PRE-HISTORY - PEOPLE BEFORE CIVILIZATION
I.
II.
PRE-HISTORY
A.
GENERAL REMARKS
1.
DIVIDED INTO 2 MAJOR PERIODS
a.
PALEOLITHIC
b.
NEOLITHIC 2.
SOME TEXTS & SCHOLARS ADD AGE IN BETWEEN CALLED
a.
MESOLITHIC
3.
NAME INDICATES PRIME RAW MATERIAL USED TO MAKE TOOLS &
WEAPONS
B.
LIFE IN PALEOLITHIC TIMES
1.
HUNTING & GATHERING SOCIETY
2.
PEOPLE NEEDED RELATIVELY LARGE SPACE TO SUPPORT
THEMSELVES
3.
SO SEVERELY RESTRICTED SIZE OF HUMAN COMMUNITIES
4.
& MADE SETTLED LIFE IN 1 AREA IMPOSSIBLE
5.
SINCE GROUP HAD TO FOLLOW ITS FOOD SUPPLY
6.
& MOVED IN CONJUNCTION W/ANIMAL MIGRATIONS &
VEGETATION CYCLES
7.
SOCIETY ORGANIZED BY SMALL CLANS & TRIBES
8.
ALMOST ALL SCULPTURED FIGURES SURVIVING FROM
PALEOLITHIC TIMES
a.
ARE OF WOMEN
b.
SO-CALLED VENUS FIGURINES
c.
VENUS OF WILLENDORF
(1) FOUND IN AUSTRIA
9.
ONCE DISMISSED CASUALLY AS FERTILITY GODDESSES
10. THESE STATUTES NOW RECOGNIZED AS MORE GENERAL SYMBOLS
OF WOMANHOOD
11. FIGURINES NOT ALL PREGNANT WOMEN
a.
AS ONCE THOUGHT
12. BUT RANGE FROM VIRGINAL MAIDENS TO FULL-BREASTED
MOTHERS & OLD WOMEN
13. OTHER SCHOLARS CONJECTURE WOMEN HAD MYSTERIOUS POWERS
a.
AS GIVEN TO WITCHES, PROPHETESSES & PRIESTESSES
IN LATER TIMES
14. SOME EVIDENCE PEOPLE HAD SOME SORT OF SUPERNATURAL
BELIEF
a.
AS FAR BACK AS 100,000 B.C.
b.
NEANDERTHAL PEOPLE BURYING THEIR DEAD
(1) WITH CARE & CEREMONY
(2) SYMBOLISM & RITUAL
(3) POINTING TO BELIEF IN SOME SORT OF LIFE
AFTER DEATH
c.
BODIES PAINTED WITH RED OCHER
(1) THESE ONES THOUGHT BY SOME TO BE WOMEN
d.
POSITIONED CAREFULLY W/KNEES DRAWN UP
e.
PROVIDED WITH FLINT WEAPONS
15. CRO-MAGNON CAVE PAINTINGS OF GAME ANIMALS INDICATE
POSSIBILITY BY 30,000 B.C.
16. OF EITHER MAGICAL RITES AIMED AT CONTROLLING GAME
SUPPLY
17. OR WHAT IS CALLED SYMPATHETIC MAGIC
a.
YOU PAINT WHAT YOU WANT TO HAPPEN
b.
FAMOUS CAVES OF LASCAUX IN FRANCE & ALTAMIRA IN
SPAIN
NEOLITHIC AGE = GREEK FOR NEW STONE AGE
A.
GENERAL REMARKS
1.
2.
B.
C.
D.
DEPENDING ON LOCATION BEGAN 10,000 TO 7500 YRS B.C.
NAME COMES FROM PRECISELY CARVED & POLISHED STONE
TOOLS
a.
NEW STONE AGE
3.
ALWAYS THOUGHT EARLIEST NEOLITHIC SOCIETIES APPEARED
1ST IN NEAR EAST
a.
C. 8000 B.C.
4.
THEN LATER IN OTHER AREAS
a.
CHINA 4000 B.C.
b.
INDIA 3600 B.C. OR MUCH EARLIER
c.
& MUCH LATER IN EUROPE
5.
BUT NOW SCHOLARS SAYING NEOLITHIC SOCIETIES DEVELOPED
CONCURRENTLY ALL OVER WORLD
CHARACTERISTICS OF NEOLITHIC CULTURE
1.
GRADUAL SHIFT FROM HUNTER & GATHERER,
a.
NOMADIC CULTURE OF PALEOLITHIC TIMES
2.
TO A SETTLED FARMING ONE
3.
