Cro-Magnons. Ancient Cro-Magnon man - characteristics of lifestyle, tools, interesting facts with photos and videos Cro-Magnon man
Cro-Magnon - was a person in the modern sense of the word, naturally more primitive, but still a person. The era in which Cro-Magnon man lived falls on the period from the 40th to the 10th millennium BC. The first discoveries of the skeleton of Cro-Magnon man were made in 1868 in the southwest of France in the Cro-Magnon cave. So, about 40 thousand years ago, a number of cultural shifts took place in completely new directions in different areas of the globe. The events of a person’s life begin to develop along a different path and at a different, accelerated pace, and the main driving force now becomes the person himself.
The number of achievements and changes in the social organization of Cro-Magnon life was so great that it was several times greater than the number of achievements of Australopithecus, Pithecanthropus and Neanderthal taken together. The Cro-Magnons inherited from their ancestors a large active brain and quite practical technology, thanks to which they took an unprecedented step forward in a relatively short period of time. This manifested itself in aesthetics, the development of communication and symbol systems, tool-making technology and active adaptation to external conditions, as well as in new forms of social organization and a more complex approach to one's own kind.
All Cro-Magnons used some kind of stone tools and were engaged in hunting and gathering. They achieved many amazing achievements and spread throughout all geographical areas suitable for habitation. The Cro-Magnons created the first primitive forms of firing pottery, built kilns for this, and even burned coal. They surpassed their ancestors in the skill of processing stone tools and learned to make all kinds of tools, weapons and devices from bone, tusks, deer antlers and wood.
All areas of activity of the Cro-Magnons were improved compared to their ancestors. They made better clothing, built hotter fires, built larger dwellings, and ate a much wider variety of food than their predecessors.
Among other things, scientists have found that the Cro-Magnons had another important innovation - art. Cro-Magnon man was a caveman, but with one difference: his unkempt appearance hid a developed intellect and a complex spiritual life. The walls of his caves were covered with painted, carved and scratched masterpieces, very expressive and full of immediate charm.
The Cro-Magnon man differed from his predecessors in physiological characteristics. First, his bones are lighter than those of his ancestors. Secondly, the Cro-Magnon skull is in every way similar to the skull of modern people: a clearly defined chin protrusion, a high forehead, small teeth, the volume of the brain cavity corresponds to the modern one. Finally, it has the physical characteristics necessary for the formation of complex speech. The arrangement of the nasal and oral cavities, the elongated pharynx (the section of the throat located directly above the vocal cords), and the flexibility of the tongue gave it the ability to form and produce distinct sounds, much more varied than those available to early humans. However, modern man had to pay a high price for the gift of speech - of all living beings, only he can suffocate by choking on food, since his elongated pharynx also serves as the vestibule of the esophagus.
A straight gait was destined to become first a rule, and then a necessity. Meanwhile, more and more different types of activities fell to the share of hands. Already in monkeys there is a well-known division of functions between the arms and legs. The hand serves primarily for collecting and holding food, as some lower mammals do with the help of their front paws. Using their hands, some monkeys build nests in trees or, like chimpanzees, canopies between branches for protection from the weather. They grab sticks with their hands to protect themselves from enemies or throw fruits and stones at them. And although the number and general arrangement of bones and muscles are the same in ape and man, the hand of even a primitive savage was capable of performing hundreds of operations inaccessible to a monkey. Not a single monkey's hand has ever made even the crudest stone tool.
When processing stone, wood, skins, and making fire, human hands developed. Particularly important was the development of the thumb, which helped to firmly hold both the heavy spear and the thin needle. Gradually, the hand actions became more and more confident and complex. In collective work, the mind and speech of people developed.
The beginning of dominance over nature expanded man's horizons. On the other hand, the development of labor necessarily contributed to a closer unity of members of society. As a result, the emerging people had a need to say something to each other. Need created an organ for itself: the undeveloped larynx of the monkey was slowly but steadily transformed, and the organs of the mouth gradually learned to pronounce one articulate sound after another.
When did the type of modern man, commonly called Homo sapiens, arise? All the oldest finds in the Upper Paleolithic layers are dated in absolute numbers to 25–28 thousand years ago. The formation of Homo sapiens led to the coexistence of late progressive forms of Neanderthals and emerging small groups of modern humans for several millennia. The process of replacing the old species with a new one was quite long and complex.
