Cultural Evolution of

Early Humans to
Modern Humans
Prepared by:

MARY THE QUEEN COLLEGE

We Transform Lives
Objectives:

At the end of the lesson, the learners should have

learned to:

1. Explain the development of cultural technologies that

made the early humans successful in acquiring food and
surviving predators;
2. Discuss the differences between Paleolithic and
Neolithic Era; and
3. Show evidence of progressive improvement in the tool
making technology of the early humans.
MARY THE QUEEN COLLEGE | WE TRANSFORM LIVES
How did societies transform through time?

MARY THE QUEEN COLLEGE | WE TRANSFORM LIVES

Paleolithic vs. Neolithic

The Paleolithic Era (or Old Stone Age) is

a period of prehistory from about 2.6
million years ago to around 10,000 years
ago.
The Neolithic Era (or New Stone Age)
began around 10,000 BC and ended
between 4500 and 2000 BC in various
parts of the world.
MARY THE QUEEN COLLEGE | WE TRANSFORM LIVES
Paleolithic vs. Neolithic

Inthe Paleolithic era, there were more

than one human species but only one
survived until the Neolithic era.

MARY THE QUEEN COLLEGE | WE TRANSFORM LIVES

 Homo sapiens sapiens
MARY THE QUEEN COLLEGE | WE TRANSFORM LIVES
Lifestyle
Paleolithic people were nomads who
lived in tribes and relied on hunting,
fishing and gathering wild fruits.
They hunted animals like bison,
mammoths, bears and deer.

MARY THE QUEEN COLLEGE | WE TRANSFORM LIVES

Lifestyle
The Neolithic era began when humans
discovered agriculture and raising cattle,
which allowed them to no longer have a
nomadic life style.
They were able to settle in fertile areas with
predictable climate, usually near river
basins.

MARY THE QUEEN COLLEGE | WE TRANSFORM LIVES

Important Discoveries and
Inventions
Perhaps the most important invention of
Paleolithic man was language.
A close second was their discovery of
how to control fire.
They also discovered the use of
unpolished stone tools.
MARY THE QUEEN COLLEGE | WE TRANSFORM LIVES
Important Discoveries and
Inventions
The agricultural revolution in the early
Neolithic era had a profound impact on
the human species.
They also discovered the use of
polished stone tools.

MARY THE QUEEN COLLEGE | WE TRANSFORM LIVES

Health and longevity
Life expectancy was 35.4 years for men
and 30.0 years for women in the late
Paleolithic era (30000 to 9000 BC).
In the early Neolithic era (7000 to 5000
BC) this fell to 33.6 and 29.8 years, and
in the late Neolithic era (5000 to 3000
BC) fell even further to 33.1 and 29.2
years respectively.
MARY THE QUEEN COLLEGE | WE TRANSFORM LIVES
Health and longevity
Another interesting physiological change
was a decline in pelvic inlet depth,
making childbirth more difficult in the
Neolithic era compared with the
Paleolithic era.
Diseases like tooth cavities, malaria,
tuberculosis and typhoid fever are first
known to have occurred in the Neolithic
era. MARY THE QUEEN COLLEGE | WE TRANSFORM LIVES
Tools
Tools and weapons like harpoons,
lances, axes, choppers and awls were
used In the Paleolithic era.
Neolithic era tools were more
sophisticated.

MARY THE QUEEN COLLEGE | WE TRANSFORM LIVES

Tools
A variety of tools were invented in the
New Stone age, such as sickle blades
and grinding stones for agriculture, and
pottery and bone implements for food
production.

MARY THE QUEEN COLLEGE | WE TRANSFORM LIVES

Art
Paleolithic people are believed to have
animistic religious beliefs.
They decorated walls of their cave
dwellings with pictures of animals,
including deer, bison and mammoths.

MARY THE QUEEN COLLEGE | WE TRANSFORM LIVES

Art
The human figure became more
important in Neolithic art, often paints
scenes with groups of people hunting,
farming or dancing in wall.
Some figures in their paintings were
very schematic.

MARY THE QUEEN COLLEGE | WE TRANSFORM LIVES

Religion
Paleolithic people believed in animism
or spirits that controlled their
environment and animals around them.
Small stone statues of pregnant women
may suggest worship of fertility or
nature.

MARY THE QUEEN COLLEGE | WE TRANSFORM LIVES

Religion
During the Neolithic Age, there were
numerous religious rites related to the
climate and crops.
The first temples, or places of worship,
and the first priests appeared during this
time.

MARY THE QUEEN COLLEGE | WE TRANSFORM LIVES

 Paleolithic Neolithic
Paleo=old; Lithic=stone Neo=new; Lithic=stone
Meaning The Paelolithic era is also called Neolithic era is also call the New
the Old Stone age. Stone age.
Sedentary. They farmed in
permanent settlements and
Nomadic; tribal society; hunters
Lifestyle raised/herded animals; agriculture
and gatherers
was discovered and became a
major source of food
Chipped stone, wooden weapons,
Tools polished stone tools
unpolished stone tools
Neolithic people had lower life
expectancy. Diseases like tooth
cavities and typhoid emerged in
Paleolithic people lived longer
Health the new stone age. Neolithic
than neolithic people
women had more children
because the life style was no
longer nomadic.
Art Cave Paintings Wall Paintings
Agriculture and tools with
Main Discovery Fire; Rough stone tools
polished stones
Hunted and gathered for their They grew crops such as rice, corn,
Food
food supply. wheat, beans, etc.

MARY THE QUEEN COLLEGE | WE TRANSFORM LIVES

MARY THE QUEEN COLLEGE | WE TRANSFORM LIVES
 References

https://www.diffen.com/difference/Neolithic_vs_Paleolithic

Mariano M. Ariola (2016). Understanding Culture, Society and

Politics. Room 215 ICP Building, Cabildo St., Intramuros, Manila,
Unlimited Books Library Services and Publishing Inc.

Antonio P. Contreras, Arleigh Ross D. Dela Cruz, Dennis S.

Erasga, Cecile C. Fadrigon (2016). Understanding Culture,
Society, and Politics. 927 Quezon Avenue., Quezon City, Phoenix
Publishing House Inc.

MARY THE QUEEN COLLEGE | WE TRANSFORM LIVES