The images in this collage come from various sources.
See Wright, "John Gurche, Hominid Sculptor;" Gibbons, "How Neanderthals Lost Their Y Chromosome;" and Rincon, "DNA Secrets of Ice Age Europe Unlocked."
Welcome!
This Google Site compares hominid societies from the three main eras of the Stone Age: the Early Stone Age (ESA) that began three million years ago (Ma) and ended 300,000 years ago (ka), followed by the Middle (MSA) which started 300 ka and lasted until the beginning of the Later (LSA), 35 ka. In the picture above, you can see (from left to right) an ESA australopithecine, MSA Neanderthal, and LSA human who will each serve as the representatives of their respective eras. Above the picture are six topics that discuss the foundational components of Stone Age societies; these will be used as a basic criteria for comparing our three hominids. Starting with the "Technological Advancement" tab, we will document how hominids went from using bulky stone tools in the ESA to crafting revolutionary weapons with other materials in the LSA. Following this, the "Hunting and Gathering" section will explore how our three hominids sought to survive in the wild and what hardships they faced. In Part III, which is aptly titled: "Why Homo Sapiens Survived," we will analyze the reasons why humans rose to the top of the food chain and replaced Neanderthals. Afterwards, we will focus more on humans in the Stone Age, rather than a comparison between our three main hominids. This is because the last three sections each involve activities that require higher mental capacities than what the brains of australopithecines and Neanderthals allowed. We will dive into an examination of Stone Age language use and symbols; the development of religious beliefs about spirits and the afterlife; and the rise of self-actualization through various kinds of art. In sum, this Google Site chronicles the evolution of hominids, and how we progressed from focusing only on survival to having abstract desires and thoughts.