FROM FOOD-GATHERERS TO FOOD-PRODUCERS
4.
ONLY A FEW PALEOLITHIC SOCIETIES DEVELOPED INTO
NEOLITHIC ONES HOWEVER
5.
DISAGREEMENT AMONG SCHOLARS WHY THIS HAPPENED
a.
GROWTH IN POPULATION
b.
INCREASED SENSE OF ONE'S OWN TERRITORY
c.
INTERFERENCE W/HUNTING GROUNDS
d.
MELTING OF MILE-HIGH GLACIERS
(1)DUE TO WEATHER CHANGES
(2) CAUSING COASTAL FLOODING
(3) CREATING SHALLOW BAYS, ESTUARIES,
(6) BUT SETTLING DOWN OF NEOLITHIC SOCIETIES
(a) TRIGGERED CHAIN OF EVENTS
(b) CONCERNING GROWTH IN POPULATION
6.
PALEOLITHIC SOCIETY ON MOVE APPARENTLY HAD SERVED
7.
AS NATURAL BIRTH CONTROL MECHANISM
8.
BUT BIG MYSTERY FOR HISTORIANS REMAINS WHY CHANGE TO
FOOD PRODUCERS FROM FOOD GATHERERS?
a.
TO BE UNDER WORK ETHIC WHICH IMPOSED HARDER
SCHEDULE
b.
IT IS WRONG TO THINK OF PALEOLITHIC TIMES AS
SURVIVAL BEING FULL-TIME STRUGGLE
c.
& THUS NO ROOM FOR LEISURE
9.
1 GROUP OF SCHOLARS ADVOCATE
a.
MAN WILLING TO WORK HARDER BECAUSE OF BEER
ANIMALS & PLANTS DOMESTICATED DURING NEOLITHIC TIMES
1.
DOG 1ST
a.
PIGS & CATTLE NEXT THEN SHEEP & GOATS
2.
OTHER PLANTS DOMESTICATED BESIDES BARLEY
3.
WHEAT IN INDIA & NEAR EAST
4.
MILLET IN AFRICA & RICE IN CHINA
5.
CORN, BEANS & SQUASH IN CENTRAL & S. AMERICA
ANCIENT FARM PRACTICES
1.
FASCINATING RESEARCH IN ENGLAND IN HAMPSHIRE AT
a.
BUTSER ANCIENT FARM PROJECT
2.
BUTSER UTILIZING ANCIENT FARM TOOLS
a.
& GROWING ANCIENT CROPS
3.
TO REPLICATE HOW MAN LIVED THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO
4.
ACCORDING TO THEIR RESEARCH
5.
MAN BEGAN TO INVENT TOOLS TO EASE BURDEN OF WORK
6.
NEW CLICHE
a.
EASING OF WORK LOAD RATHER THAN NECESSITY WAS
2
E.
MOTHER OF INVENTION
7.
PLOUGH DEVELOPED C 3000 B.C. 1 OF MOST IMPORTANT
8.
3 TYPES OF STONE ARDS OR PLOUGHS ANCIENT MAN USED
a.
TO DIG EARTH, STIR SOIL INTO TILTH & THEN FORMS
NARROW FURROW FOR SEEDS
9.
RESEARCH HAS SHOWN MORE EFFICIENT THAN PREVIOUSLY
THOUGHT
10. IN FACT AS CAPABLE OR MORE SO THAN WOODEN PLOUGHS
11. ANCIENT MAN USED SLASH & BURN TO CLEAR FOREST LAND
UNTIL SOIL EXHAUSTED & MOVED ON
a.
SLASH & BURN NOT JUST MODERN METHOD
12. EVEN MAN-MANAGED WOODLAND
OTHER IMPORTANT NEOLITHIC DEVELOPMENTS
1.
NEOLITHIC TIMES NB INVENTION OF POTTERY TO STORE
SURPLUS LIQUIDS
a.
GREAT BOON ALSO TO ARCHAEOLOGISTS BECAUSE IT IS
ALMOST IMPERISHABLE
b.
& ONCE CULTURE STARTS TO MAKE POTTERY
c.
IT LEAVES BEHIND A TRAIL OF BROKEN SHARDS
d.
OFTEN DISTINCTIVELY DECORATED & DATABLE
e.
THOUGHT DEVELOPED BY WOMEN
2.
DEVELOPMENT OF SPINNING & WEAVING
a.
TO MAKE CLOTH - DEVELOPED BY WOMEN
3.
CROPS REQUIRED CONSTANT CARE FROM PLANTING TO
HARVESTING SO PERMANENT BLDGS. BUILT
4.
