Introduction
The Homo Habilis or the ‘skilful’ humans developed about 3-2.5 million years ago. They created stone tools, lived in small groups, and moved from one place to another like nomads, when food became insufficient. After inventing the fire, humans migrated to Europe and Asia. Humans learnt to cultivate the land and started keeping the cattle and pets. The Stone Age Period ended when humans learnt to obtain metals from the ores.
What is stone age period?
The Stone Age marks a prehistoric period when early humans used tools primarily made of stone, bones etc. It is divided into three periods, namely Paleolithic period, Mesolithic period, and Neolithic period.
During the Paleolithic period (approximately around 2.5 million to 10,000 BCE years ago), early humans were hunter-gatherers. They relied on simple stone tools for hunting, cutting, and scraping, and lived in small nomadic groups. These humans made basic shelters in caves and discovered fire, which significantly improved their aptitude to cook food, stay warm, and protect themselves from predators.
In the Mesolithic period (approximately around 10,000 to 8,000 BCE), humans developed more advanced tools and began domesticating animals. Fishing, using harpoons and nets, became more common, and they started settling in temporary camps near rivers and lakes for hunting.
The Neolithic period (approximately around 8,000 to 4,000 BCE) marked a major transition to agriculture, with humans cultivating crops and domesticating animals like cattle, goats, and sheep. Settlements became more permanent, leading to the creation of villages. Pottery, weaving, and advanced tools were developed during this time.
The Stone Age was crucial in shaping human evolution, laying the foundation for modern society with the development of farming, permanent homes, and early forms of art and culture.
How did humans discover fire?
Fires in the forest or bushes scared humans earlier. Gradually, they learnt to appreciate the power of fire. It gave them light and warmth and kept away wild animals. They could harden the tips of wooden spears and cook meat in it. About 7,00,000 years ago, humans started to protect themselves from a fire started accidentally by lightning. Soon they learnt to produce fire, by striking stone and pyrite with each other or by rubbing stones.
The discovery of fire is one of the most important achievements of humans. Without it we could not have developed to the stage where we are today.
What did the Stone Age humans feed on?
Stone age man collected plants, honey, and bird’s eggs, or went for hunting etc. They drove away the smaller animals living in pits with the help of fires and torches. Neanderthals even hunted for large animals. They made large and killed mammoths, rhinos, or bison from the nearest point with spears. The parts of the animals, which they did not eat, were utilised in other ways. Nothing went unused. Weapons, tools, and jewellery were made from bones, tendons became ropes, and skin and hide were used to make clothes and tents. Even today there are races that live as hunters and collectors, such as the Bushmen, also known as San, in Namibia and Botswana in southern Africa.
How did humans make tools?
In the Stone Age, humans chipped off splinters from flintstones with a hard stone and shaped them to make hand axes, spears, and arrow tips or sickles.
They then observed that metal ran out of a greenish-blue stone in fire, which led to the creation of copper. In the Near East, copper and zinc were melted since the 4th Century BC to make hard bronze, which became the most important material for tools, weapons, and jewellery. Bronze became known in Europe later. The Bronze Age was followed by the Iron Age. Although iron was more difficult to make, it was harder than bronze.
How did the Nomads become 3 cultivators?
Humans had been observing how new plants grew from seeds for long time. They used this knowledge about 10,000 years ago and sowed seeds of plants which they could get with difficulty. Simple cultivation devices were made from wood and stone. When the crops became bigger, humans settled down near the fields and created reserves. Instead of looking for food, they now improved the tools and the weapons. As a result handicraft was born, which changed their life style. This period is known as the ‘Neolithic Revolution’.
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