Early humans and the making of tools

Introduction

The first humans were hunters and gatherers who mainly relied on hunting for food. These hunter-gatherers made up a small group of no more than 100–150 individuals. They used to wander about looking for food. There were many early humans living there at the time- Neanderthals, homo sapiens, homo Rhodesians, etc. Only Homo sapiens survived the onset of the Stone Age, around 50000 BCE, and began to rule the planet. Early modern humans are known as Homo sapiens. The people that now inhabit the earth are descended from these homo sapiens. These are The lone surviving member of the human species, which till today rule the life of modern human beings started to develop in the early stone age and further developed in middle the stone age.

Stone age

The Stone Age, which spans roughly from 5,000 BCE to 4000 BCE, was a time when humans were primarily involved in hunting and gathering. Three distinct phases make up the stone age:

  • Paleolithic or old stone age.
  • Mesolithic or middle stone age.
  • Neolithic or the New Stone Age.

Old Stone Age- This age began as a result of human evolution and population growth. It is also known as the Palaeolithic age. The early stone age, which lasted from about 500,000 BCE to 10,000 BCE, was divided into three stages:

  • Primitive stone age
  • Mid-Paleolithic period
  • Older Stone Age, upper

Middle stone age-This is often known as the Mesolithic age, lasted from 8000 BCE to 10000 BCE. During this time, hunter-gatherers began to create new varieties of stone and bones for use in hunting.

New Stone Age– It is also known as Neolithic age .This period, which saw the development of agriculture and other metals like copper, bronze, and iron, lasted from around 8000 BCE to about 4000 BCE. Hunter-gatherers began to employ stone blades, and various other tools during this time.

Fire and cooking

  • Richard Wrangham is an anthropologist from the United States who has investigated the history of fire and the evolution of mankind.
  • He has claimed that the homo sapiens and Neanderthals learned the ability of controlling fire from the Homo Erectus, who discovered fire around 1.8 million years ago.
  • The ability to control fire is the main reason which distinguishes humans from all other living organisms. Fire was the revolutionary innovation of the human.
  • Humans alone have the intelligence to burn and control fire, and they made use of this technology to cook fruits, vegetables, meat etc.
  • He claimed that prior to the discovery of fire, human teeth were too large and the digestive system, along with a small brain, was overly complex.
  • However, as people began to cook, tooth size began to decrease, and the digestive tract became less complex as cooked food can be easily digested. Hence more energy is now available for use by the brain. This has resulted in increasing the size of the human brain and also its intelligence.

image of Early human, cooking on fire.

Humans and Tools

  • Early stone tools have recently been discovered at the shore of Lake Turkana (Kenya), around 2015.
  • Stone tools’ carbon dating indicated that they were around 3.3 million years old.
  • The discovery shows that Australopithecus afarensis or Kenyanthropus platyops are the earliest human species to have employed these tools.
  • Recently, it has been proposed that Homo Erectus, was the first human to use tools. Previously, it was thought that Homo Habilis was the first human to invent tools.
  • The tools made by the early man was primarily used for digging, cooking, and hunting.
  • Hunting provided people with their main source of energy, therefore most of the time their tools were used for this purpose.
  • The earliest humans made tools in such a away that one side of the tool had a narrow shape and was usually sharp egded and the other side was utilized as an handle. 
  • The hunter-gatherers initially started out using raw stone to hunt the animal, but through time they began to learn how to cut the stone in ways that made it a better tool.
  • Following techniques are used for making tools-
    • Direct percussion flaking technique: This method involves directly striking one stone with another stone to shatter it into the desired shape.
    • Indirect percussion flaking techniques: With the help of this technique more complex tools are created. This method uses indirect hitting the stone cutting purposes.
    •  Grinding and Polishing: Blades, bows, arrows, and other objects are made using the grinding. Polishing is occasionally employed to make something sharp and add aesthetic value.
  • Bones, Wood and Stone were the common materials which were used for making tools. Stone tools were the best out of the three.
  • Various tools were made which were used for cutting meat and bones. Some tools were used to scarpe the bark of trees and animal skins. Some tools were also used for chopping purposes.
  • Spears and arrows were used for hunting animals. They had a stone edge which was sharp and killed the animals. This stone edge was attached to a long wooden or bone piece which acted as an handle and helped in launching the tool easily.
  • There were specialized tools for chopping firewood.