THEN VILLAGES & TOWNS W/WALLS ERECTED
3
III. NEOLITHIC CULTURE IN SPECIFIC REGIONS
A.
NEAR EAST
1.
BY 7000 B.C. RESIDENTS OF NEAR EAST HAD DEVELOPED TRUE
FARMING VILLAGES
2.
GROUPED IN SMALL OPENED COMMUNITIES
3.
OR IN LARGER FORTIFIED TOWNS LIKE JERICHO OR CATAL
HUYUK
4.
FOOD SURPLUSES FREED SOME MEMBERS OF COMMUNITY
a.
TO BECOME AT LEAST PART TIME SPECIALISTS AS
b.
BLACKSMITHS, POTTERS,
5.
CATAL HUYUK
a.
32 ACRES VS 8 ACRES FOR JERICHO
b.
CURRENT EXCAVATION WORK
B.
EUROPE
1.
EARLIEST AGRICULTURAL VILLAGES IN EUROPE APPEARED
ABOUT 6500 B.C. IN GREECE
2.
ECONOMY CENTERED ON SHEEP RAISING
3.
& CULTIVATION OF WHEAT & LEGUMES
4.
BY 4000 B.C, NEOLITHIC SETTLEMENTS HAD SPREAD
THROUGHOUT EUROPE ALONG 2 MAJOR ROUTES
a.
VARDAR-DANUBE -RHINE CORRIDOR
b.
COASTAL AREAS OF MEDITERRANEAN SEA
IV.
ANCIENT NEOLITHIC CULTURES IN BRITISH ISLES
A.
GENERAL REMARKS
1.
OUR KNOWLEDGE LESS THAN FOR NEAR EAST
2.
AS THESE MEGALITHIC CULTURES ILLITERATE
3.
BUT THEIR CULTURE SOPHISTICATED ENOUGH TO CONSTRUCT
THESE VARIOUS EDIFICES
a.
VARIETY OF STONE CIRCLES
b.
& TURF & STONE BURIAL MOUNDS
4.
VAST NUMBER OF THESE HAVE SURVIVED
5.
6.
B.
C.
D.
E.
4
FROM 5000 B.C - 2500 B.C.
SOME OF THESE STONE STRUCTURES 1000-2000 YRS OLDER
THAN PYRAMIDS
7.
BUT MOST BUILT ABOUT SAME TIME AS PYRAMIDS IN EGYPT &
ZIGGURATS IN MESOPOTAMIA
8.
WHAT LARGE STONE CIRCLES USED FOR IS NOT ENTIRELY
KNOWN
9.
BUT EVIDENCE OF COMMUNAL FEASTING & MEETING IS PRESENT
10. VARIETY OF BURIAL MONUMENTS SHOW HOW VARIED COULD BE
RITUAL CONCERNED W/DEATH
STONEHENGE
1.
MOST FAMOUS OF STONE CIRCLE MEGALITHS
2.
ON SALISBURY PLAIN, WILTSHIRE, ENGLAND
3.
CONCENTRIC CIRCLES OF GIGANTIC STANDING STONES
4.
LINED UP IN SUCH WAY ON SUMMER SOLSTICE
a.
SUN RISES OVER PEAK OF MIDDLE ALTAR STONE ON JUNE
215.
REST OF TIME USED FOR OBSERVING RISING & SETTINGS OF
SUN & MOON
6.
BUILT & REBUILT OVER PERIOD 1000 YRS
a.
REMODELING PROJECT AT ITS MOST IMPRESSIVE
7.
OLDEST PART IS 5000 YRS OLD
8.
PRESENT STRUCTURE 3500 YRS OLD
9.
MISSING STONES TAKEN IN MIDDLE AGES
a.
FARMERS FENCES & HOUSES
10. NUMBER OF LONG BARROWS CLOSE TO IT
a.
W/TOMBS OF CHIEFTAINS & ARISTOCRATS
11. SUGGEST STONEHENGE WESTMINSTER ABBEY OF ITS DAY
a.
AS PLACE FOR WORSHIP FOR PILGRIMS
b.
& BURIAL SITE FOR PROMINENT OF ENGLAND &
CONTINENT
AVEBURY
1.
VERY NEAR STONEHENGE IN WILTSHIRE
2.
BIGGEST SANCTUARY OF ITS KIND IN EUROPE
3.
COVERS AN AREA OF ABOUT 30 ACRES
4.
DOUBLE AISLE OF STANDING STONES OVER 1/2 MILES LONG
LEADING UP TO RING
5.
PEOPLE PROBABLY CAME HERE FROM CONSIDERABLE DISTANCES
TO ATTEND RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES
6.
