Paleolithic Age:

Scientists call the first age in which people lived the Paleolithic (pa le uh lith’ ik) Age, or Old Stone Age. It lasted from about 2.3 million years ago until 10,000 years ago. During this period, people obtained their food by hunting and gathering.

Obtaining Food

Paleolithic people lived in small bands, or groups, of about 30 members. When the food supply was good, the bands grew to about 40 or 50 members. Most of the group members lived to be no more than 20 or 25 years old. More than half of the children died from illnesses or were killed by animals before their first birthdays. The people within a group lived and worked together and shared their food. They fed and cared for people who became injured or sick.

Each band searched for food within an area known as its home territory. This usually covered about two square miles, or five square kilometers, for every band member. There were campsites at various places throughout the home territory. The band stayed at a campsite until the available food supply was used up and then moved.

Women and children gathered berries, nuts, fruit, and eggs out of bird and turtle nests. They poked sticks into bee nests to get honey and into the ground to dig roots. Men of the group obtained meat. They caught fish using their bare hands and hunted small animals with sticks and stones. Occasionally, they were able to kill a large animal that was too young, too old, or too badly hurt to run away. A good kill meant that the group would have enough meat to last for several days.

Making Tools

Life for hunters and gatherers became easier when they learned to make tools. At first the only tools people had were sticks and stones they found on the ground. Soon they learned to shape stones to make them more useful.

Among the earliest shaped stones are the Olduvan pebble tools, named after the Olduvai Gorge in eastern Africa where they were first discovered. Pebble tools were made from pebbles or stones about the size of a fist. The toolmaker hit one pebble with another, removing chips and creating a jagged cutting edge. This edge was sharp enough to cut the meat off of small animals’ bones, split animal bones, and chop up plants.

Later people learned to knock long, sharp-edged chips, called flakes, from stones and use them as tools. Using flakes for knives, they could butcher, or cut up, animals as big as elephants quickly and efficiently. People also used flakes to scrape one end of a wooden branch into a sharp point for a digging stick or a meat skewer.

Making Fire

People also learned to make fire during the Paleolithic Age. The first fires they knew about were made by nature, such as those started by lightning. Eventually, people discovered how to make fire themselves. They created sparks by rubbing two sticks or stones together, or rapidly turning a stick in a hole in a dry log.

People used fire to keep themselves warm and dry. They also used it as a weapon, throwing burning sticks of wood at animals to drive them away. Sometimes they used fire to drive big animals into mudholes. The heavy animals would sink in the mud and people could then kill them.

People also used fire to clear out brush and undergrowth. Finally, people used fire to cook food. Cooked food was much easier to chew and digest than raw food. As a result, people spent less time eating and more time doing other things.

Seeking Shelter

Early people usually camped out in the open. They protected themselves from the wind by digging pits in the ground or by crouching in dry river beds. They also took shelter under an overhanging rock or piled up brush.

At first, early people used caves only for such emergencies as escaping from a sudden storm or a large animal. By about 100,000 years ago, however, people in China, western Europe, and southwestern Asia were living in caves most of the time.

Making Clothing

After hunters began killing large animals, they found that the animal skins could be used for protection and warmth. They scraped the skins clean and then laid them out in the sun to dry. Later, people discovered that pounding fat into the skin while it was drying would make it softer.

At first people wrapped the skins around themselves. Later, they learned how to fasten the skins together. Clothing made a big difference in where people lived. Before they had clothing, most people stayed in areas that were warm and dry. Once they had clothing to protect them from the weather, they were able to move into areas that were cooler and wetter.

Developing Language

In addition to learning to make tools, fire, and clothing, early people developed language. Before they learned to talk, early people simply made sounds or pointed to objects to express meaning. Hand signals were probably used for common things such as water, food, animals, and weapons. Gradually, because of new social needs, sounds and hand signals were no longer enough. The development of language was a great human achievement. It made it possible for people to work together, share ideas, and pass on their beliefs and stories. The younger generations could learn more easily from older generations, and greater progress was made in all areas of civilization.