PREHISTORY 1º E.S.O.Ana María de Pablo Campos

Prehistory is the period in human history before recorded events.

To investigate Prehistory scholars use auxiliary sciences such as Paleontology, Archeology and Chronology.

Some common errors about Prehistory…

The continents did not exist as they are today.

In fact, the continents are similar to what they were 20 million years ago.

Dinosaurs and hominids coexisted during Prehistory.

In fact, dinosaurs became extinct 65 million years ago. The earliest hominids appeared about 4.5 million years ago.

The monkeys are the ancestors of modern human beings.

In fact, apes and humans share a common ancestor which is yet to be determined.

Human evolution is a linear process in which one species of hominid substitutes another.

In fact, remains of different species of hominids have been found, and several coexisted in the same time and space.

Stages in Prehistory

Palaeolithic (4,500,000 - 8,000 BC /BCE)

Neolithic (8,000 BC/BCE - 4,000 BC/BCE)

Metal Ages (4,000 - 1,100 BC/BCE)

Palaeolithic

Hominization process• Bipedalism

• Release of the hands

• Opposable thumb

• Head balanced in line with back

• Transformation of the larynx

• Use of fire and tools to prepare and cook food

Bipedalism

Release of the hands

It made possible for hominids to grasp objects and make tools.

Opposable thumb

It facilitated the accurate manipulation of objects.

Head in line with spine

This contributed to the increase of cranial capacity and the power to think.

Transformation of the larynx

This contributed to the development of spoken language.

Fire and tools used to cook food

This led to smaller jaws and teeth, and the appearance of the chin and a flat forehead.

Some human ancestors

Australopithecus Afarensis (4,200,000 years ago)

Homo Habilis(2,500,000 years ago)

Homo ErgasterTURKANA BOY(1,800,000 years ago)

Homo Neanderthalensis(300,000 years ago)

Homo Sapiens(195,000 years ago)

Life in the Palaeolithic period

• Predatory economy

• Nomadic society

• Utensils made of carved stone and other materials

• Invention of fire

• Religious beliefs

• Invention of art

Predatory economy and nomadic society

Based on hunting, gathering, fishing.

Tools made of carved stone

Bone, antlers, wood… were used too.

Invention of fire

It was useful to cook, to ward off animals, to provide light and heat, to dry animal skins...

Religious beliefsHomo Neanderthalensis was the first species to practice burial rites.

Art

Homo Sapiens is the only species capable of producing art.

Portable artVenus

Portable art

Spear thrower (15,000-13,000 BCE)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHgUMUk3YwY

Cave art

Paintings in Altamira cave(15,000 B.C.E)

Cave artPaintings in the Cave of the Hands, Argentina(13,000-9,000 B.C.E.)

Neolithic

Origin of the Neolithic

Life in the Neolithic period• Productive economy

• Sedentary society

• Utensils made of polished stone

• Invention of pottery, textiles and trade

• First political or religious leaders

• Religion based on astrology, the mother goddess and veneration of the dead

Productive economy and sedentary society

Beginning of the agriculture and the livestock farming.

Tools made of polished stone

New utensils were invented.

Mill

Hoe

Axe

Scythe

Invention of pottery, textiles (loom and spindle), and barter.

Loom

Spindle

Pottery

Political and religious leaders

They were responsible for the defense, the distribution of the resources, and the collective work.

Religion based on astrology, the mother goddess,and the deceased.

Art

Decorated pottery

Metal Ages

Life in the Metal Ages

• Utensils made of metal (copper, bronze and iron)

• Increase in artisan production, and agricultural surplus

• Development of long distance trade

• Inventions: wheel, plough and sail

• Emergence of cities, armies and monarchs

• First architecture (megaliths)

Utensils, tools and weapons made of metal

The result was the superiority of the societies

that understood the metallurgical process.

Increase of artisan production and agricultural surplus

Development of long distance trade

Because of the need to obtain metals and exchange them for other products.

New inventions: the wheel, the plough and the sail

First cities, armies and monarchs

First forms of architecture

Menhir

Stonerow

Dolmen

Cromlech

Corridortomb

Prehistory in the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Isles

Stages in Prehistory in the Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Isles

Palaeolithic (1,000,000 - 5,000 BC /BCE)

Neolithic (5,000 BC/BCE - 2,500 BC/BCE)

Metal Ages (2,500 - 800 BC/BCE)

Life in the Palaeolithic

• The first hominid is the Homo Antecessor species (1,000,000 years ago)

• Numerous remains of Homo Neanderthalensis have been found.

• Homo Sapiens (Man of Cromagnon) arrived 40,000 years ago.

• Cave paintings in Spain are included in the World Heritage List.

Homo Antecessor is the oldest

hominid in the Iberian Peninsula

Remains have been found in the

Atapuerca archeological site

(Burgos)

Homo Neanderthalensis

Possibly, the last members of this species became exctint in the Iberian Peninsula.

Homo Sapiens (Man of Cromagnon)

They arrived in the Iberian Peninsula 40,000 years ago.

Franco-Cantabrian style cave paintings

Levantine style paintings in rock shelters

Life in the Neolithic

• The agriculture, the domestication of animals and the pottery appeared as a result of contact with other people.

• Cardium pottery was the main art form.

Main Neolithic sites in the Iberian Peninsula

Cardium pottery

Life in the Metal Ages

• Metalworking was introduced by people searching for metal, who came from the Eastern Mediterranean region.

• Metalworking in copper was mainly focused in the culture of Los Millares (Almería).

• Metalworking in bronze had two important focus: the culture of El Argar and the Balearic Isles Culture.

• Metalworking in Iron was introduced by the Celtic people, and the Phoenician and Greek colonists.

The Copper Age

Los Millares

The Bronze Age

El Argar

The Bronze Age

Balearic Isles Culture

Taula

The Bronze Age

Balearic Isles Culture

Talayot

The Bronze Age

Balearic IslesCulture

Naveta

The Iron Age