Common questions about Prehistory

Short answers, pulled from the story.

When and where was the first stone tool crafted by a creature predating the genus Homo?

The first stone tool was crafted 3.3 million years ago at the Lomekwi site in Kenya. This discovery predates the genus Homo and suggests that the capacity to manipulate the environment began deep within the evolutionary tree.

When did early humans begin to control fire and where is the earliest evidence found?

Control of fire likely emerged between 790,000 and 690,000 years ago. The earliest evidence comes from the Bnot Ya'akov Bridge in Israel, where ashes of ancient hearths indicate survival and social bonding.

When and where did the Neolithic Revolution begin and what was the first known instance of agriculture?

The Neolithic Revolution began around 10,200 BCE in the Middle East. The first known instance of agriculture was the farming of figs in the Jordan Valley, a sterile variety that required human intervention to survive.

When and where did the discovery of metallurgy begin and what period did it mark?

The discovery of metallurgy began with the smelting of copper around 7,500 years ago in Serbia. This marked the transition from the Stone Age to the Chalcolithic, or Copper Age.

When was Ötzi the Iceman discovered and what period does he represent?

Ötzi the Iceman was found in 1991 in the Ötztal Alps. He represents a Chalcolithic individual and provides a rare glimpse into the life of that period.

When did prehistory end in Egypt and when did it end in New Guinea?

In Egypt, prehistory ended around 3100 BCE. In New Guinea, it did not end until the 1870s, when anthropologists began to document the lives of indigenous peoples.

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