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Era 2 of 12 · from 7 million years ago to about 3500 BC

Prehistory

Prehistory is the very long period of human history before writing: it runs from about 7 million years ago to about 5500 years ago. In Africa the first hominins appear, walking on two legs, and later the different species of the genus Homo. Our ancestors learn to chip stone, use fire, sew clothes and paint in caves. About 12,000 years ago some communities begin to grow crops and keep animals, and the first villages are born. At the end of the era come metals and the wheel: everything is ready for the first cities.

In Italian schools it is usually studied in primary year 3

Go to the 25 events Quiz on this era Printable worksheet
Illustration of the era Prehistory
Illustration created with AI for Storiascopio

The 25 events, in time order

  1. peopleThe first homininsabout 7 million years ago
  2. peopleLucy the australopithecineabout 3.2 million years ago
  3. science and technologyThe first stone toolsabout 2.6 million years ago
  4. peopleHomo habilisabout 2.4 million years ago
  5. peopleHomo erectusabout 1.9 million years ago
  6. science and technologyTaming fireabout 790,000 years ago
  7. peopleHomo heidelbergensisabout 600,000 years ago
  8. peopleNeanderthalsabout 400,000 years ago
  9. peopleThe arrival of Homo sapiensabout 300,000 years ago
  10. daily lifeThe first deliberate burialsabout 100,000 years ago
  11. peopleHomo sapiens leaves Africaabout 60,000 years ago
  12. science and technologyThe needle with an eyeabout 48,000 years ago
  13. peopleThe first people in Australiaabout 48,000 years ago
  14. artThe cave art of Sulawesiabout 44,000 years ago
  15. artThe Venus of Willendorfabout 28,000 years ago
  16. artThe Lascaux caveabout 19,000 years ago
  17. daily lifeThe first permanent villagesabout 14,000 years ago
  18. daily lifeThe Neolithic Revolutionabout 12,000 years ago
  19. daily lifeTaming the sheepabout 11,000 years ago
  20. daily lifeThe walls of Jerichoabout 10,300 years ago
  21. science and technologyPottery spreadsabout 9,000 years ago
  22. daily lifeÇatalhöyükabout 9,000 years ago
  23. science and technologyWorking with copperabout 7,000 years ago
  24. science and technologyThe invention of the wheelabout 5,500 years ago
  25. science and technologyThe Bronze Ageabout 5,300 years ago
The first hominins: Toros-Menalla, ChadLucy the australopithecine: Hadar, EthiopiaThe first stone tools: East Africa (Ethiopia and Kenya)Homo habilis: East Africa (Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania)Homo erectus: Africa, then Asia (Georgia, China, Indonesia)Taming fire: Gesher Benot Ya'aqov, IsraelHomo heidelbergensis: Mauer, near Heidelberg, GermanyNeanderthals: Europe and western Asia (in Italy: Altamura, Apulia)The arrival of Homo sapiens: Jebel Irhoud, MoroccoThe first deliberate burials: Skhul and Qafzeh caves, IsraelHomo sapiens leaves Africa: From East Africa towards Asia, Europe and AustraliaThe needle with an eye: Denisova Cave, Siberia (Russia)The first people in Australia: Northern AustraliaThe cave art of Sulawesi: Leang Tedongnge Cave, Sulawesi (Indonesia)The Venus of Willendorf: Willendorf, AustriaThe Lascaux cave: Lascaux, FranceThe first permanent villages: Near East (Natufian villages)The Neolithic Revolution: Fertile CrescentTaming the sheep: Between Anatolia and Iran (Zagros Mountains)The walls of Jericho: Jericho, Jordan ValleyPottery spreads: Near East, China and JapanÇatalhöyük: Çatalhöyük, TurkeyWorking with copper: Europe (Ötzi, Similaun glacier)The invention of the wheel: Mesopotamia and Europe (Ljubljana wheel, Slovenia)The Bronze Age: Near East, then Europe and Italy
Map of the events: Prehistory

Did you know?

  • In the DNA of many people living outside Africa today there is a tiny piece, around 1-2 per cent, inherited from the Neanderthals.
  • Ötzi, the Iceman found on the Similaun glacier, had more than 60 tattoos on his skin, made with small cuts and charcoal dust: they are among the oldest we know of.
  • The first tamed animal was not the sheep but the dog, which was already living alongside humans more than 15,000 years ago.

Test yourself

Ten questions on the era: multiple choice, before or after, put in order, match.

Quiz: Prehistory
Photo of Ciro Simone Irmici

Who's behind this

Ciro Simone Irmici

I'm Ciro Simone Irmici and I build free websites for learning and playing. I built Storiascopio with artificial intelligence and I check every card and every source myself. I'm not a historian: if you find a mistake or would like one more event for your class, write to me.

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