Historical Periods through which man has lived

The historical periods during which early humans lived are dived into two different stages and these are:

Stone Age:

• This 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.

The Iron Age:

• This period began between 4500 BC and 2000 BC, when people started working with iron.
• This enabled them to make iron tools and weapons.
• The Iron Age in Africa stretched into early into the early centuries after the birth of Christ.
• This included the period when the Bantu- speaking people started moving into Zambia.

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.

Early Stone Age Historical Periods

• 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.

Middle Stone Age

• 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.

Late stone age

• 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.

Important stone age sites in Zambia

• 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.

Iron Age period

• 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:

a) Iron became the main material fir cutting tools and weapons.
b) 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.