The expansion of the frontal lobes of the brain was the main morphological feature that distinguished the emerging modern humans from the late Neanderthals. The frontal lobes of the brain are the focus of not only higher mental functions, but also social functions. The growth of the frontal lobes expanded the sphere of higher associative thinking, and with it contributed to the complexity of social life, the diversity of work activities, and caused the further evolution of the body structure, physiological functions, and motor skills.
The brain volume of “homo sapiens” is twice as large as that of “homo habilis.” He is taller and has an upright figure. “Reasonable people” speak coherently.
In their appearance, the “reasonable people” who lived in different countries differed from each other. Natural conditions such as an abundance or lack of sunny days, sharp winds carrying clouds of sand, severe frosts left their mark on the appearance of people. Their division into three main races began: white (Caucasoid), black (Negroid) and yellow (Mongoloid). Subsequently, the races were divided into subraces (for example, yellow - into Mongoloid and Americanoid), areas with a population of transitional races were formed on the borders between races (for example, on the border between the Caucasoid and Negroid races, the transitional Ethiopian race appeared). However, the physiological differences between the different races are not significant; from a biological point of view, all modern humanity belongs to the same subspecies of the species Homo sapiens. This is confirmed, for example, by genetic studies: the difference in DNA between races is only 0.1%, and genetic diversity within races is greater than interracial differences.
Thus, the process of evolution explains the similarities in the external and internal structure of humans and mammals. Let us briefly list them: the presence of a head, torso, limbs, hair, nails. The skeletons of both humans and mammals are made of the same bones. The location and functions of the internal organs are similar. Like mammals, humans feed their young with milk. But a person also has significant differences, which will be discussed further.
Cro-Magnons are early representatives of modern humans. It must be said that these people lived later than the Neanderthals and inhabited almost the entire territory of modern Europe. The name “Cro-Magnons” can only be understood as those people who were found in the Cro-Magnon grotto. These people lived 30 thousand years ago and were similar to modern humans.
General information about Cro-Magnons
The Cro-Magnons were very developed, and it must be said that their skills, achievements and changes in the social organization of life were many times superior to the Neanderthals and Pithecanthropes combined. This is what the Cro-Magnon man is associated with. helped these people take a big step forward in their development and achievements. Due to the fact that they were able to inherit an active brain from their ancestors, their achievements were manifested in aesthetics, technology for making tools, communication, etc.
origin of name
Associated with Homo sapiens, the number of changes in which was very large, is the Cro-Magnon man. The way of life of these differed from the way of life of their ancestors.
It is worth saying that the name “Cro-Magnon” comes from the Cro-Magnon rock grotto, located in France. In 1868, Louis Larte found several human skeletons in this area, as well as Late Paleolithic tools. He later described them, after which it was found that these people existed about 30,000 years ago.
Cro-Magnon body type
Compared to Neanderthals, Cro-Magnons had a less massive skeleton. The height of early human representatives reached 180-190 cm.
Their foreheads were straighter and smoother than those of Neanderthals. It is also worth noting that the Cro-Magnon skull had a high and rounded arch. The chin of these people was protruding, the eye sockets were angular, and the nose was rounded.
Cro-Magnons developed an upright gait. Scientists claim that their physique was practically no different from the physique of modern people. And this already says a lot.
The Cro-Magnon man was very similar to modern man. The lifestyle of early human representatives was quite interesting and unusual compared to their ancestors. Cro-Magnons put a huge amount of effort into being as similar to modern humans as possible.
The earliest representatives of humans are Cro-Magnons. Who are Cro-Magnons? Lifestyle, housing and clothing
Not only adults, but also children know who Cro-Magnons are. We study the peculiarities of their stay on Earth at school. It must be said that the first representative of man to create settlements was the Cro-Magnon man. The lifestyle of these people was different from the Neanderthals. Cro-Magnons gathered in communities that numbered up to 100 people. They lived in caves and also tents made of skins. In Eastern Europe, there were representatives who lived in dugouts. It is important that their speech was articulate. The clothes of the Cro-Magnons were skins.
