Heavy set and heavy browed, Neanderthal
man was named after the place his remains were first discovered. Neanderthals had
learned the use of fire and stone
tools before they were overwhelmed by the last ice age, some thity five thousand years ago.
Neanderthal man was replaced (or absorbed) by Homo Sapiens – Modern man.
Some ten thousand years ago, the ice sheets
began to melt, and the climate became more favourable. Over time,
men learned the use of metals, and began to use bronze for making tools and weapons. Men also learned to domesticate animals and grow cereals for food, thus reducing their dependance on hunting. As men began to leave their cave dwellings and
build shelters, they turned to a more settled way of life. These advances did not take place uniformly across the world, but in fits and starts as knowledge spread from land to land along with trade.
Civilization, as we know it, began around 4,500 years B.C. with the spread of agriculture and irrigation. Living conditions improved as men learned the arts of weaving and making pottery. Men also began to mine the earth, and use iron instead of bronze tools. The development of art was accompanied by improvements in utensils and weapons technology. They wore ornaments and used drinking vessels of
various kinds. Their dead were buried in burial chambers, with ceremonies and rituals. Men began to worship the sun and other natural deities, and build temples in their honour.
They also began to build forts and fortifications, surrounded by moats and ditches, to defend their places of habitation from invaders. Yet other people took to the lakes and marshes for safety, building their huts on stilts. People organized themselves into tribes, and gave their names to the places where they lived. But the movement of people continued, as new groups of invaders pushed back older groups into more remote parts…
Various crafts and industries developed, and trade began to flourish as populations increased. Villages grew into towns, and towns grew into cities. With the introduction of town life, the story of civilization was complete. Roads were built to link various town and settlements, as well as military outposts.
More summaries about the Article: The Early Days of Man