The way prehistoric people lived changed greatly over time. Their life is usually described in stages, from the early Stone Age to the age of metal.
Palaeolithic life: hunters and gatherers
In the Palaeolithic (Old Stone Age), people were nomadic — they moved from place to place. They did not grow food but survived by hunting animals and gathering wild fruits and plants. They sheltered in caves, used rough stone tools, and had learned to make fire for warmth, cooking and safety.
Neolithic life: the first farmers
In the Neolithic (New Stone Age) came a huge change. People learned to farm — to plant crops and to domesticate animals such as goats and cattle. Because they no longer had to wander for food, they built permanent settlements and villages. They made polished stone tools, pottery and woven cloth.
The Metal Age
Later, in the Metal Age, people learned to make tools and weapons from metal, which were stronger and sharper than stone. Farming produced more food than a family needed, so some people could do other work such as making pots, weaving cloth or trading goods. In this way villages grew larger and life became more organised, step by step moving closer to the first towns and civilisations.
Remember
- Palaeolithic: nomadic hunters and gatherers, caves, stone tools, fire.
- Neolithic: farming, animals, settlements, pottery.
- Metal Age: tools and weapons made of metal.