How did the Cro-Magnon hunt? Lifestyle, tools of early human representatives
It must be said that the Cro-Magnons succeeded not only in the development of social life, but also in hunting. The item “Peculiarities of the Cro-Magnon lifestyle” includes an improved method of hunting - driven fishing. Early representatives of man hunted northern, as well as mammoths, etc. It was the Cro-Magnons who knew how to make special spear throwers that could fly up to 137 meters. Harpoons and hooks for fishing were also tools of the Cro-Magnons. They created snares - devices for hunting birds.
Primitive art
It is important that it was the Cro-Magnons who became the creators of European culture. This is evidenced, first of all, by the multicolor painting in the caves. Cro-Magnons painted in them on walls and ceilings. Confirmation that these people were creators of primitive art are engravings on stones and bones, ornaments, etc.
All this testifies to how interesting and amazing the life of the Cro-Magnons was. Their way of life has become a subject of admiration even today. It should be noted that the Cro-Magnons took a huge step forward, which brought them significantly closer to modern man.
Funeral rites of the Cro-Magnons
It is worth noting that the early representatives of man also had funeral rites. It was customary among the Cro-Magnons to place various decorations, household items, and even food in the grave of the deceased. They were sprinkled on the hair of the dead, a net was put on them, bracelets were put on the hands, and flat stones were placed on the face. It is also worth noting that the Cro-Magnons buried their dead in a bent state, that is, their knees should have touched their chin.
Let us recall that the Cro-Magnons were the first to domesticate an animal - a dog.
One of the versions of the origin of Cro-Magnons
It must be said that there are several versions of the origin of early human representatives. The most common of them says that Cro-Magnons were the ancestors of all modern people. According to this theory, these people appeared in East Africa approximately 100-200 thousand years ago. It is believed that Cro-Magnons migrated to the Arabian Peninsula 50-60 thousand years ago, after which they appeared in Eurasia. According to this, one group of early human representatives quickly populated the entire coast of the Indian Ocean, while the second migrated to the steppes of Central Asia. According to numerous data, it is clear that 20 thousand years ago Europe was already inhabited by Cro-Magnons.
To this day, many are fascinated by the way of life of the Cro-Magnons. One can briefly say about these early representatives of man that they were the most similar to modern man, since they improved their skills and abilities, developed and learned a lot of new things. The Cro-Magnons made a huge contribution to the history of human development, because it was they who took a huge step towards the most important achievements.
Cro-Magnons- the general name of the early representatives of modern humans, who appeared much later than the Neanderthals and coexisted with them for some time (40-30 thousand years ago). In appearance and physical development they were practically no different from modern humans.
The term "Cro-Magnon" can mean in a narrow sense only the people discovered in the Cro-Magnon Grotto and living nearby 30 thousand years ago; in a broad sense, this is the entire population of Europe or the entire world of the Upper Paleolithic era.
The number of achievements and changes in the social organization of Cro-Magnon life was so great that it was several times greater than the number of achievements of Pithecanthropus and Neanderthal combined. The Cro-Magnons inherited from their ancestors a large active brain and quite practical technology, thanks to which they took an unprecedented step forward in a relatively short period of time. This manifested itself in aesthetics, the development of communication and symbol systems, tool-making technology and active adaptation to external conditions, as well as in new forms of social organization and a more complex approach to one's own kind.
Etymology
The name comes from the rock grotto of Cro-Magnon in France (the town of Les Eyzy de Taillac-Sireuil in the Dordogne department), where in 1868 the French paleontologist Louis Larte discovered and described several human skeletons along with tools from the Late Paleolithic. The age of this population is estimated at 30 thousand years.
Geography
The most important fossil finds: in France - Cro-Magnon, in Great Britain - the Red Lady of Pavyland, in the Czech Republic - Dolni Vestonice and Mladeč, Serbia - Lepenski Vir, in Romania - Peshtera ku Oase, in Russia - Markina Gora, Sungir , Denisova Cave and Oleneostrovsky burial ground, in the Southern Crimea - Murzak-Koba.
Culture
The Cro-Magnons were the carriers of a number of cultures of the Upper Paleolithic (Gravettian culture) and Mesolithic (Tardenoise culture, Maglemose, Ertebølle) eras. Subsequently, their habitats experienced migration flows of other representatives of the Homo sapiens species (for example, the Linear Band Ceramics Culture). These people made tools not only from stone, but also from horn and bone. On the walls of their caves they left drawings depicting people, animals, and hunting scenes. Cro-Magnons made various jewelry. They got their first pet - a dog.
