STONE AGE

Instructions: Read the topic STONE AGE on pages 107-109. Compare the three periods using the graphic
organizer below.

PALEOLITHIC MESOLITHIC NEOLITHIC

It derives from Greek: Greek: μέσος, mesos The term Neolithic comes
ORIGIN OF NAME παλαιός, palaios, "old"; "middle"; λίθος, lithos from two words: neo, or
and λίθος, lithos, "stone" new, and lithic, or stone.
"stone", meaning "old
age of the stone" or “Middle Stone Age” “New Stone Age”
"Old Stone Age".
500,000 years ago, and 10,000 BCE to 6,000 Early 9,000 BCE and as
PERIOD ended roughly around BCE late as 6,000 BCE
600 BCE
Stone tools were used to Their tools are polished Copper was introduced in
DECRIPTION OF TOOLS cut, pound, and crush stone tools and this period hence, being
gathered food. Some of microliths, which are characterized by metal
the stone tools small tools mounted tools.
discovered during period together on a shaft,
were simple pebbles creating a serrated
stones, hand axe, and edge.
the oldowan toolkit,
which are choppers and
flakes are consider the
oldest stone tools yet
known.
Humans lived a nomadic The people of this age Agriculture was
WAY OF LIFE life. They move from lived on hunting, introduced during this
one place to another for fishing, and food time, which led to more
survival. They hunt wild gathering; later on, they permanent settlements in
animals and birds, also domesticated villages. Finally, during this
gathering fruits and animals. period, ancient humans
berries, and fishing. switched from
hunter/gatherer mode to
agriculture and food
production. They
domesticated animals and
cultivated cereal grains.
The oldest examples of Circular structure made Neolithic people usually
TYPE OF SHELTER Paleolithic dwellings are from wooden posts. lived in rectangular homes
shelters in caves, Archaeologists have with a central hearth that
followed by houses of found marks in the were called long houses.
wood, straw, and rock. ground that they They typically only had
believe were made one door and were made
from timber poles. The primarily from mud brick,
frame may have been mud formed into bricks
round or conical, like a and dried.
tepee.
Paleolithic groups The greatest The invention of
ACHIEVEMENTS/DISCOVERIE developed increasingly achievement of the agriculture was the
S complex tools and Mesolithic period is the biggest discovery of
 objects made of stone making of Microliths. neolithic age. Also,
and natural fibers. They were attached to Manmade beautiful pots
Language, art, scientific spear points and to keep food grains and
inquiry, and spiritual life arrowheads. They were storing water. Some new
were some of the most usually a centimetre or developed tools like
important innovations of so in length and half a sickles, bows and arrows
the Paleolithic era. centimetre wide. and improved axes were
made in the Neolithic Age.