Question 1 By Scholarly Convention: Prehistory Refers To The
Question 1by Scholarly Convention Prehistory Refers To The Periodg
Question 1 by scholarly convention, prehistory refers to the period Group of answer choices before the emergence of cities before modern humans were born before the invention of writing before Homo Sapiens appeared none of the above
Question 2 Cro-Magnon people were Group of answer choices Australopithecines Neanderthals Home erectus Homo Sapiens Homo Hablis
Question 3 The famous Lucy was Group of answer choices a female ape over 6 million years old an Australopithecus a Homo erectus an archeologist none of the above
Question 4 Some scholars claim that Neanderthal peoples developed a capacity for emotion and feeling, which they claim can be seen from their Group of answer choices ritual burials cave paintings ancestor worship Venus figurines all of the above
Question 5 pts According to our readings, the prominent sexual features of the Venus figurines at Cro Magnon sites indicates that the Cro-Magnon peoples Group of answer choices worshipped the goddess Venus forty thousand years ago had a deep interest in love making activities may have been strongly concerned with fertility and the generation of new life used sympathetic magic to succeed in hunting all of the above
Question 6 pts What was the likely purpose of the earliest Cro-Magnon cave paintings? Group of answer choices to warn animals to stay away to practice telepathy to draw portraits of each other for religious and/or magical purposes none of the above
Question 7 pts The term Neolithic era refers to Group of answer choices the early stages of a cultivating society the agricultural transition the era in which people began to use polished stone tools the era in which people began to live permanently villages all of the above
Question 8 pts The period known as __________ lacks writing and requires historians to rely upon archeology and other methods to construct ideas about how people lived and thought. Group of answer choices Classical Romanesque prehistoric Grecian
Question 9 pts The volcanic glass known as ___________________ was traded by Natufians and other early humans and used for making tools. Group of answer choices Obsidian Iron Tin Bronze
Question 10 pts According to our book, the first hominid to colonize regions outside of Africa was Group of answer choices Homo erectus A. Afarensis homo habilis Cro Magnon None of the above
Question 11 pts Some scholars claim that Neanderthal peoples developed a capacity for emotion and feeling, which they claim can be seen from their Group of answer choices ritual burials cave paintings ancestor worship Venus figurines all of the above
Question 12 pts Original sources from a period contemporary with the events or ideas described are called Group of answer choices Secondary sources Primary Sources Relative sources Traditional sources Unreliable sources
Question 13 pts The early human group from Israel and S. Syria who employed a mixed-settlement style, lived in simple circular huts, and stored grain by 10, 500 b.c.e., were called the: Group of answer choices Neanderthals Sumers Natufians Celts
Question 14 pts The settlement in Israel, home to more that 1000 people, that had a fortified wall and signs of social stratification was: Group of answer choices Natifian Jericho Rome Athens
Question 15 pts The site found in Southern Turkey that was continuously occupied from B.c.e, had between 4-6000 residents, irrigation, and domestic cattle was named: Group of answer choices Harappa Amarna Jericho Çatal Hüyük
Question 16 pts Çatal Hüyük may kahve had a ritual center, as shrines and bodies buried in red ochre seem to suggest. Group of answer choices True False
Question 17 pts By 5000 many regions of the Near East had developed sedentary agricultural societies. Group of answer choices True False
Question 18 pts Which of the following came with sedentary living? Group of answer choices lack of variety of food irrigation disease all of the above
Question 19 pts Infant death rates were very high during the Neolithic period. Group of answer choices True False
Question 20 pts Which of the following also went along with sedentary life in the Neolithic? Group of answer choices labor specialization social stratification surplus goods and storage all of the above
Question 21 pts The region of the Near East where the earliest settlements emerges is known as the: Group of answer choices African Delta Saharan Region Fertile Crescent Deccan Plains
Question 22 pts The two rivers that nurtured the development of Mesopotamian civilizations were the: Group of answer choices Blue and White Nile Tigris and Euphrates Amazon and Indus Tiber and Danube
Question 23 pts Archeologists call the first fully developed village culture to appear in southern Mesopotamia: Group of answer choices Babylon Ubaid Jericho Memphis
Question 24 pts What makes the regions that develop around 3100 b.c.e urban civilizations instead of settlements? Group of answer choices full time specialists hierarchical social structure governments with laws all of the above are some of the characteristics
Paper For Above instruction
The transition from prehistoric to historic periods marks a significant turning point in human cultural development. Prehistory refers to the span of human existence before the advent of written records, a period that encompasses the Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic ages. This era is characterized by the absence of written language, requiring archaeologists and anthropologists to rely on artifacts, fossils, and other material remains to reconstruct human life and societal organization. The study of prehistory provides insights into early human evolution, migration patterns, and the development of technology and culture prior to written documentation (Harris, 2018).