Numerous finds indicate the presence of a cult of hunting. The animal figures were pierced with arrows, thus killing the animal.
The Cro-Magnons had funeral rites. Household items, food, and jewelry were placed in the grave. The dead were sprinkled with blood-red ochre, hair nets were put on, bracelets were put on the hands, flat stones were placed on the face, and they were buried in a bent position (fetal position).
According to another version, modern representatives of the Negroid and Mongoloid races formed autonomously, and the Cro-Magnons spread for the most part only in the area of the Neanderthals (North Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, Europe). The first humans with Cromanoid features appeared 160,000 years ago in East Africa (Ethiopia). They left it 100,000 years ago. They entered Europe through the Caucasus to the Don River basin. Migration to the West began approximately 40,000 years ago, and 6 thousand years later cave paintings appeared in caves in France.
Genetics
see also
- The Guanches are an extinct indigenous people of the Canary Islands, representatives of the afalu-mechtoid subrace, considered close to the Cro-Magnons in their anthropological type.
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Literature
- P.I. Boriskovsky. pp. 15-24 // STRATUM plus. 2001-2002. No. 1. In the beginning there was a stone;
- Roginsky Ya. Ya., Levin M. G., Anthropology, M., 1963;
- Nesturkh M.F., Origin of Man, M., 1958, p. 321-38.
Popular science literature
- Eduard Storch - "Mammoth Hunters". A book with links to real archaeological sources
- B. Bayer, U. Birstein and others. History of mankind, 2002, ISBN 5-17-012785-5
Notes
Links
- - Upper Paleolithic site of an ancient man near Vladimir, 192 km from Moscow
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An excerpt characterizing Cro-Magnons
- Why, it’s possible.Likhachev stood up, rummaged through his packs, and Petya soon heard the warlike sound of steel on a block. He climbed onto the truck and sat on the edge of it. The Cossack was sharpening his saber under the truck.
- Well, are the fellows sleeping? - said Petya.
- Some are sleeping, and some are like this.
- Well, what about the boy?
- Is it spring? He collapsed there in the entryway. He sleeps with fear. I was really glad.
For a long time after this, Petya was silent, listening to the sounds. Footsteps were heard in the darkness and a black figure appeared.
- What are you sharpening? – the man asked, approaching the truck.
- But sharpen the master’s saber.
“Good job,” said the man who seemed to Petya to be a hussar. - Do you still have a cup?
- And over there by the wheel.
The hussar took the cup.
“It’ll probably be light soon,” he said, yawning, and walked off somewhere.
Petya should have known that he was in the forest, in Denisov’s party, a mile from the road, that he was sitting on a wagon captured from the French, around which the horses were tied, that the Cossack Likhachev was sitting under him and sharpening his saber, that there was a big black spot to the right is a guardhouse, and a bright red spot below to the left is a dying fire, that the man who came for a cup is a hussar who was thirsty; but he knew nothing and did not want to know it. He was in a magical kingdom in which there was nothing like reality. A large black spot, perhaps there was definitely a guardhouse, or perhaps there was a cave that led into the very depths of the earth. The red spot might have been fire, or maybe the eye of a huge monster. Maybe he’s definitely sitting on a wagon now, but it’s very possible that he’s not sitting on a wagon, but on a terribly high tower, from which if he fell, he’d fly to the ground for a whole day, a whole month - keep flying and never reach it . It may be that just a Cossack Likhachev is sitting under the truck, but it may very well be that this is the kindest, bravest, most wonderful, most excellent person in the world, whom no one knows. Maybe it was just a hussar passing for water and going into the ravine, or maybe he just disappeared from sight and completely disappeared, and he was not there.
Whatever Petya saw now, nothing would surprise him. He was in a magical kingdom where everything was possible.
He looked at the sky. And the sky was as magical as the earth. The sky was clearing, and clouds were moving quickly over the tops of the trees, as if revealing the stars. Sometimes it seemed that the sky cleared and a black, clear sky appeared. Sometimes it seemed that these black spots were clouds. Sometimes it seemed as if the sky was rising high, high above your head; sometimes the sky dropped completely, so that you could reach it with your hand.
