What is the Palaeolithic?
Q: What is the Palaeolithic?
A: The Palaeolithic was a period of prehistory when humans made stone tools. It was the first and longest part of the Stone Age, beginning around 3.3 million years ago and ending around 11,650 years ago.
Q: Who made stone tools during this period?
A: All members of the genus Homo made stone tools, starting with relatively crude tools made by Homo habilis and Homo erectus. In Europe, Neanderthal Man (Homo neanderthalensis) made higher-quality tools, while our own species, Homo sapiens, created even higher-quality ones.
Q: How did people live during this time?
A: During the Palaeolithic Age, humans grouped together in small bands and lived by gathering plants and hunting wild animals. They also likely used leather and vegetable fibers for clothing or other purposes but these have not survived to modern times.
Q: When did it end?
A: The Palaeolithic ended around 11,650 years ago when humans began to make smaller finer tools. In Western Europe this marked the beginning of the Mesolithic period while in warmer climates like Africa it marked the start of the Epipaleolithic period.
Q: What else happened at this time?
A: The Pleistocene geological epoch (also called Ice Age) happened at same time as the Palaeolithic which affected how people lived in some areas such as Western Europe where colder temperatures prevailed. In other areas such as Middle East people began to switch from hunting and gathering to agriculture which eventually led to an end of both periods around same time - 11 650 years ago .
Q: What are some examples of cultural products that have survived from this era?
A: Some examples of cultural products that have survived from this era are stone tools which were used for bashing cutting and scraping among other activities by early humans .
