Concept in Definition ABC

The life history of our planet presents a constant evolution biological. In parallel, the earth itself has undergone an evolutionary process and numerous changes. To understand these changes, a temporal division is used, the you were geological, and the Holocene comprises one of these phases.

An era is established from an event of great importance, such as an ice age or the emergence of an animal species.

Earth's history is divided into four major eras: Precambrian, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic. In this last era the continental structure that currently exists was formed. On the other hand, the Cenozoic era is divided into three major periods: Quaternary, Neogene, and Paleogene. The first of these periods is divided into two epochs: Pleistocene and Holocene.

The term Holocene comes from the Greek and literally means "totally recent."

General characteristics

It is a new geological phase caused by a global melting process. This phase took place 12,000 years ago and represented the beginning of a new climatic stage. In this sense, changes in the

weather were accompanied by a series of effects on the environment: stable CO2 levels, extinction of animal and plant species, advance of the forest mass, drastic changes in the flora, the appearance of smaller mammalian species or the growth of trees such as oak or plants conifers. These effects produced, in turn, others: changes in the migratory processes of the herds or the rise in sea level.

In the Holocene the first human civilizations arose

To the margin of climate changes and their repercussions on the environment environmentDuring the Holocene epoch, the human species took a qualitative leap. Thus, human beings began to organize themselves into increasingly advanced social clans.

With a warmer and more stable climate, men no longer had the need to constantly change locations. Consequently, nomadism was gradually abandoned and a period of sedentary lifestyle. With this important advance, a definitive step was taken for the creation of organized cities and for the formation of the first civilizations (the word civilization comes precisely from the word city).

From the point of view of archeology, the Holocene is divided into the following periods: Mesolithic, neolithic, Chalcolithic and age of metals.

Photo: Fotolia - epnov

Themes in Holocene