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Roots of the Human Tree (3.3 Ma – 300 Ka)

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An Introduction to Human Prehistory in Arabia

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Abstract

In this chapter we explore a sample of Lower Palaeolithic sites and hominin fossils, from the first toolmakers to the last days of our archaic ancestors. We review key behavioral developments that compounded over the course of the Lower Palaeolithic, including the invention of toolmaking, the shift from scavenging to hunting, and the advent of fire. These innovations enabled hominin populations to colonize new landscapes and disseminate across Africa, Europe, and Asia. We explore how hominin evolution was affected by their burgeoning abilities to harness and modify nature, while weathering the ever-changing weather. The purpose of this chapter is to place the Lower Palaeolithic archaeological heritage of Arabia within its wider geographic and theoretical context. The Peninsula served as both a gateway and a highway periodically connecting Africa and Eurasia. As such, its prehistoric record is critical for tracking the evolution and dispersal of early hominins.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    In the words of Douglas Adams (1979): “we’ll be saying a big hello to all intelligent lifeforms everywhere and to everyone else out there, the secret is to bang the rocks together, guys.”

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    Jeffrey I. Rose

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Rose, J.I. (2022). Roots of the Human Tree (3.3 Ma – 300 Ka). In: An Introduction to Human Prehistory in Arabia. Springer Textbooks in Archaeology and Heritage. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-95667-7_6

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  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-95666-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-95667-7

  • eBook Packages: HistoryHistory (R0)

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