Paleolithic
technology
Paleolithic Age
is the earliest part of the Stone Age, beginning
around 2.6 million years ago. Explore the
technology and inventions of the technology
and inventions of the paleolithic age, including
toolmaking technologies, harnessing fire in
hearths, and early textiles.
In the beginning of this period, the Paleolithic
people discovered fire, which was definitely a
necessity for living in this environment. They
learned how to keep fires going in their homes,
usually caves or huts, by building hearths, which
were simplied fireplaces. Paleolithic people also
invented containers like pottery and baskets,
which they used for gathering and storing various
liquid and dry goods, to keep them from spoiling.
Paleolithic groups developed increasingly
complex tools and objects made of stone and
natural fibers.
Paleolithic Period has traditionally coincided with
the first evidence of tool construction and use by
Homo some 2.58 million years ago, near the
beginning of the Pleistocene Epoch (about 2.58
million to 11,700 years ago).
In 2015, however, researchers excavating a dry
riverbed near Kenya’s Lake Turkana discovered
primitive stone tools embedded in rocks dating to
3.3 million years ago—the middle of the Pliocene
Epoch (some 5.3 million to 2.58 million years ago).
The Paleolithic Period is often divided into
three parts: Lower, Middle, and Upper.
However, anthropologists resist placing
hard time boundaries on each subdivision
and the stages within them, because
technologies characteristic of different
industries emerged at different times in
different regions.
In addition, there is some level of overlap
between stages and subdivisions because it
took time for new technologies to spread,
which created the circumstance in which
some groups of people had access to higher
levels of technology earlier than their
contemporaries.
The Lower Paleolithic is traditionally divided
into the Oldowan Stage (about 2.6 million to
1 million years ago), which saw the
development of pebble (chopping) tools,
and the Acheulean Stage (1.7–1.5 million
years ago to about 250,000–200,000 years
ago), in which more sophisticated hand axes
and cleaving tools emerged.
The Middle Paleolithic, which was
characterized by flake tools and the
widespread use of fire, lasted from about
250,000 to 30,000 years ago. The Upper
Paleolithic, which saw the emergence of
more sophisticated tools, lasted from
about 50,000–40,000 years ago until
about 10,000 years ago.
The Upper Paleolithic Period was
characterized by the emergence of regional
stone tool industries, such as the
Perigordian, Aurignacian, Solutrean, and
Magdalenian of Europe as well as other
localized industries of the Old World and the
oldest known cultures of the New World.
Paleolithic art
Two main forms of Paleolithic art are known to
modern scholars: small sculptures; and
monumental paintings, incised designs, and
reliefs on the walls of caves. Such works were
produced throughout the Mediterranean region
and other scattered parts of Eurasia and Africa
but survived in quantity only in eastern Europe
and parts of Spain and France.
Stone Age Time Period
The Stone Age began at the
beginning of what would
become human civilization. It
goes on until the discovery of
smelting. Smelting allowed
people to create tools made
out of metal and stone tools
became obsolete.
Stone Age Tools
Most tools in the Stone Age
were created to help humans
survive. These tools were used
for hunting, agriculture, and
food preparation. They were
made out of different stones
and this is the reason that this
time period is known as the
Stone Age.
Fire
Fire is an example of Stone Age
technology. It may seem primitive
now but 2 million years ago it was
necessary for survival. Fire allowed
early humans to control their
environment.
The Wheel
The wheel is another good
example of technology from the
Stone Age. Early humans used this
to move more quickly through the
use of chariots and other wheeled
vehicles.
The Wheel
The wheel begins to appear in
around the 4th millennium BC.
It was discovered in Central
Europe and Mesopotamia at
around the same time. It is not
clear which society discovered
it first.
Flint Knapping
Flintknapping is a technique that
early humans used to shape
stones for the creation of tools.
Stones such as flint, and other
flaky stones, can be shaped by
chipping the flakes away to
create an edge.
Atlatl
The atlatl is a tool that allowed
humans to throw spears farther
and faster. The animals hunted
by early humans were strong
and dangerous. The atlatl
helped to give people an edge.
Clothing
Humans in the stone age had to
use the pelts of animals for
clothing. It was a difficult process
to make skins suitable to be used
as clothing. They had to be de-
haired, washed, dried, a nd
stretched before they were
suitable for use.
Bow and Arrow
The bow and arrow was a very
useful tool during the stone
age. It allowed humans to kill
their food from longer ranges,
helping to keep them safe. This
discovery made hunting much
easier and safer.
Boat
Early humans also created
primitive boats that allowed
them to hunt. These boats
were not useful for long-
distance travel however.
Evidence of these boats is
generally found up north in
colder environments.
Pottery
Pottery was a later invention in the
Neolithic era. Pottery allowed
prehistoric humans to store food for
longer periods. This allowed them to
settle down and lay the ground work
for civilization.
Civilization as a Whole
Stone Age humans laid the
foundation for all of civilization.
Without our prehistoric ancestors
we would not have civilization as
we know it. History is just a
continuation of the discoveries
that humans made in the Stone
Age.
language
Language was perhaps the most important innovation of
the Paleolithic era. Scientist can infer the early use of
language from the fact that humans traversed large
swaths of land, established settlements, created tools,
traded, and instituted social hierarchies and cultures.
Without the aid of language, these things would likely
have been impossible.
artwork
artwork such as cave painting and portable art
demonstrates creativity and group structures as well.
They show an interest in sharing knowledge, expressing
feelings, and transmitting cultural information to later
generations. Though artwork from over 35,000 years ago
is rare, there is ample evidence of cave paintings and
statuettes from later periods.
In addition to cave art, portable figurines dated to
Paleolithic times have been found. Many of these include
finely carved facial features, while others accentuate
sexual organs and buttocks, such as the 25,000 year old
figurine found at Dolni Vestonice in the modern day
Czech Republic. Such an object shows a desire to create
beautiful figurines, but some also suggest that objects
like this are tied to an interests in human fertility.
Paleolithic groups developed increasingly
complex tools and objects made of stone and
natural fibers.
Language, art, scientific inquiry, and spiritual
life were some of the most important
innovations of the Paleolithic era.
