt, Turkey, and Iran seems to have been at the forefront of cultural development. South Asian peoples such as those of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh also seem to have been later to develop. The Orient including peoples of China, Japan and S. Korea was later in developing. Southeast Asia including peoples of Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand is presumably later, but little is known of the prehistory of these peoples. Central asia is likewise obscure.

. Little is known of African peoples including those of Kenya. Eastern Africa including Ethiopia, Sudan, Tanzania has been examined somewhat. Western Africa including Nigeria has not yet been carefully examined. Central Africa including Congo has not yet been closely examined. Southern Africa including South Africa has also not yet been closely examined.

Little is also known of American Indian peoples. Archeological finds in what is now Canada can be examined. Meso-American indians and archeological finds in what is now Mexico can be identified. South American Indians in what are now Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina may be identified. North American Indian peoples can be identified in what is now the United States.

Other History

Events of this period are followed immediately by antiquity, specifically the 5th Millennium BC. Information about it was increasingly lost in later periods of antiquity. Some information about prehistory was probably lost and forgotten in the classical and medieval period. This subject has been extensively studied in the modern period. Biblical and classical sources were taken for granted in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. The modern sciences of anthropology and archaeology developed in the 19th century. I have little information on their development in the early 19th century, the early-mid 19th century, but in the mid-19th century, the discovery of Neanderthal man in 1857 marks a beginning of one kind. This helped stir interest in the subject, and in the late-mid 19th century and late 19th century, prehistoric anthropology became increasingly significant. This has developed even more in the 20th century. In the early 20th century, archeological methods began to develop, and in the early-mid 20th century, developed even more. In the mid 20th century, the introduction of radiocarbon dating made more accurate chronologies of late prehistory, and in the late-mid 20th century, methods appropriate to dating of earlier remains were found, as well as major new discoveries. In the late 20th century, developments are still new, and likewise in the early 21st century. The early 2000s and late 2000s will be useful. The best information has been slow to make it to the general public, and there is a great deal of confusion and misinformation about prehistory. The future of these studies including near future, middle future, and far future is obscure.

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