The Merriam-Webster Dictionary
defines culture, in this context, as “the integrated pattern of human
knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for learning and
transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations.” So we can see here that it
is a pattern of human beings practiced in certain situations or in everyday
life. Culture as a pattern must have an
origin for it to develop in the way it is known today. To know how humans have
developed in terms of culture, we must look into our history and the cultural
stages the human race has undergone.
Paleolithic
Stage
The Paleolithic Stage, also known as
the Old Stone Age, is divided into three parts: the Lower Paleolithic, Middle
Paleolithic, and Upper Paleolithic. This stage is characterized by man leading
a nomadic life meaning people have no permanent homes and they move from place
to place depending on the food resources available at a particular time.
The Lower Paleolithic stage began
its period approximately 300, 000 BC and ended at about 70, 000 BC. Men in this
stage were nomadic and they used pebble tools, hence making this part known as
the “Pebble” or “Chopper” Period. During this, pebbles or rocks were chipped on
one end in order to create a cutting edge. In the latter part of this period
hand axes, wherein both sides are chipped to a cutting edge or a point, were
already used. This was also the period when man discovered and began to use
fire.
The Middle Paleolithic stage was a
time when man was still nomadic. This stage roughly began on 70, 000 BC and
ended at 35, 000 BC. The tools created in this period were more precise and
they had a greater variety in terms of implements and improvements. Men during
this time were related to the Neanderthal man, however some evidences showed
the discovery of the Carmel man who was taller than the one mentioned before
and seemed to possess speech. This period also showed the development of
beliefs related to the afterlife and respect for the dead as shown in some
burial sites found.
The last part of this stage, the
Upper Paleolithic Stage, began at 35, 000 BC and ended at about 12, 000 BC.
Tools were well-made and other certain carvings came about. Jewelry and
figurines were made out of ivory, bone, shell and other various materials.
These carvings showed the beginning of a belief in a certain god or goddess
signifying the start of a cult among men. Moreover, this period exhibited man’s
capacity to built shelters which seemed to have teepee-like features.
Mesolithic
Stage
The next cultural stage is the
Mesolithic stage or Middle Stone age which began at about 12, 000 BC and ended
at 10, 000 BC. This stage is characterized by the discovery of the micro-flint,
which is basically made up of small triangle- or crescent-shaped flints. People
in this period have uniform forms of art, weapon industry, burial customs, and
even artifacts showing the development of some sort of community within
individuals. This also marked the beginning of agriculture since tools like
adzes, sickles and others have been discovered. Rock drawings also began in
this time depicting forms of man and animals. Apart from these, sea travel also
became evident in this period when certain evidences of a boat or a raft have
been discovered by archaeologists.
Neolithic
Stage
The Neolithic stage, also known as
the New Stone Age, began at about 10, 000 BC and ended at about 4, 500 BC.
Great improvements in agriculture and shelters are evident in this stage.
People were no longer nomadic since they learned how to cultivate the earth for
food resources and they also built circular houses made of bricks and earth. People
began to live the village life. This was also the period when concrete
evidences of worship were found; specifically figurines of certain creatures
made out of clay. Early shrines were built signifying the beginning of a
certain cult. In the latter part of this period, pottery-making began and these
objects were used either in trading or in the burial rituals, wherein food is
stored showing a belief in the afterlife.
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Bronze
Age
This stage began at approximately 2,
500 BC and ended at 800 BC. This was the time when communities began to develop
into societies and tools made out of rock were replaced by those made out of
metal. Rapid development and change characterized this period. Agriculture
during this period was widespread as shown the in the cropmarks and soilmarks
discovered by archaeologists. Funerals and burial were also widely practiced in
this age. However, the determining characteristic of this period was the use of
copper and tin were used in making tools and weapons. This was also the time
when products were made from metals with various impurities; and also bronze
was known as the hardest material available during this period. The Bronze age
was the time when trade and technology dealing with the use of certain metals
that created bronze, specifically copper and tin, were very rampant and helpful
in the development of societies.
Iron
Age
The Iron Age was a period in the
cultural development of man which vaguely began when iron was used in smelting.
This roughly began in 3, 000 BC and is still apparent in the present time. This
age coincides with the Bronze age because iron was also considered as a
valuable metal at that time but people had a difficult time using it because of
its high melting point. It wasn’t until about 1, 200 BC when humans regarded
iron as a better metal resource especially when copper, tin and bronze were
becoming scarce from the world. Iron was then used with steel to make weapons
and tools that were more durable than bronze, hence these materials replaced
copper and tin. Great advancements in transportation such as ships and
railroads mark this period in our cultural development.
Works
Cited
Cowen,
Richard. “The Bronze Age.” April 1999. Geology 115. 22 December 2012 <http://mygeologypage.ucdavis.edu/cowen/~GEL115/115CH4.html>.
"culture."
Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster,
2011. Web. 22 December 2012.
Deegan,
Allison and Glenn Foard. Mapping ancient
landscapes in Northamptonshire. Swindon: English Heritage, 2007.
Harding,
A.F. European societies in the bronze
age. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000.
Larue,
Gerald A. Old Testament life and
literature. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1968.
“The
Iron Age.” 8 August 2009. Metal Matters. 22 December 2012 <http://library.thinkquest.org/08aug/01930/pdfs/IronAge.pdf>.
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