Histopedia

The Stone Age!

The Stone Age was a broad prehistoric period during which humans and their ancestors made and used stone tools. It lasted from the earliest human-like species to the end of the last Ice Age, roughly spanning from 2.5 million years ago to 10,000 years ago.

Here are some key characteristics and milestones of the Stone Age:

Divisions of the Stone Age

1. Paleolithic Era (Old Stone Age): 2.5 million – 10,000 years ago. Early humans developed simple stone tools and hunted large game.
2. Mesolithic Era (Middle Stone Age): 10,000 – 5,000 years ago. Humans developed more sophisticated tools and began to settle in permanent locations.
3. Neolithic Era (New Stone Age): 5,000 – 2,000 years ago. Humans developed agriculture, domesticated animals, and created more complex societies.

Key Innovations and Achievements

1. Stone tools: Early humans developed various stone tools, such as flint knives, scrapers, and hand axes.
2. Fire control: Humans learned to control and use fire for cooking, warmth, and other purposes.
3. Shelter construction: Early humans developed simple shelters, such as tents and lean-tos, and later built more complex structures, like houses and villages.
4. Agriculture: During the Neolithic Era, humans developed agriculture, allowing for settled societies and population growth.

The Stone Age laid the foundation for human civilization, marking the transition from nomadic hunter-gatherers to settled agricultural communities.