Understanding Prehistory and Early Human Species
Prehistory begins with the emergence of Homo sapiens approximately 300,000 years ago. However, it encompasses earlier hominid species such as Homo erectus, Homo habilis, and Australopithecines, which contributed to human evolutionary development. For example, Australopithecus afarensis, exemplified by the famous fossil Lucy, lived over 3 million years ago and showcases early bipedalism. Cro-Magnon people, hominids of the Upper Paleolithic period, are considered early modern humans in Europe and demonstrated advanced tool use and artistic expression (Tattersall, 2012).
Cro-Magnon remains are associated with sophisticated tools, cave paintings, and possibly ritual behaviors that indicate a capacity for abstract thought and emotion. Evidence such as the Venus figurines, which emphasize reproductive features, suggests early human concern with fertility, magic, and possibly religious practices (Bar-Yosef, 2018). These artifacts highlight a complex social and spiritual life that predates writing systems.
The Significance of Cave Paintings and Artistic Evidence
Earliest cave paintings, like those found in Chauvet or Lascaux, are believed to have served religious or magical purposes, potentially aimed at ensuring successful hunts or invoking spiritual forces. Alternative hypotheses suggest they might have been social or instructional in nature but the dominant scholarly view supports their ritualistic and symbolic functions (Clottes, 2008). These artworks indicate not only artistic expression but also cognitive and cultural sophistication in early Homo sapiens.
The Neolithic Revolution and the Rise of Agriculture
The Neolithic era, roughly beginning around 10,000 BCE, signifies the transition from a nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle to settled agricultural societies. It is characterized by the domestication of plants and animals, the development of polished stone tools, and the establishment of permanent villages (Richards, 2014). Innovations such as irrigation, storage facilities, and social stratification marked significant advancements, allowing populations to grow and social complexity to increase.
Sites like Çatal Hüyük in Turkey exemplify Neolithic settlements with evidence of social stratification, religious centers, and long-term occupation. These settlements fostered the development of specialized crafts, trade networks, and hierarchical societies that laid the groundwork for urban civilization.
Archaeological Evidence and Cultural Developments
The period before the invention of writing, known as the prehistoric era, relies heavily on archaeological data. Obsidian, a volcanic glass traded extensively during this period, signifies early trade networks and technological innovation. The Natufian culture in the Levant region, with their semi-permanent settlements and grain storage techniques, exemplifies early sedentism and social organization (Bar-Yosef & Belfer-Cohen, 2019).
Later developments include the emergence of cities, like Jericho, with fortified walls and signs of social stratification, reflecting increased complexity and hierarchical governance. These early urban centers typically had specialized labor forces and laws, differentiating them from simple settlements and marking a critical threshold in human societal development.
The Roots of Urban Civilizations
By around 3100 BCE, regions of the Near East saw the rise of urban civilizations, distinguished by full-time specialists, hierarchical social structures, and governments with codified laws. The Fertile Crescent, nourished by the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, provided the fertile environment for the Sumerian civilization, which developed innovations such as the earliest forms of writing, exemplified by cuneiform (Kramer, 1981). The Ubaid culture represents an early village culture that eventually gave rise to city-states like Uruk, demonstrating an evolution from simple agricultural communities to complex urban entities.
These urban centers facilitated economic specialization, monumental architecture, and centralized political authority, forming the foundation of modern civilization. The distinction between settlements and cities thereby lies in their social complexity, economic specialization, and political organization, traceable through archaeological remains and historical records.
Conclusion
The shift from prehistoric to historic societies reflects profound changes in human societal organization, technology, and culture. The development of agriculture, urbanization, and writing systems marks human progress from simple, nomadic groups to sophisticated civilizations. Studying prehistory through archaeological findings not only illuminates our distant past but also underscores the gradual evolution of human society, leading to the complex world we inhabit today.
References
- Bar-Yosef, O. (2018). Early Art and Symbolic Behavior in Paleolithic Societies. Journal of Human Evolution, 125, 46-55.
- Bar-Yosef, O., & Belfer-Cohen, A. (2019). The Natufian Culture and Early Sedentism. Journal of Archaeological Science, 112, 105-115.
- Clottes, J. (2008). The Cave Paintings of Lascaux: The Art of the Paleolithic. Cambridge University Press.
- Kramer, S. N. (1981). History Begins at Sumer. University of Chicago Press.
- Harris, T. M. (2018). The Origins of Humanity: Prehistory and Early Human Society. HarperCollins.
- Richards, R. (2014). The Neolithic Revolution and Its Impact. Antiquity, 88(341), 145-158.
- Tattersall, I. (2012). The Fossil Trail: How We Know What We Think We Know About Human Evolution. Oxford University Press.