Historical Periods through which Humans have lived

Historical Periods or the time periods during which early humans lived are dived into two different stages and these are:

Table of Contents

Stone Age period

Stone Age is the name we use for the early prehistoric period when humans used stone to make tools with sharp edges.
This period lasted for about 3.4 million years.
Archaeologists divide the Stone Age period into three stages called eras.
These periods are: Early, Middle and Late Stone Age.

This period happened between 1.8 million and 300,000 years ago, at the same time as the evolution of genus Homo.
Archaeologists have found evidence of the East African Rift valley, where the genus originated.
The rift served as route that people followed to move into southern Africa, into northern Africa through the Nile valley, and further on into Europe and Asia.
This was a period of Homo habilis.
Tools used include stone axe for digging and cutting, stone cleavers for chopping and skinning animals. Fire was used for cooking, heating and scaring away animals.

The Middle Stone Age was a period of African prehistory between the Early stone and Late Stone Age.
It began around 300,000 years ago and ended around 15000 years ago.
The remains of Broken Hill Man who lived during this period were discovered in Kabwe by a Swiss miner called Zwinglian.
People of this era lived near water.
They survived by hunting and gathering wild fruits, tubers and honey from their surroundings.
During this period, humans started living in caves. Stronger and lighter tools for specific purposes such as knives, scrapers and chopping tools were developed.
New method of hunting, such as traps, missiles and pitfalls were used.
Development of bow and arrows.

The Late Stone Age began around 15 000 years ago. People were living in caves and rock shelters to shield themselves from the effects of the weather.
They decorated the rock walls with paintings, for example showing hunting scenes.
In Zambia, people have found San rock painting at Nachikufu cave in Mpika and Katotola in Eastern Province.
Sometimes these paintings had ritual and religious meanings.
Examples of people in this era were the San or the Bushmen.
They used to live together in communities, but still lived a nomadic lifestyle (moving from one place to another.

At Kalambo Falls in Northern Province, found the remains of primitive humans who began to use fire about 60,000 years ago.
At Victoria Falls in Southern Province, people used more complex stone working skills.
In Kabwe, Mineworkers found the skull of Broken Hill Man who is believed to have lived 79,000 years ago.

The Iron Age, which began from between 4500 BC and 2000 BC, marked a new step in human culture because of two developments and these are:

Iron became the main material fir cutting tools and weapons.

People started using written or painted symbols for their language. This meant the beginning of literature and historical records.

Archaeologists divide the Iron Age period into two eras and these are:

a) Early Iron Age: During this era, people started using iron tools, but still lived in smaller groups and followed a simpler lifestyle.

b) Late Iron Age: During this era, more organised societies began to develop, with more advanced developments, such as farming and trade.

• The later stages of Iron Age also brought other changes, such as the development of farming and trading of goods between different groups.

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