Hist Chap-2 Early Humans Key points
Prehistoric
humans
Ø Human
evolution is a long process of change. From ape-like non human primates.
Ø Evidence reveals that physical and behavioural
characteristics developed over millions of years.
Ø British naturalist Charles Darwin- On the Origin
of Species(1859) & The Descent of Man (1871) on nature of our
revolutionary relationship.
Anthropologists
and Archaeologists
Ø Primary sources for describing human evolution
are fossil specimen.
Ø Fossils of early human & a remains are
crucial evidence.
Ø Tools, bones & other evidence such as fossil
footprints.
Ø Remains buried naturally and preserved for many
years.
Ø Size and shape of bones help anthropologist in
knowing the early people & held
tools.
Ø Also determine physical structure, size of early
humans brain & changed over time by fossilized bones.
Ø Archaeologists can find out how early humans
made & used tools & lived in their surroundings.
The Radio-Carbon dating technique is used for dating those remains which are associated
with all living things.
The Thermo Luminescence dating technique is used for materials such as pottery and
terracotta that have been baked.
The Potassium-Argon dating technique is used for volcanic rocks.
The Electron Spin Resonance dating technique is employed for dating bones and shells.
Migration of
Early Humans
Ø Much of human evolution took place in Africa.
Ø Fossilized remains of people who lived between 6
million and 2 million years ago are found in Africa.
Ø First wandered out of Asia between 2 million
& 1.8 million years ago.
Ø Species of modern humans live in different parts
of world much later.
Ø Ex- They first entered Australia possibly within
past 60,000 yrs & America within past 30,000 yrs or so.
Stone Age
Palaeolithic Age or Old Stone Age- 500000 BCE–10000 BCE
Mesolithic Age or Middle Stone Age- 10000 BCE–8000 BCE
Neolithic Age or New Stone Age- 8000 BCE–4000 BCE