MANY STONES 40 TONS OR MORE
7.
WELL INTO 19TH C. PEOPLE USED TO DANCE AROUND A
MAYPOLE IN CIRCLE
8.
PERHAPS UNCONSCIOUSLY ECHOING DANCES & RITUALS
PERFORMED THOUSANDS OF YRS BEFORE
ROLLRIGHT STONES
1.
ORIGINALLY RING OF ABOUT 20 TALL STONES IN PERFECT
CIRCLE
2.
NEAR CHIPPING NORTON IN OXFORDSHIRE
3.
KING STONE NEAR IT MAY HAVE BEEN A MARKER USED BY
APPROACHING TRAVELLERS TO CIRCLE
4.
LOCAL PEOPLE USED TO MEET AT CIRCLE ONCE A YR
a.
FOR MERRYMAKING AND DANCING
b.
PERHAPS GOING BACK TO ANCIENT FERTILITY RITES IN
PREHISTORIC TIMES
LONG BARROWS
1.
MASSIVE STONE TOMBS
a.
FAMILY VAULTS & SHRINES TO POWERFUL ANCESTORS
2.
NEW GRANGE - IRELAND
a.
OLDER THAN PYRAMIDS
3.
F.
G.
V.
5
WAYLAND SMITHY
a.
MEGALITHIC TOMB OF 3700-3400 B.C.
b.
BUILT ON TOP OF AN EARLIER BARROW
c.
REMAINS OF 14 PEOPLE FOUND INSIDE
4.
WEST KENNET LONG BARROW
a.
BUILT C. 3400 BC.
b.
NEAR AVEBURY
c.
1 OF LARGEST IN ENGLAND
d.
330 FEET LONG
5.
BELAS KNAP
a.
3500 B.C. IN GLOUCHESTERSHIRE
b.
RESTORED
c.
1 OF FINEST EXAMPLES OF ITS KIND
d.
REMAINS OF MORE THAN 30 PEOPLE FOUND INSIDE
6.
STONEY LITTLETON C. 3000 B.C.
a.
100 FT LONG, 50 FT WIDE
b.
OUTSIDE WOULD HAVE BEEN A FORECOURT USED FOR
RITUALS,
(1) INVOLVING FIRES, FEASTING, DANCING &
POSSIBLE SACRIFICES
HILLFORTS
1.
MAIDEN CASTLE, DORSET
2.
1 OF SHOW PIECES OF ENGLAND
3.
BEGAN 3500 B.C. W/CAMP ON HILLTOP
4.
LATER ENORMOUS BARROW BUILT
HUMAN SCULPTURES & FIGURES
1.
SO MANY WOMEN
2.
WHY THESE TINY FIGURES CARVED UNKNOWN
3.
BUT DO SEEM TO REFLECT CRUCIAL PLACE OF WOMEN IN STONE
AGE WORLD
NEOLITHIC CULTURES IN SPECIFIC REGIONS CONTINUED
A.
AFRICA
1.
NEOLITHIC ERA SPREAD TO NILE VALLEY BETWEEN 5000 AND
4000 B.C.
2.
IRRIGATION BY CONTROL OF FLOODING OF NILE STARTED AT
THIS TIME
3.
AFRICAN PEOPLE LIVED IN SAHARAN REGION TOO
a.
WHICH DID NOT BECOME UNINHABITABLE DESERT UNTIL
AFTER 3000 B.C.
4.
WHEN DESICCATION OF SAHARA OCCURRED
5.
BARRIER THAT SAHARA DESERT IMPOSED BY 2500 B.C.
a.
PREVENTED SPREAD OF EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION
b.
SOME AFRICAN PEOPLES HAVE REMAINED AT HUNTERGATHERER STAGE EVEN TO PRESENT TIME
c.
SO ANTHROPOLOGISTS CAN OBSERVE DIRECTLY CHANGEOVER PROCESS
B.
ASIA
1.
NEOLITHIC AGE IN INDIA DATES FROM C 3000 B.C.
2.
CENTERED IN NW INDIA
3.
THEN WELL WATERED & WOODED
4.
TODAY ALMOST WATERLESS DESERT
5.
NEOLITHIC AGE BEGAN IN CHINA ABOUT 6000 B.C. WITH 3
SEPARATE NEOLITHIC CULTURES
6.
EACH CULTURE HAD ITS DISTINCT & CHARACTERISTIC POTTERY
WARE
7.
AROUND 3000 B.C. SILKWORMS DOMESTICATED
a.
& SILK WEAVING BEGAN