Stone Age on the territory of Kazakhstan: Periodization and archaeological sites

The Stone Age - the oldest and the longest period in the development of mankind, when tools and weapons were made of wood and bone. His chronological boundaries around - 2 million to 6 million years ago. Stone Age is traditionally divided into ancient - Paleolithic (from Greek - palanos - ancient and lithos - stone), medium - and a new Mesolithic - Neolithic.

Paleolithic inhabitants of Kazakhstan, according to the archaeological excavations could obtain and maintain fire, engaged in hunting and gathering plant foods. In the Paleolithic period have been significant changes in the technology of stone tools and the way of life of ancient people. They were the result of a new, higher stage of human evolution - the appearance Paleoanthropes. On the territory of Kazakhstan recorded a large number of monuments of the Lower Paleolithic. They point to the fact that the primitive man of that time were spent most areas in southern, central and eastern Kazakhstan.

In the late Paleolithic period (40-30 million years ago) there is the modern type of man (Homo Sapiens), there is a new (extractor) stone processing equipment. It is possible to create such tools as scrapers, cutters, with the blunt edge of the tip, Drawing knives, knives, darts, and bone tools - throwing spears, hoes, polishers, various animal figurines and sculptures of women that point to the emergence among the ancient people worship women - housewives ancestors and hearth. This period is called matriarchy.

Mesolithic (12-6 thousand years BC) - is the least known period in the history of Kazakhstan. However, it is known that the origin of the Mesolithic is characterized by appropriating economy, ie animal husbandry and agriculture and development mikrolitizatsii in stone inventory.

Neolithic (6-4 thousand years BC) is represented in Kazakhstan next characteristic of cultures that contain a high degree of similarity. Today in Kazakhstan there are more than 500 Neolithic sites.

In the Neolithic appear geometric tools such as diamond, triangles, trapezoids and segments. People engaged in hunting, fishing and gathering. The guns were made of jasper, quartzite and hornfels. Of them did arrowheads, spears, awls, knives, axes, scrapers, chisels, etc. During this period, there are pottery. In Kazakhstan Numerous sites discovered in the sands of the Kyzyl-Kum, Moyynkum, Balkhash and Irtysh, Aral Sea and along the major and minor rivers and lakes.

In the Neolithic period there was a delimitation economy. Some tribes engaged in hunting and fishing, while others - hunting and herding, and others - farming and hunting, which has led to a new social division of labor.

Socio-economic development in a primitive society depended primarily on the natural environment. Primitive human groups could adapt to the environment and to ensure their livelihoods only by joint efforts, working in small (20-30 individuals) of the group. Such a group at an early stage of development is the primitive human herd that preceded the generic collective.

Date: 2015-01-29; view: 2147