Throughout the ages, mankind has grown and evolved to create the society we know today. The successes of our Stone Age ancestors laid the foundation for our entire species. Fire, Tool making, Religion, and Art can all trace their roots all the way back to the first humans, and have shaped our history ever since. But little is known about these early people. One crucial technology they didn’t posses was written language, which has given our species the ability to record our stories and the way we have lived. This is why our early ancestors are known as prehistoric people. To find out what life was like back then, we have to study their fossils and the evidence they have left behind.
Evolution
It is currently believed that the first humans evolved from primates in Africa 5-7 million years ago. The first hominid, which is a humanlike primate that can walk upright, evolved 4-6 million years ago. Even though there is only one human species today, evidence shows that in the past several species co-existed (Clark). The earliest hominid that has been discovered so far is Sahelanthropus tchadensis. It was discovered in the Djurab Desert in the nation of Chad. While some features of its skull resemble human features, others are more ape like. Other species of early hominids include Orrorin tugenensis, Ardipithecus ramidus, and Ardipithecus kadabba. All of these species appear to have human and ape characteristics, however little is actually know about their anatomy because there are few fossils and the ones we have discovered are incomplete. One group of hominids that is better understood is the australopithecines (Mann). One of the most famous hominid fossils, known as “Lucy”, is part of this genus (Clark). They appeared about 4 million years ago and became extinct about 2-1 million years ago. Their fossils have been found in many parts of Africa. The australopithecines probably resembled chimpanzees, but they walked upright. They ate fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, insects, and small animals (Mann).
Our genus, known as Homo, began about 2-3 million years ago. What set them apart from earlier hominids was the ability to produce stone tools. These tools were used for scraping and cutting meat, wood, and bones. They were social animals and lived in groups of about 12-20, however we do not know if they possessed the ability to speak. They lived by gathering plants and hunting small animals (Clark). The Homo genus is divided into three species: habilis, rudolfensis, and erectus. It is believed that we evolved from Homo erectus (Mann). Homo erectus was the first species to migrate out of Africa. They learned how to control fire and may have had primitive language skills (Clark).
Neanderthals evolved about 200,000 years ago. They were more advanced than Homo erectus; they made sophisticated tools and had social organizations. While they co-existed with modern humans there is not enough evidence to say that they interbred (Clark).
Our species, Homo sapiens, evolved in Africa about 200,000 years ago (Gugliotta). They quickly spread across the globe to the Middle East, Asia, Europe and the Americas (Clark). They lacked the brow ridges and protruding faces of earlier humans and developed a chin. Over time their technology and social structure became more advanced than that of earlier peoples (Mann).
Migration
Sometime after 80,000 years ago, our ancestors began to migrate out of Africa. Scientists are not sure when or where the first migration took place. There are several factors that could have led to the migration however we do not know exactly why it took place (Gugliotta).
About 80,000 years ago human technology began to vastly improve. Archaeologists have discovered jewelry, art work, and expertly crafted tools from this period. There is also evidence that our diet improved, and we started eating seafood. Some theorize that the advent of sea food gave us the nutrients necessary for highly developed brains and triggered a genetic mutation that made us smarter. Better technology and more sophisticated brains may have given us the ability to move to new lands (Gugliotta).
A recent DNA study suggests that there were massive droughts that also could have led to the migration. The droughts would have split the population into small groups. Once the droughts were over the survivors would have reunited and left for better country. First they went to Asia and about 45,000 years ago they had settled Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Australia. 40,000 years ago they settled Europe, and 15,000 years ago they crossed over to the Americas (Gugliotta).
To study human migration, scientists have used mitochondrial DNA along with archaeological evidence. Mitochondrial DNA is only inherited from the mother and has a high mutation rate, which is what makes it good for studying. By inferring rates of mutation and comparing those with modern populations scientists can determine our ancestry. However if the inferred rates are wrong then the timetable could be off (Gugliotta).
Scientists have found that our mitochondrial DNA all traces back to one woman, who is known as Eve. Eve lived about 200,000 years in Africa. Although she is known as Eve she was not the first woman that is talked about in the Bible. It is estimated that in her time the human population was only 10,000 people (Gugliotta).
Art
The appearance of art marks the beginnings of human culture. Not only is prehistoric art beautiful, it is the only record our prehistoric ancestors have left us. It shows us how we developed complex social systems, symbolism and abstract thought (Bednarik). Art first appeared during the Upper Paleolithic period. Our ancestors made carvings and engravings of animals and people on bone and ivory. They also made sculptures out of clay, ivory, and stone (Mann).
The most famous prehistoric artworks are the cave paintings of Lascaux, Chauvet and Altamira. They are mostly of animals like deer, elk, bison, horses, and lions. People are rarely painted, and when they are they are crude and stick figure like, in stark contrast to the stunningly realistic animals. The primary colors used are red and black. Crushed hematite was used to create the red paint and charcoal was used to make the black (Judith). Researchers do not know the meanings of the cave paintings; however, they most likely had religious significance.
Re: The EB II Help Required Thread
Originally Posted by KingPercival
Could help with skinning, I've done some skinning for Sturmovik using photoshop, but never for rome nor medieval but I've lots of free time and I will be glad to be part of your team. I was cheking out the link with the tutorials for skinning here and I can go from there, just let me know wich skin nobody its working on yet and ill do my bestSend me a PM if needed .
Re: The EB II Help Required Thread
I may be drunk Miss, but you're ugly. In the morning I'll be sober, and you'll still be ugly. -Winston Churchill
but I was in a drawing mood yesterday, so I whipped up this pencil-and-marker drawing of a Gaesatae captain (or whatever the Gaesatae unit leader would be called).
("Welcome to EB" from T.A.)
Re: The EB II Help Required Thread
Re: The EB II Help Required Thread
Re: The EB II Help Required Thread
-awarded by chairman
My Saka's shall run over you until our arrows are in your back, not even the great Selukid king could stand against us and now our great empire stretches from The great homelands to their precious Selukia. 
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