adorned with geometric symbols, suggesting that more than 100,000 years ago humans may have used symbols to express ideas. Using charred sticks, brushes made of ferns, furs, or feathers, and natural pigments from the soil mixed with animal fats, prehistoric artists created life-sized paintings of large animals in motion, leaving little doubt that the artists who drew them were creative and contemplative people who could communicate and conceptualize. Other artwork from this era includes sketches of humans adorned with paints and animal hides and little statues of women suggesting that early humans believed in spiritual forces and sought to influence them in efforts to make hunting, gathering, and procreation more fruitful. Burial evidence further supports these hypotheses as many prehistoric grave sites are accompanied by tools, clothing, and other ornaments. The burial of such objects with the deceased might simply show respect for the dead. Or, more intriguingly, it might indicate that early humans believed in some form of life after death and were equipping departed loved ones for an eternal journey. Although these hunting and gathering bands moved independently of neighboring groups, there is little doubt that groups came into contact with each other. At times these connections were no doubt practical, based on agreements to divide or share lands and other resources. At times the links may have been familial, marked by intermarriage between groups in order to form alliances. At times connections involved exchanges of goods and information. These early connections foreshadowed more elaborate arrangements, including formal trade and diplomatic relations, which emerged later as societies grew larger. Connections at times also resulted in conflicts, especially when sharing or trading arrangements failed to meet the needs of all involved. With resources scarce and survival at stake, human societies had to protect their habitats and hunting grounds against outside intrusions, or move to a new region if the outsiders proved stronger. People thus often feared outsiders as potentially dangerous foes.
adorned with geometric symbols, suggesting that more than 100,000 years ago humans may have used symbols to express ideas. Using charred sticks, brushes made of ferns, furs, or feathers, and natural pigments from the soil mixed with animal fats, prehistoric artists created life-sized paintings of large animals in motion, leaving little doubt that the artists who drew them were creative and contemplative people who could communicate and conceptualize. Other artwork from this era includes sketches of humans adorned with paints and animal hides and little statues of women suggesting that early humans believed in spiritual forces and sought to influence them in efforts to make hunting, gathering, and procreation more fruitful. Burial evidence further supports these hypotheses as many prehistoric grave sites are accompanied by tools, clothing, and other ornaments. The burial of such objects with the deceased might simply show respect for the dead. Or, more intriguingly, it might indicate that early humans believed in some form of life after death and were equipping departed loved ones for an eternal journey. Although these hunting and gathering bands moved independently of neighboring groups, there is little doubt that groups came into contact with each other. At times these connections were no doubt practical, based on agreements to divide or share lands and other resources. At times the links may have been familial, marked by intermarriage between groups in order to form alliances. At times connections involved exchanges of goods and information. These early connections foreshadowed more elaborate arrangements, including formal trade and diplomatic relations, which emerged later as societies grew larger. Connections at times also resulted in conflicts, especially when sharing or trading arrangements failed to meet the needs of all involved. With resources scarce and survival at stake, human societies had to protect their habitats and hunting grounds against outside intrusions, or move to a new region if the outsiders proved stronger. People thus often feared outsiders as potentially dangerous foes.
foundations_ancient_ch1_-_paleolithic_life.docx