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Homo erectus was considered the first true hunters. Because of better tools
(Hand axe), fire and axes, they could hunt larger game such as deer, rhinos, pigs,
elephants; buffaloes etc. and cook their food.People learnt to wear animal skins and make
waist-belts and necklaces. They also painted themselves with red ochre and oil.
MESOLITHIC – SHELTER.
Man used identifiable shelter. An example was found at Orangia in South Africa. Man
also used rock shelter (rocks scooped out to make hollows). Later man lived in caves with
entrance covered with animal skins to keep wind and rain away (e.g. Matupi Cave in
Zaire and Gambles cave near Nakuru.
MESOLITHIC – LANGUAGE AND ROCK ART
Families lived in small groups for security reasons. There were distinct languages to
enhance communications.Rock paintings-Pictures of animals were painted on walls and
rocks. Examples of Cave paintings were left behind at Kondoa and singida areas in north
Tanzania and at Apollo II cave in S.A. This pictures signified man’s believe in magic
(arrows piercing animals he hoped to kill)
SOCIAL ORGANIZATION
There was efficient group organization as evidenced by the ability to carry out large-scale
hunting. Language invention further strengthened the social bonds and cultures of early
man
The Neolithic age
Neolithic “New Stone” Age- 15,000 – 4,000 years ago
This period was marked with the Emergence of Homo sapiens and homo sapien sapiens.
THE NEOLITHIC TOOLS
Man became a Very skilled toolmaker-they made tools known as microliths- (small piece
of sharp stone tool). For example, a crescent or a lunate which had a straight sharp cutting
edge and a curved blunted back.Their weapons include stone axes, knives, spears,
harpoons, wooden bows, and sharp, stone tipped arrows, hooks, needles, and bone fish
hooks.NEANDERTHALS were the first to create the pointed tip on hunting spears and
harpoons
THE NEOLITHIC SHELTER
Earlier sapiens used caves as their homes instead of building one. Later, they made
permanent homes that looked like tents or tepees, out of tree branches, grass, mammoth
bones, and animal skins. They used or made some sort of paint to use on their cave
paintings.
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
Man domesticated plants and animals though he continued to hunt and gather.
Man changed as from Nomadic lifestyle to settled stationary lifestyle; a.k.a.sedentary
Population also increased due to balanced diet and adequate food