The Stone Age

The Stone Age

For the first time, humans began to use stones to make tools, and that period is called the Stone Age. They used these tools for

1. hunting,
2. digging up edible roots,
3. picking up fruits for food,
4. as well as making clothes.

Development in the Stone Age

Human beings began to live on Earth approximately 3,000,000 years ago. From this point, they started to make their own history, using creativity to invent tools and methods that helped them address daily challenges. These innovations allowed them to meet their basic needs such as food, shelter, and clothing. The ability to create and use tools set humans apart from other animals, such as chimpanzees, which appeared on Earth about 30,000,000 years ago.

The first human skull was discovered in northern Tanzania (then Tanganyika) at the Olduvai Gorge in 1959. The skull was found by archaeologists Dr. Louis Leakey and his wife Dr. Mary Leakey.

The Stone Age

The Stone Age is named for the use of stones to make tools, marking an important milestone in human development. This period is divided into three phases:

1. Early Stone Age
2. Middle Stone Age
3. Late Stone Age

The Early Stone Age

The Early Stone Age spanned from 3,000,000 years ago to 300,000 years ago, during which human beings lived in solitude. People were few in number and rarely interacted with each other. For example, one group might hunt and kill an animal, consume it, and then return to their own separate living areas. Humans during this period were constantly on the move, searching for food, water, and shelter.

Tools of the Early Stone Age

Early humans used temporary and less advanced tools. These included:

1. Stones and pieces of wood for cutting fruits.
2. Animal bones used to dig up edible roots and insects.
3. Tools were also used for self-defense against wild animals like lions and elephants.

Physical Characteristics and Tool Use

The early humans resembled chimpanzees or monkeys. They had fully covered bodies with fur, and their heads were relatively small compared to their bodies. They walked on both hands and feet, making it difficult for them to carry tools for long periods. However, over time, they began to sharpen and carve stones to create more specialized tools that suited their needs.

The Early Stone Age man making stone tools

Early Stone Tools

The remains of the Early Stone Age

The archaeological remains of the Early Stone tools have been discovered in many parts of Tanzania. Some of these areas include the Olduvai Gorge in Arusha Region.

Similarly, there are remains of the old cave paintings made by the early humans in various places in Tanzania. The paintings are present to date in the Kondoa caves as shown on map in figure 4. It is thought that the drawings served different purposes, including teaching children and young people important issues in the society. For example, the drawings depicted hunting tools, hunting techniques, and animal species in their environment. Figure 4 shows some of the early cave paintings in Tanzania.

The Middle Stone Age

The Middle Stone Age lasted from approximately 300,000 years ago to 50,000 years ago and was marked by dramatic changes in human life. These changes were both physiological and technological, signifying a period of significant human development.

Key Developments

1. Improvement in Locomotion During this period, humans developed the ability to walk upright on two legs, as opposed to the four-limbed posture of chimpanzees. This adjustment allowed them to see prey and enemies from a distance, which was a crucial survival advantage.

2. Cognitive Advancements The transition to walking on two legs was accompanied by improvements in thinking abilities. Early humans became more adaptable to their environment and began to think more critically, which helped them solve complex problems and better meet their needs.

   Figure 5 shows how the human body or posture evolved as humans began walking on two feet.

3. Tool Development and Mastery The skills and speed of tool-making significantly improved during the Middle Stone Age. Humans developed and mastered many different types of tools that were more stable, specialized, and suited to specific tasks. Some examples of Middle Stone Age tools include:

   • Arrows
   • Bows
   • Knives
   • Axes

4. Use of Animal Skins and Tree Barks Humans began wearing animal skins and tree barks, which they softened and crushed to make more comfortable clothing.

5. Nomadic Lifestyle Despite these advancements, humans during the Middle Stone Age continued to live a nomadic lifestyle, moving from place to place as they did not yet have permanent settlements.

The importance of the discovery and use of fire

Discovery and use of fire brought great progress in human life. For example,

The early human making fire by skewering the dry wood

1. humans began to roast meat and other types of food stuff to make them soft before eating, instead of eating them raw.
2. They also burnt grass to clear the environment and chase away the dangerous wild animals.
3. During the Middle Stone Age, humans lived in caves.
4. Thus, fire enabled them to light up and warm inside the caves.
5. In addition, the discovery and use of fire enabled them to survive in the cold parts of the world.
6. Later, fire helped to make glue, which was used to tighten the heads of arrows or handles of spears.

The Late Stone Age

This period lasted from 50,000 years ago to 3,500 BCE. The period was accompanied by the making of better tools than those used during the Middle Stone Age. The tools of this era had specific functions such as skinning and cultivating. Figure 8 shows some examples of such tools.

The Late Stone Age tools

Furthermore, humans began to put handles on some of their stone tools such as axes, spears and arrows. Handles enabled them to use the tools more efficiently than with those without handles. Figure 9 shows a human being carrying tools with handles.

The Late Stone Age settlements have been discovered in various caves along rivers and lakes. The settlements show remains of tools such as big rounded stones for cereal grinding, animal traps and large animal bones of elephants and giraffes. It is believed that the animals were hunted with wooden arrows.