Paleolithic Period
c. 2.5 million to c. 10,000 BCE
The Paleolithic Period or “Old Stone Age” is distinguished by the use stone tools and the world’s earliest art
Basics
Foundations in historical thinking
Important terms and concepts
BC vs. BCE
AD vs. CE
Caves
Paintings on cave walls are some of the most famous examples of art made in the Paleolithic period
VIDEO: Cave of the Hands, Argentina | Cueva de los Manos
Important terms and concepts
Paleolithic
Ocher/Ochre
Pigment
Cave painting
Technology
Tools are some of the earliest records of human visual expression
VIDEO: Bifaces/Hand axes
Important terms and concepts
Paleolithic
hand axe / biface
Portable Objects
People were often on the move, with a need for portable objects
Important terms and concepts
sacrum
findspot
Camelid sacrum in the shape of a canine, Tequixquiac, central Mexico, 14,000–7,000 BCE
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The Neolithic Era
Learn more about the prehistoric period following the Paleolithic
Related Resources
Explore Continents
An informational text/overview reading about the Paleolithic period. It focuses on early humans and tools like handaxes and Clovis points, as well as cave art and rock art, portable objects, and a case study about authenticity (about the Tequixquiac sacrum from Mexico). For ease of reading, the text is in one full-color PDF and is similar to a textbook chapter. It is beautifully illustrated with photographs, many taken on-site, to make the ancient Shang dynasty come alive.