This Image shows the tools which were used by the early humans during ancient times.

Summary

The first humans were hunter-gatherers who relied on hunting for their food requirements. The development of human tools is categorized by researchers in the various epochs of human growth, for instance, the old stone age of human history has tools that are not sophisticated but as the years passed tools became advanced and very specific for particular purposes. Humans first began to create sophisticated tools to hunt animals. The copper, bronze, and iron ages followed the stone age. Humans have used different tools in each of the three ages. Common tools that were used for hunting were arrows and spears. These tools were either made from stone, bone or wood.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How did prehistoric people make tools?
Ans: The sole tools used by the giant apes and the earliest human ancestors were likely sticks and stones. The first tools made by early humans were from stones that had been broken and smashed to create a sharp edge on one end and which can be use for hunting purposes.

2. What do you mean by the bronze age?
Ans: The bronze era is the period that followed the end of the stone age. The bronze age, which lasted roughly from 3300 BCE to 1200 BCE, is when people first learned how to employ bronze, a form of metal, in everyday life

3. What was one of the most crucial tools used by prehistoric humans?
Ans: In the Ancient tradition, sharp-edged stone flakes created during the process of making core tools were likely the most essential tools. Without any further alterations, these basic flake tools were utilized as knives.

Magadh

Introduction

In Indian history, the rise and expansion of the Magadh empire are famously attributed to the time between 684 and 320 BCE. Avanti, Koshala, Magadha, and Vatsa were competing for supremacy among the sixteen Mahajanapadas from the sixth to the fourth centuries BCE. But the Magadha Kingdom was able to seize power. It rose to become India’s most powerful kingdom. The Magadh empire was Founded by Jarasandha, the son of Brihadratha. The capital of Magadh was located in Rajgir before being moved to Patliputra.

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Magadh the Land of Power?

Between the fourth and sixth centuries BCE, Magadh rose to become a strong kingdom. Under the leadership of numerous powerful and effective kings, the kingdom prospered. The following are some of the factors that contributed to the establishment of the kingdom:

  • Magadh was surrounded by three rivers, which served to both protect it from outside threats and facilitate trade and commerce. Additionally, Magadh’s two capitals were in ideal locations.
  • In Magadh, there was a plentiful source of raw minerals including iron and copper, which helped the kingdom prosper.
  • Magadh’s lush terrain benefited the agricultural industry of the time by boosting it.
  • Magadh possessed many soldiers and a large arsenal. Elephants were also employed by the army at that time, greatly enhancing its power.
  • Additionally, the development of Buddhism and Jainism had a significant impact on the development of the thought of the society as well as the expansion of the empire.

History of Magadh – Ancient India

Three significant dynasties ruled the Magadh empire: the Haryankas, Shisunaga, and Nanda dynasties. The empire’s greatness reached a very high peak thanks to a few outstanding kings from those dynasties.

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Haryanka dynasty

The first dynasty of the Magadh kingdom was the Haryanka dynasty. The well-known kings of this dynasty were Bimbisara, Ajatashatru, and Udayin.

  • King Bimbisara ruled From 544 to 494 BC. He was the first monarch to establish matrimonial alliances as a way to strengthen the kingdom. He followed both Jainism and Buddhism.
  • Ajatshatru, Bimbisara’s son, was accused of murdering his father. From roughly 494 to 462 BC, Ajatshatru presided over Haryanka’s dynasty. He used aggressive tactics to expand his kingdom.
  • The following king, Udayin who was Ajatshatru’s son, led the realm. He was instrumental in moving Magadh’s capital from Rajgir to Patliputra. Nagadasak was the last ruler of the Haryanka dynasty.
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Shisunaga’s Dynasty

This kingdom’s existence was reported between 413 and 345 BCE. Shisunaga and Kalasoka were the two prominent kings of the Shisunaga dynasty.

