- Nomadic lifestyle based on hunting wild animals and gathering plants
- Small, egalitarian communities
- Limited social stratification
- Reliance on immediate environment for food and resources
Emergence of Agriculture:
- Transition from hunting-gathering to agriculture around 10,000 BC
- Domestication of plants and animals
- Settled communities, larger populations, and increasing complexity
- Rise of surplus food production, leading to social differentiation
Neolithic Revolution:
- Period of rapid cultural and technological change associated with the adoption of agriculture
- Development of pottery, weaving, and construction techniques
- Growth of trade and specialized occupations
- Increased social stratification and emergence of social hierarchies
Stone Tools:
- Stone tools remained the primary technology during this period
- Use of flint, obsidian, and other materials to create tools such as axes, arrowheads, and scrapers
- Techniques such as chipping, grinding, and polishing stones to shape tools
Art and Religion:
- Creation of cave paintings, sculptures, and other artistic expressions
- Evidence of religious beliefs and rituals, including fertility cults
- Emergence of monumental architecture, such as Stonehenge
The End of the Stone Age:
- Gradual transition to the Bronze Age around 3500 BC
- Introduction of metalworking and the use of bronze tools and weapons
- Increasingly complex societies and the development of early civilizations