John9200Carter: fix formatting to improve readability and cleaned formatting as per guidelines

2026-04-01T10:01:05Z

fix formatting to improve readability and cleaned formatting as per guidelines

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:31, 1 April 2026
Line 33:		Line 33:
	Stone Age artifacts that have been discovered include tools used by modern humans, by their predecessor species in the [[genus]] ''[[Homo]]'', and possibly by the earlier partly contemporaneous genera ''[[Australopithecus]]'' and ''[[Paranthropus]]''. [[Bone tool]]s have been discovered that were used during this period as well but these are rarely preserved in the [[archaeological record]]. The Stone Age is further subdivided by the types of [[stone tool]]s in use.		Stone Age artifacts that have been discovered include tools used by modern humans, by their predecessor species in the [[genus]] ''[[Homo]]'', and possibly by the earlier partly contemporaneous genera ''[[Australopithecus]]'' and ''[[Paranthropus]]''. [[Bone tool]]s have been discovered that were used during this period as well but these are rarely preserved in the [[archaeological record]]. The Stone Age is further subdivided by the types of [[stone tool]]s in use.

	The Stone Age is the first period in the [[three-age system]] frequently used in [[archaeology]] to divide the timeline of human technological prehistory (especially in Europe and western Asia) into functional periods, with the next two being the [[Bronze Age]] and the [[Iron Age]], respectively. The Stone Age is also commonly divided into three distinct periods: the earliest and most primitive being the [[Paleolithic]] era; a transitional period with finer tools known as the [[Mesolithic]] era; and the final stage known as the [[Neolithic]] era. Neolithic peoples were the first to transition away from [[hunter-gatherer]] societies into the settled lifestyle of inhabiting [[List of Neolithic settlements\|towns and villages]] as [[Neolithic Revolution\|agriculture became widespread]]. In the chronology of prehistory, the Neolithic era usually overlaps with the [[Chalcolithic]] ("Copper") era preceding the Bronze Age.		The Stone Age is the first period in the [[three-age system]] frequently used in [[archaeology]] to divide the timeline of human technological prehistory (especially in Europe and western Asia) into functional periods, with the next two being the [[Bronze Age]] and the [[Iron Age]], respectively. The Stone Age is also commonly divided into three distinct periods: the earliest and most primitive being the [[Paleolithic]] era; a transitional period with finer tools known as the [[Mesolithic]] era; and the final stage known as the [[Neolithic]] era. Neolithic peoples were the first to transition away from [[hunter-gatherer]] societies into the settled lifestyle of inhabiting [[List of Neolithic settlements\|towns and villages]] as [[Neolithic Revolution\|agriculture became widespread]]. In the chronology of prehistory, the Neolithic era usually overlaps with the [[Chalcolithic]] ("Copper") era preceding the Bronze Age.

	The [[Archaeology of the Americas]] uses different markers to assign five periods which have different dates in different areas; the oldest period is the similarly named [[Lithic stage]].		The [[Archaeology of the Americas]] uses different markers to assign five periods which have different dates in different areas; the oldest period is the similarly named [[Lithic stage]].
Line 45:		Line 45:
	The Stone Age is contemporaneous with the evolution of the genus ''[[Homo]]'', with the possible exception of the early Stone Age, when species prior to ''Homo'' may have manufactured tools.<ref>{{cite journal\|last1=Ko\|first1=Kwang Hyun\|title=Origins of human intelligence: The chain of tool-making and brain evolution\|journal=Anthropological Notebooks\|date=2016\|volume=22\|issue=1\|pages=5–22\|url=http://www.drustvo-antropologov.si/AN/PDF/2016_1/Anthropological_Notebooks_XXII_1_Ko.pdf}}</ref> According to the age and location of the current evidence, the cradle of the genus is the [[East African Rift]] System, especially toward the north in [[Ethiopia]], where it is bordered by [[grasslands]]. The closest relative among the other living [[primate]]s, the genus ''[[Pan (genus)\|Pan]]'', represents a branch that continued on in the deep forest, where the primates evolved. The rift served as a conduit for movement into [[southern Africa]] and also north down the [[Nile]] into North Africa and through the continuation of the rift in the [[Levant]] to the vast grasslands of Asia.		The Stone Age is contemporaneous with the evolution of the genus ''[[Homo]]'', with the possible exception of the early Stone Age, when species prior to ''Homo'' may have manufactured tools.<ref>{{cite journal\|last1=Ko\|first1=Kwang Hyun\|title=Origins of human intelligence: The chain of tool-making and brain evolution\|journal=Anthropological Notebooks\|date=2016\|volume=22\|issue=1\|pages=5–22\|url=http://www.drustvo-antropologov.si/AN/PDF/2016_1/Anthropological_Notebooks_XXII_1_Ko.pdf}}</ref> According to the age and location of the current evidence, the cradle of the genus is the [[East African Rift]] System, especially toward the north in [[Ethiopia]], where it is bordered by [[grasslands]]. The closest relative among the other living [[primate]]s, the genus ''[[Pan (genus)\|Pan]]'', represents a branch that continued on in the deep forest, where the primates evolved. The rift served as a conduit for movement into [[southern Africa]] and also north down the [[Nile]] into North Africa and through the continuation of the rift in the [[Levant]] to the vast grasslands of Asia.