Petya began to close his eyes and sway.
Drops were dripping. There was a quiet conversation. The horses neighed and fought. Someone was snoring.
“Ozhig, zhig, zhig, zhig...” the saber being sharpened whistled. And suddenly Petya heard a harmonious choir of music playing some unknown, solemnly sweet hymn. Petya was musical, just like Natasha, and more than Nikolai, but he had never studied music, did not think about music, and therefore the motives that unexpectedly came to his mind were especially new and attractive to him. The music played louder and louder. The melody grew, moving from one instrument to another. What was called a fugue was happening, although Petya did not have the slightest idea what a fugue was. Each instrument, sometimes similar to a violin, sometimes like trumpets - but better and cleaner than violins and trumpets - each instrument played its own and, not yet finishing the tune, merged with another, which started almost the same, and with the third, and with the fourth , and they all merged into one and scattered again, and again merged, now into the solemn church, now into the brightly brilliant and victorious.
“Oh, yes, it’s me in a dream,” Petya said to himself, swaying forward. - It's in my ears. Or maybe it's my music. Well, again. Go ahead my music! Well!.."
He closed his eyes. And from different sides, as if from afar, sounds began to tremble, began to harmonize, scatter, merge, and again everything united into the same sweet and solemn hymn. “Oh, what a delight this is! As much as I want and how I want,” Petya said to himself. He tried to lead this huge choir of instruments.
“Well, hush, hush, freeze now. – And the sounds obeyed him. - Well, now it’s fuller, more fun. More, even more joyful. – And from an unknown depth arose intensifying, solemn sounds. “Well, voices, pester!” - Petya ordered. And first, male voices were heard from afar, then female voices. The voices grew, grew in uniform, solemn effort. Petya was scared and joyful to listen to their extraordinary beauty.
The song merged with the solemn victory march, and drops fell, and burn, burn, burn... the saber whistled, and again the horses fought and neighed, not breaking the choir, but entering into it.
Petya didn’t know how long this lasted: he enjoyed himself, was constantly surprised by his pleasure and regretted that there was no one to tell it to. He was awakened by Likhachev's gentle voice.
- Ready, your honor, you will split the guard in two.
Petya woke up.
- It’s already dawn, really, it’s dawning! - he screamed.
The previously invisible horses became visible up to their tails, and a watery light was visible through the bare branches. Petya shook himself, jumped up, took a ruble from his pocket and gave it to Likhachev, waved, tried the saber and put it in the sheath. The Cossacks untied the horses and tightened the girths.
“Here is the commander,” said Likhachev. Denisov came out of the guardhouse and, calling out to Petya, ordered them to get ready.
Quickly in the semi-darkness they dismantled the horses, tightened the girths and sorted out the teams. Denisov stood at the guardhouse, giving the last orders. The party's infantry, slapping a hundred feet, marched forward along the road and quickly disappeared between the trees in the predawn fog. Esaul ordered something to the Cossacks. Petya held his horse on the reins, impatiently awaiting the order to mount. Washed with cold water, his face, especially his eyes, burned with fire, a chill ran down his back, and something in his whole body trembled quickly and evenly.
- Well, is everything ready for you? - Denisov said. - Give us the horses.
The horses were brought in. Denisov became angry with the Cossack because the girths were weak, and, scolding him, sat down. Petya took hold of the stirrup. The horse, out of habit, wanted to bite his leg, but Petya, not feeling his weight, quickly jumped into the saddle and, looking back at the hussars who were moving behind in the darkness, rode up to Denisov.
- Vasily Fedorovich, will you entrust me with something? Please... for God's sake... - he said. Denisov seemed to have forgotten about Petya’s existence. He looked back at him.
“I ask you about one thing,” he said sternly, “to obey me and not to interfere anywhere.”
During the entire journey, Denisov did not speak a word to Petya and rode in silence. When we arrived at the edge of the forest, the field was noticeably getting lighter. Denisov spoke in a whisper with the esaul, and the Cossacks began to drive past Petya and Denisov. When they had all passed, Denisov started his horse and rode downhill. Sitting on their hindquarters and sliding, the horses descended with their riders into the ravine. Petya rode next to Denisov. The trembling throughout his body intensified. It became lighter and lighter, only the fog hid distant objects. Moving down and looking back, Denisov nodded his head to the Cossack standing next to him.
