The Stone Age Vocabulary

Prehistory

• the time period before written records

• the era of ancient civilizations

• the age of modern technology

• the period of the Renaissance

Archaeology

• the study of the past based upon what earlier people left behind

• the study of ancient languages and scripts

• the analysis of geological formations

• the examination of historical documents

Agriculture

• the process of farming

• the study of animal behavior

• the art of painting

• the science of astronomy

Domestication

• planting foods and breeding animals that are useful for humans

• the process of wild animals adapting to human environments

• the cultivation of crops without human intervention

• the natural selection of plants and animals in the wild

Agricultural Revolution

• A shift from farming to hunting/gathering

• A large-scale shift from hunting/gathering to farming

• The invention of agricultural tools

• A period of industrialization in agriculture

Hominid

• early relatives to modern-day humans

• ancient species of dinosaurs

• modern primates

• species of early mammals

Mesolithic Era

• Early phase of the Stone Age – Approx 2,500,000 BCE to 10,000 BCE

• Middle phase of the Stone Age – Approx 10,000 BCE to 6,000 BCE

• Late phase of the Stone Age – Approx 6,000 BCE to 3,000 BCE

• Neolithic Era – Approx 6,000 BCE to 2,000 BCE

Specialization

• the development of skills in a specific kind of work

• the process of learning multiple skills in various fields

• the ability to work in a team environment

• the practice of multitasking effectively

Neolithic Era

• A period known as the New Stone Age, marked by the development of agriculture

• A time characterized by the use of bronze tools and weapons

• An era defined by the rise of urban civilizations and writing

• A phase in human history dominated by nomadic lifestyles and hunting

Artifact

• objects made and used by humans.

• natural formations found in nature.

• items that are purely decorative and have no use.

• objects that are only found in museums.