Stages of Prehistory

Prehistory comprises several stages, ranging from the appearance of man to the moment when he transcends using the first features of writing.

Example of the stages of Prehistory:

Paleolithic

Period from the appearance of man to 9000 years BC. C. and it developed in various parts of the planet, basically in Asia, Europe and Africa. It is known as the Age of the carved stone.

Economy: Hunting and gathering.

Society:Nomadic hordes and lived in caves.

Politics: The priest serves as a ruler, his role from doctor, witch, scientist, to statesman.

Religion: Polytheist, man creates gods from natural phenomena.

Cultural contributions: Music imitates natural sounds; tools or weapons for hunting; fire and movable art, which is expressed through stone, bone or ivory objects. In furniture, stone or bone are used for engravings or to shape statuettes and rock art, paintings of animals on the walls of the basins.

Mesolithic

Intermediate period between the Palaeolithic and Neolithic, an exact date is not determined because it varies according to place and civilization.

Economy: Hunting, gathering, fishing and an incipient form of agriculture begins to be observed.

Society: Communities grow and social classes begin to differ: hunters, artisans, gatherers and community leaders.

Politics: The priest or communal head exercises greater power over the community. Leaders appear in certain activities.

Religion: Polytheistic, with variants such as the cult of the dead, magic and the belief that souls continued to live (animism).

Cultural contributions: In art the sculpture of Venus, bison, horses, tectiform paintings based on points and stripes, as well as being polychrome.

Neolithic

Period between 5000 years and 2500 years BC. C., and developed in various areas of the planet. It is known as the Age of the polished stone.

Economy: Use of the land with agriculture and livestock, work means the force that produces wealth, private property originates and trade begins in the form of barter,

Society: Development of social classes (merchants, officials and priests).

Politics: Clans appear, huts are built near cultivated areas to protect the product of labor.

Religion: Polytheistic

Culture: Tools and utensils of gold and copper are built, which were replacing those made of stick and stone. The rock art is perfected and the music.
At the end of the Neolithic period, man learned to make the alloy of minerals and began to use metals. This period is called the "Metal Age" and is subdivided into the Copper Age, from the year 4000 BC. C.; the Bronze Age, from! year 3000 a. C. until the year 1200 a. C; and the Iron Age, great importance from the year 1400 a. C.

Age of metals

The age of metals begins after the Neolithic period, it is a stage in which an important change occurs due to to the technological revolution that brings with it the discovery and use of metals in work tools everyday. The age of metals is made up of three other stages known as: Copper Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age.

Economy: the discovery and use of minerals (copper, bronze or iron) allowed agricultural towns to grow giving way to urban centers that were became city-states or small kingdoms, agriculture had a huge boost thanks to innovative techniques such as drainage and irrigation. Trade and navigation with sailing ships appears.

Society: metals were used to make weapons, which allowed some kingdoms to control others through wars, giving way to the first Empires, where a hierarchical society is created, the density of the population grows, a warrior class appears, equality disappears and the slaves.

Politics: Control over neighboring kingdoms and the rise of empires brought with it the appearance of the first State, that is, the first political authority recognized as a King.

Religion: Priests' power increases and well-defined gods appear. With a society organized by hierarchies, funeral rites and the construction of individual chambers are presented as recognition of the person as an individual and not as a collectivity.

Culture: The creation of weapons and wars developed with the intentions of dominance of the strongest kingdoms over the weakest, I mean a change in human culture and ideology, war and weapons became part of everyday life, the pride and honor of the man.