	Starting from about 4 million years ago ([[mya (unit)\|mya]]) a single [[biome]] established itself from South Africa through the rift, North Africa, and across Asia to modern China. This has been called "transcontinental 'savannahstan{{'"}} recently.<ref>{{harvnb\|Barham\|Mitchell\|2008\|p=106}}</ref> Starting in the grasslands of the rift, ''[[Homo erectus]]'', the predecessor of modern humans, found an [[ecological niche]] as a tool-maker and developed a dependence on it, becoming a "tool-equipped [[savanna]] dweller".<ref>{{harvnb\|Barham\|Mitchell\|2008\|p=147}}</ref>		Starting from about 4 million years ago ([[mya (unit)\|mya]]) a single [[biome]] established itself from South Africa through the rift, North Africa, and across Asia to modern China. This has been called "transcontinental 'savannahstan{{'"}} recently.<ref>{{harvnb\|Barham\|Mitchell\|2008\|p=106}}</ref> Starting in the grasslands of the rift, ''[[Homo erectus]]'', the predecessor of modern humans, found an [[ecological niche]] as a tool-maker and developed a dependence on it, becoming a "tool-equipped [[savanna]] dweller".<ref>{{harvnb\|Barham\|Mitchell\|2008\|p=147}}</ref>

	==Stone Age in archaeology==		==Stone Age in archaeology==

Bharatprspecialist: further rework lead per standard format and updated info

2026-03-19T13:24:40Z

further rework lead per standard format and updated info

Show changes

Bot: Removing protection template from an unprotected page

2023-08-28T07:16:09Z

Removing protection template from an unprotected page

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:46, 28 August 2023
Line 1:		Line 1:
	{{short description\|Prehistoric period during which stone was widely used by humans to make tools and weapons}}		{{short description\|Prehistoric period during which stone was widely used by humans to make tools and weapons}}
	{{other uses}}		{{other uses}}
	~~{{pp-vandalism\|small=yes}}~~
	{{More citations needed\|date=October 2022}}		{{More citations needed\|date=October 2022}}
	[[File:Ggantija Temples, Xaghra, Gozo.jpg\|thumb\|upright=1.4\|[[Ġgantija]] temples in [[Gozo]], Malta, {{Circa\|3600}}–2500 BC, some of the world's oldest free-standing structures]]		[[File:Ggantija Temples, Xaghra, Gozo.jpg\|thumb\|upright=1.4\|[[Ġgantija]] temples in [[Gozo]], Malta, {{Circa\|3600}}–2500 BC, some of the world's oldest free-standing structures]]

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article

2023-08-25T20:08:58Z

Created a new article

Show changes

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:46, 28 August 2023
Line 1:		Line 1:
	{{short description\|Prehistoric period during which stone was widely used by humans to make tools and weapons}}		{{short description\|Prehistoric period during which stone was widely used by humans to make tools and weapons}}
	{{other uses}}		{{other uses}}
	~~{{pp-vandalism\|small=yes}}~~
	{{More citations needed\|date=October 2022}}		{{More citations needed\|date=October 2022}}
	[[File:Ggantija Temples, Xaghra, Gozo.jpg\|thumb\|upright=1.4\|[[Ġgantija]] temples in [[Gozo]], Malta, {{Circa\|3600}}–2500 BC, some of the world's oldest free-standing structures]]		[[File:Ggantija Temples, Xaghra, Gozo.jpg\|thumb\|upright=1.4\|[[Ġgantija]] temples in [[Gozo]], Malta, {{Circa\|3600}}–2500 BC, some of the world's oldest free-standing structures]]

Stone Age - Revision history

John9200Carter: fix formatting to improve readability and cleaned formatting as per guidelines

Bharatprspecialist: further rework lead per standard format and updated info

Bot: Removing protection template from an unprotected page

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article