Topic 1 (Prehistoric Technology & Discoveries)

Definitions

Tool

a modified object that is moved and manipulated to extend the user’s physical influence.

Meta-tool

a tool that is used to make another tool

Time-Line

Narrative

Bipedal upright habit: spine and pelvis adaptations allow longer view, hand carried items (especially infants, tools, food)
Australopithecus Afarensis had these (but not arch via navicular) −3.2Myr;
. . . suggestions that Orrorin (Tugenensis) might have been habitually bipedal from −6Myr.

Stone Tools: sharp edges to cut carrion rapidly, so it can be carried back to the troop
artificially-edged (knapped) stone artifacts from −3.3Myr (in Kenya) by Australopithecus Kenyanthropus (Garhi).
. . . indirect evidence of sharp stone use: from −3.4Myr by A.Afarensis;
efficient Oldowan Technology used by Homo Habilis from −2Myr, hand-axe and knife-blade

Throat and toungue modifications that allowed articulate "Speech"
Homo Erectus, −2Myr, who subsequently spread over vast regions . . . FOXP2 gene mutation roughly same time.

Fire Use: for protection from predators, for hunting, for meat-cooking, for making tools
Homo Erectus, −1.7Myr, who subsequently spread it over vast regions . . . loss of body hair soon after.
plant-cooking became common around −250kyr (H.Erectus)

Ceremonial Burial, as an indicator for abstract thought and socio-cultural memory
Homo Erectus, −1.2Myr, but seldom and not widespread

Stone-tipped spear, an indicator for engineering Process improvement on existing device
H.Neandertal , −1Myr

paintings in caves (animals & hand stencils & geometry of −40kyr . . . sculpture (ivory, bone, antler, stone) about the same time ... often stylized female shapes or human-animal mixtures.
Leather bags, basket-weaving, raft-making ??

Bow and Arrow , which accumulates and stores Energy for later release
H.Sapien, −30kyr

Calendar marks, as indicator for numerical and observation of detail
Lunar phases marked on antler, −26kyr

fishing hook (shell, bone, antler, stone) −23kyr
. . . followed soon after by pottery (pit-fired)

Proto-Writing; Domesticated dogs
−12kyr

Goat Herding ; boats
−10kyr

hoe, for making straight rows that are easier to cultivate ; quern for grinding flour
−8kyr
=> walled city

potter's wheel (on axle) ; woven cloth
−7kyr

irrigation ; plough ; domesticated oxen to pull things
−5kyr

smelting copper from ore ; wheeled carts ; sundial ; tipped plow
−4.5kyr

bronze (copper-tin alloy) ; trade in boats
−4kyr

writing