- Signal! - he said.
The Cossack raised his hand and a shot rang out. And at the same instant, the tramp of galloping horses was heard in front, screams from different sides and more shots.
At the same instant as the first sounds of stomping and screaming were heard, Petya, hitting his horse and releasing the reins, not listening to Denisov, who was shouting at him, galloped forward. It seemed to Petya that it suddenly dawned as brightly as the middle of the day at that moment when the shot was heard. He galloped towards the bridge. Cossacks galloped along the road ahead. On the bridge he encountered a lagging Cossack and rode on. Some people ahead - they must have been French - were running from the right side of the road to the left. One fell into the mud under the feet of Petya's horse.
The immediate ancestor of modern man - the Cro-Magnon man (40-10 thousand years BC) was called Homo sapiens sapiens (Homo sapiens). During the Late Paleolithic era, 1200 generations passed and about 4 billion Cro-Magnons walked across the Earth. They lived at the end of the Würm glaciation. Warming and cooling followed each other quite often, and Cro-Magnons successfully adapted to changing natural conditions. They created the protoculture of modern man and, while remaining hunter-gatherers, brought the development of mankind to the culture of agriculture. The achievements of the Cro-Magnons are truly amazing. Their art of stone processing was so high that we can say that technology came into the world with the Cro-Magnon man. Technological innovations and the development of material culture replaced physical evolution. They also learned to make all kinds of tools and weapons from bones, tusks, antlers and wood. The Cro-Magnons achieved a high degree of perfection in the manufacture of clothing and the construction of large dwellings. In their hearth, not only trees, but also other combustible materials, such as bone, could be used for heating. The clay kilns they built were prototypes of blast furnaces. They brought the methods of using plants almost to the limit beyond which agriculture begins. These people reaped the ears of wild cereals and collected so many cereals that they covered most of their food needs. They invented devices for grinding and grinding grain. The Cro-Magnons knew how to make wicker containers and came close to the art of pottery. After centuries of wandering after animals or in search of seasonal edible plants, the Cro-Magnon man managed to switch to a sedentary lifestyle, using the resources of one area more efficiently. A sedentary lifestyle contributed to the formation of social life, the accumulation of practical and social knowledge and observations, which became the basis for the creation of language, art and religion. Hunting methods have changed. Spear throwers were invented, with the help of which hunters began to kill more animals, and they themselves received wounds less often, lived longer and better. Thanks to wealth, health and physical development also improved. A sedentary lifestyle, combined with an increased life expectancy, contributed to the acquisition of experience and knowledge, improved the mind and developed culture. There is reason to believe that the Cro-Magnons also had a bow, although no material evidence of this has survived. The invention of various devices for catching fish played an important role in expanding the diet of the Cro-Magnons - one of these ingenious devices was the harbour. Cro-Magnons learned to make various mixtures of clay with other substances. They made various figures from these mixtures and fired them in a specially constructed hearth. In fact, they discovered a way to produce new substances with new beneficial qualities by combining two or more starting materials. The Cro-Magnons created truly great prehistoric art. This is confirmed by numerous wall paintings in caves, sculptural works, and figurines. .
>>History: Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons. The emergence of human races
Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons. The emergence of human races.
4. The emergence of “homo sapiens”
1. Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons.
About 200-150 thousand years ago a new type appeared ancient man. Scientists called him “homo sapiens” (in Latin “homo sapiens”). This type includes Neanderthal and Cro-Magnon.
Neanderthal was named after the site where his remains were first found in the Neanderthal Valley in Germany. He had highly developed brow ridges, powerful jaws pushed forward with large teeth.
The Neanderthal could not speak clearly because his vocal apparatus was not sufficiently developed. Neanderthals made tools from stone and built primitive houses. They hunted large animals. Their clothing was animal skins. Neanderthals buried their dead in specially dug graves. For the first time they had ideas about death as a transition to the afterlife.
For a long time it was believed that Neanderthals preceded the emergence of modern humans. In recent years, scientists have found that Neanderthals lived for some time at the same time as another type of " Homo sapiens" - a Cro-Magnon whose remains were first found in the Cro-Magnon cave in France. The appearance and brain of the Cro-Magnons were like those of modern people. Cro-Magnons are our direct ancestors. Scientists Cro-Magnons, like modern people, are called “Homo sapiens, sapiens,” that is, “reasonable, intelligent man.” This emphasizes that man is the owner of the most developed mind on our planet. Cro-Magnons appeared about 40 thousand years ago.
