2.1: Chapter Introduction

Chapter Introduction

Topics

• What is Culture?
• What is Civilization?
• Prehistoric Civilization (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic)
  • Cave Art
  • "Venus" Figurines
  • The Agricultural Revolution
  • Stonehenge

This module introduces the cultural expressions of the Prehistoric era, during the Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic periods. The term lithic refers to the Stone Age, while the prefixes paleo and neo mean "old" and "new," respectively. Therefore, the Paleolithic period is the "Old Stone Age," and the Neolithic period is the "New Stone Age."

In this section, we'll interpret cultural artifacts such as the "Venus" of Willendorf and archaeological sites such as Stonehenge to determine what they might tell us about the lives and thoughts of prehistoric men and women. After completing this chapter, you'll be able to list events from the Prehistoric era in chronological order as well as assess the extent to which religious belief may have motivated many of the artistic and architectural innovations of this period. Before we begin, however, it's important to clarify how historians measure and label time, so you can accurately place these events and artifacts in context.

Historians divide time into two major eras. The period before Year One is identified as BCE (Before the Common Era) or BC (Before Christ). The period after Year One is identified as CE (Common Era) or AD (Anno Domini, which is Latin for "The Year of Our Lord"). While Christian-based designations of history (BC and AD) were commonly used in the past, most modern scholars now prefer the more neutral terms BCE and CE. These terms acknowledge that not everyone identifies as Christian and that different religious traditions use different starting points for measuring time. For example, Jewish tradition marks the beginning of the biblical creation as its first year, while the Islamic calendar begins with Muhammad's migration (Hijra) from Mecca in the year 622 CE of the Gregorian calendar. Using BCE and CE allows historians to refer to historical events in a secular, universally comprehensible framework rather than one tied to a specific religious tradition.

Regardless of which option one chooses to use, the designations work the same. In the period of BCE/BC, time counts backward. Once you reach Year One, however, time begins to count forward in the CE/AD period. For example, the Roman emperor Augustus came to power in the year 27 BCE and died in 14 CE, giving him a total reign of 41 years (27 years before the start of Year One and 14 years after it). It's also worth noting that, even though this system was based on a calculation of the birth year of Jesus of Nazareth, most modern scholars now place his birth slightly earlier, sometime around the year 4 BCE.

Because exact years are not always known, historians use a notation to indicate approximate dates. They often use the abbreviation c. before a date, which stands for the Latin word circa, meaning "around" or "approximately." This indicates that the date is a close estimate based on the available evidence. For example, writing c. 10,000 BCE shows that an event occurred roughly around that time, even if the exact year is uncertain. Understanding this notation allows us to place Prehistoric events and cultural artifacts in their proper temporal context and interpret their significance accurately.

Using BCE/CE and c. together, we can situate events throughout human history in a chronological framework, which is essential for understanding the sequence and development of cultures, technologies, and ideas, as well as for interpreting their meaning and significance.

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate proficiency in critical thinking
2. Recognize the relationships between cultural expressions and their contexts
3. Understand prehistoric cultural expressions
4. Interpret and evaluate cultural artifacts and their contexts

Objectives

Upon completion of this chapter, the student will be able to:

• Identify characteristics that distinguish the Paleolithic period from the Neolithic period.
• Identify possible motivations for the creation of cave art during the Paleolithic period.
• Identify possible explanations as to why prehistoric communities created "Venus" figurines.
• Identify the reasons why the Neolithic period was revolutionary in human history.
• Identify possible explanations for the construction of megalithic sites, such as Stonehenge, and explain how they may have functioned.
• Identify features that mark the end of the Prehistoric era in human history.

 

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• Authored by: Florida State College at Jacksonville. License: CC BY: Attribution