Pre-History
the period of time before writing was invented
Archaeology
the study of past societies based on what people left behind
Artifacts
objects made by humans
Anthropology
the study of human life and culture
Fossils
rocklife remains of biological organisms
Hominid
a humanlike creature that walked upright
Olduvai Gorge
where Louis and Mary Leaky found the oldest remains of humans. The nickname of the "human" was "Lucy
Australopithecus
southern ape", or better known as "Lucy
Homo sapiens sapiens
wise, wise humans
out-of-Africa" theory
The theory that Homo sapiens sapiens appeared in Arica between 150,000 and 200,000 years ago and that they probably spread out of Africa to other parts of the world about 100,000 years ago, replacing populations of earlier honinids in Europe and Asia.
Paleolithic Age
Used to designate the early period of human history (approximately 2,500,000 B.C. to 10,000 B.C.) in which humans used simple stone tools. Means "old stone
Neolithic Revolution
The revolution that occurred in the Neolithic Age, the period of human history from 8000 to 4000 B.C.
Systematic agriculture
the keeping of animals and the growing of food on a regular basis`
Domestication
the adaptation of animals for human use.
Mesoamericans
inhabitants of present-day Mexico and Central America
�atalh�y�k
one of the first Neolithic villages (located in modern day Turkey) that existed between 6700 B.C. and 5700 B.C. and had about 6,000 inhabitants
Artisans
skilled workers that made goods for trade with neighboring people
Bronze Age
a period of time form 3000 B.C. to 1200 B.C., during which people began using bronze, rather than copper or stone, to fashion tools and weapons
Iron Age
A period of time following the Bronze age in which tools and weapons were made out of iron, about 1000 B.C.
Culture
the way of life
Civilization
a complex culture in which large numbers of human beings share a number of common elements
Monarchs
kings or queens who rule a kingdom
Priests
an important and powerful person who supervised rituals aimed at pleasing the gods and goddesses