2. Mammoth hunters.
About 100 thousand years ago, the temperature on Earth became sharply cold and the last glacial period. Very cold periods of time alternated with periods of warming. The northern part of Europe, Asia, and America was covered with a powerful glacier.
During the glaciation in Europe, only for a short summer period the ground thawed and vegetation appeared on it. However, it was enough to feed large herbivores - mammoths, woolly rhinoceroses, bison, and reindeer. Hunting these animals provided enough meat, fat and bones to feed people and even to heat and light their homes.
Hunting at that time became the most important occupation of the Cro-Magnons. They began to make tools not only from stone, but also from mammoth tusks and deer antlers. Tips made of deer antler with teeth curved at the base were attached to the spears. Such a spear was deeply stuck in the body of a wounded animal. Darts (short spears) were used to pierce small animals. Fish were caught using wicker traps and harpoons with sharp tips.
People have learned to sew clothes from fur. They invented bone needles, which were used to sew the skins of foxes, arctic foxes, wolves and smaller animals.
Residents of the Eastern European plains built houses from mammoth bones. The foundation of such a house was made from the skulls of huge animals.
3. Tribal communities.
It was impossible to hunt mammoth and other large animals and build houses from their bones alone. Dozens of people were required, organized and observing a certain discipline. People began to live in tribal communities. Such a community included several large families forming a clan. Close and distant relatives formed a single team. The clan community had common dwellings, tools, and food supplies. The men hunted together. They jointly engaged in the manufacture of tools and construction. The woman-mother enjoyed special respect from the large family. Initially, the relationship was on the maternal side. In the habitats of ancient people, skillfully made female figurines are often found. Women were engaged in gathering, preparing food and storing food supplies, maintaining a fire in the hearth, sewing clothes and, most importantly, raising children.
The clan community, the clan, considered themselves descended from one ancestor - a person, an animal, or even a plant. The ancestor of the clan was called a totem. The clan bore the name of its totem. There could be a clan of a wolf, a clan of an eagle, a clan of a bear.
Communities were ruled by the wisest members of the clan - the elders. They had extensive life experience and kept ancient legends and customs. The elders made sure that all members of the clan followed the established rules of behavior, so that no one would claim the share of another when distributing food, clothing and space in the home.
Children in the clan community were raised together. The children knew the customs of the family and followed them. As boys grew older, they had to pass tests to be accepted as adult male hunters. The boy had to remain silent under the hail of blows. They made cuts on his body, rubbed ashes, colored earth and plant juices into them. The boy had to spend several days and nights alone in the forest. A lot had to be endured to become a real man of the family.
4. The emergence of human races.
With the advent of the Cro-Magnon man, human race: Caucasoid, Mongoloid, Negroid. Representatives of different races differ in skin color, eye shape, hair color and type, skull length and shape, and body proportions.
The Caucasian (Eurasian) race is characterized by light skin, wide eyes, soft hair on the head, and a narrow and sharply protruding nose. Men grow a beard and mustache. The Mongoloid (Asian-American) race has special characteristics such as yellowish or reddish skin, straight black hair, lack of facial hair in men, narrow eyes, and high cheekbones. The Negroid race is distinguished by dark skin, curly, coarse hair, a wide nose, and thick lips.
External differences are of secondary importance. All races have equal opportunities for development.
Even before the first civilizations, the peoples of the Caucasian race were divided into large groups: Semites and Indo-Europeans. Semites got their name from the biblical Shem (Sem), the son of the patriarch Noah. They settled the Middle East and North Africa. Modern Semitic peoples include Arabs and Jews. The Indo-Europeans (they are also called Aryans) settled over a vast territory, occupying Europe, Northern and part of Central India, Iran, Central Asia, and the Asia Minor peninsula. The Indo-European peoples included Indians, Iranians, Hittites, Celts, Greeks, Romans, as well as Slavs and Germans. The languages they spoke are called Indo-European.
IN AND. Ukolova, L.P. Marinovich, History, 5th grade
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