The stone age - Concepts - Chapter 2 Class 6 History - Early Humans I - History

• The Stone Age was a prehistoric period of human history where humans used stone tools for various activities like hunting, gathering, and making shelters.
  
  
•  It is divided into three parts: the Paleolithic Age, the Mesolithic Age, and the Neolithic Age.

Paleolithic or old stone age:

• This period lasted from early times till about 10000 BCE, that is, till about 12000 years ago. 
  
  
• It is further divided into early (lower), middle, and late Paleolithic.
  
  
•  Humans used crude stone tools during this period.

Mesolithic or Middle Stone Age:

• This period lasted from about 10000 BCE till about 8000 BCE.
  
  
• Stones of this period are called microliths.
  
  
• Microliths were smaller, sharper, and more efficient that the tools of the Palaeolithic period.
  
  
• Apart from the stone, animal bones and horns were used to make tools. 

Neolithic or New Stone Age:

• This period lasted from about 8000  BCE till about 4000 BCE.
  
  
• The new stone age tools were further improved on the earlier variety of tools.
  
  
• These tools were much sharper than the ones used in the Mesolithic period.
  
  
• They were also polished to sparkle.
  
  
• Different tools like axes, sickles, spears, and arrowhead s have been found in Neolithic sites and other parts of the world.