Chapter 1 - Early Man

Early Man and Stone Age | Paleolithic, Neolithic & Chalcolithic

1.Manuscripts, Inscriptions and Archaeology

1.1 Manuscripts

Manuscripts are ancient books that were written by hand. They were written on different materials, such as dried palm leaves, the thin bark of the birch tree, and paper.
Manuscripts were written in different languages in different parts of the world. Some manuscripts were written in Pali and Prakrit, while others were written in Sanskrit and Arabic.
The language used for manuscripts varied according to the region:
- South India: Tamil
- Europe: Greek and Latin
- Western Asia: Arabic and Hebrew
- China: Classical Chinese
These manuscripts provide valuable information about the languages, cultures, and history of ancient societies.

1.2 Inscriptions

Writing that is engraved on a stone surface, metal, or brick is called an inscription.
Manuscripts and inscriptions are different in the way they were created and preserved:
- Manuscripts are generally found in libraries.
- Inscriptions can be found on rocks, pillars, bricks, buildings, and metal plates.
Many ancient inscriptions have been discovered all over India. These inscriptions have been written in many different languages and provide important information about the ancient past.

1.3 Archaeology

Archaeology means the study of the remains of the ancient past. Archaeologists study various objects and structures that help us understand how people lived in earlier times.

These remains include:

Monuments
Coins
Pottery
Tools made of stone and metal
Figures
Images
And other remains from the ancient past

By studying these remains, archaeology helps us learn about the history, culture, lifestyle, and achievements of ancient people.

Early Humans and the Stone Age

Early Humans

Primitive people were largely dependent on nature for their livelihood.
Their food was not cooked, clothes were not sewn, and they had no houses.
They were known as “food-gatherers.”
They lived in groups of men, women, and children.
They moved from place to place in search of food and shelter.
Living in groups was safer than wandering alone.
They did not know how to grow vegetables or grain.
When food was exhausted in one place, they moved to another.
They lived in caves or built small shelters among the branches of large trees.
They were mainly afraid of weather and wild animals.

Stone Age (Paleolithic Age)

For many hundreds of years, early human history had no written records.
The main remains from this prehistoric period are crude stone tools.
These tools were used for hunting and other purposes.
The period when stone was the main material used for tools and weapons is called the Stone Age.
For a long time during the Stone Age, humans remained mainly food-gatherers and were almost totally dependent on nature for food.

Stone Age Tools, Fire, Weapons and Clothes

Stone Age Tools

There were three distinct classes of stone tools:

1. Early Stone Age Tools (Lower Paleolithic)

Chopper: Made by chipping part of a pebble to create a steep cutting edge.
Hand Axe: An all-purpose tool. It was generally pear-shaped and had a continuous working edge on both sides.
Cleaver: Had a wide chisel-like edge.

2. Middle Stone Age Tools (Middle Paleolithic)

Common tools included:

Borer
Arrow-head
Scraper

3. Late Stone Age Tools (Upper Paleolithic)

Common tools included:

Point
Crescentic blade
Scraper

Some of these tools were used for killing fast-moving animals. This shows that food collection became more specialized and efficient and led to the beginnings of plant cultivation.