  • Shisunaga was chosen by the public to lead the Magadh kingdom after Udayin’s reign. Shisunaga eventually put an end to the almost 100-year battle between Magadh and Avanti and was successful in incorporating the Avanti kingdom into the Magadh empire.
  • King Kalasoka, the son of  Shisunaga, was another significant ruler of the Shishunaga dynasty. He gained national attention for presiding over the second Buddhist council at Vaishali.

Nanda’s Dynasty

The two most effective and greatest kings of the Nanada dynasty were Mahapadma Nanda and King Dhana Nanda. This dynasty’s existence was documented between 345 and 321 BCE. It was the Magadh Empire’s final dynasty. The unique future of this dynasty was that the kings were not Kshatriyas.

  • Mahapadma Nanda founded the Nanda dynasty. After killing king Kalasoka, he ruled the kingdom for twenty-eight years. Mahapadma Nanda’s dynasty brought prosperity and success to Magadh, which boasted a high number of soldiers and a flourishing economy.
  • Dhana Nanda headed the Nanda dynasty after the rule of Mhapadma Nanda. In this kingdom, he was the last powerful king. Alexander attacked India during the reign of Dhana Nanda. In the end, Chandragupta Maurya defeated Dhana Nanda and gained control of the empire.
magadha empire family tree

                                           Fig: Flowchart of Magadh Empire

Establishment of the Mauryan Empire

The well-known Mauryan dynasty ruled from 324 to 184 BCE. The famous emperors of the Mauryan dynasty were Chandragupta Maurya, Bindusara, and Ashoka.

  • After removing the last Nanda king, Dhanananda, from power, Chandragupta Maurya established this empire. From roughly 321 to 297 BC, Chandragupta was in power. He was a prosperous ruler in his kingdom.
  • The son of Chandragupta Maurya, Bindusara, greatly expanded the kingdom’s prosperity. From roughly 297 to 273 BC, he was in charge of the kingdom. Mysore was thought to be part of the Maurya empire as well.
  • The renowned historical ruler Ashoka Vardhana ruled after Bindusara. He introduced Buddhism to the populace of the nation. For approximately 40 years, he governed the kingdom. The first king in history to have his rules engraved on rocks was Ashoka. He was also among the most powerful monarchs who significantly increased the fame of the Maurya dynasty.
  • Later, Shungas, Palas, Satvahanas, Guptas, etc. ruled over Magadh. The development of Magadh’s history was significantly influenced by these powerful dynasties.
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Summary

Between the fourth and sixth centuries BCE, Magadh rose to become a strong kingdom. In Magadh, there was a plentiful source of raw minerals, including iron and copper, which helped the kingdom prosper. Three significant dynasties ruled the Magadh empire: the Haryanka, Shisunaga, and Nanda dynasties. The well-known Mauryan dynasty ruled from 324 to 184 BCE. Later, the Shungas, Palas, Satvahanas, Guptas, etc. ruled over Magadh. The development of Magadh’s history was significantly influenced by these powerful dynasties.

Frequently Asked Questions 

1. Why did the Magadha Empire choose Pataliputra as its capital? Which was the capital of Magadha Earlier?
Ans: Pataliputra was the best place to serve as the imperial capital because it was in the heart of Magadha. The capital of Magadh was located in Rajgir before being moved to Patliputra.

2. What was the name of Magadha’s first King? In which time Period he Ruled?
Ans. King Bimbasara was the first king of the Magadha empire. King Bimbisara ruled from 544 to 494 BC. He was the first monarch to establish matrimonial alliances as a way to strengthen the kingdom. He followed both Jainism and Buddhism.

3. What was the reason for the fall of Magadha?
Ans. The rise of Jainism and Buddhism, a financial crisis, oppression by the Dushtamatyas, internal conflicts, and division of the empire into multiple provinces led to the fall of Magadha.

4. Which ruler ruled the Magadha Empire for the Last Time?
Ans. A new king, Mahapadma Nanda, took over as king of this Nanda dynasty in the middle of the fourth century BCE after the last ruler of this dynasty was murdered. This was the last dynasty in Magadha until the Mauryans overtook it.