Secrets of the Stone Age (2/2) | DW Documentary

DW Documentary・2 minutes read

Stone structures from the Neolithic Age were crucial for early civilizations, revealing a transition to farming societies and sedentary lifestyles with specialized farming methods. Climate change incidents and the impact of glaciers depositing boulders influenced Neolithic settlements, leading to challenges in cultivation but significant developments in moving heavy objects like boulders with traction.

Insights

  • Stone structures from the Neolithic Age were crucial for early civilizations, revealing a transition to sedentary lifestyles focused on agriculture and livestock breeding, showcasing egalitarian societies and specialized farming methods.
  • Climate change incidents, like ice dam collapses and glacier movements, impacted Neolithic settlements, possibly leading to abandonment due to water shortages and temperature rises, highlighting the vulnerability of ancient societies to environmental shifts and the need for adaptation.

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Recent questions

  • How did Neolithic people live?

    They transitioned to sedentary lifestyles focusing on agriculture.

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Summary

00:00

Neolithic Stone Structures: Origins, Society, Abandonment

  • Stone structures have been built by humans for ages, with origins and purposes dating back to the Neolithic Age.
  • Neolithic people, around 10,000 years ago, transitioned to sedentary lifestyles, focusing on agriculture and animal husbandry.
  • Archaeological evidence from the Neolithic Age reveals a heavy reliance on material goods and aesthetics.
  • Stone structures are crucial for understanding early civilizations, with many archaeological findings buried and concealed.
  • The oldest evidence of sedentary cultures is found in regions like Jordan, Syria, and Palestine, with prehistoric settlements near Petra.
  • Excavation work in Jordan's Petra region, led by Miriam Benz and Hans-Georg Gable, reveals a farming society on a plateau.
  • The settlement on the plateau was carefully planned, showcasing egalitarianism and specialized farming and livestock breeding methods.
  • The settlement's structures were built without support beams, indicating a lack of knowledge in construction techniques.
  • Neolithic graves discovered in the settlement reveal collective and individual burial practices, shedding light on social structures.
  • Climate change incidents, like the collapse of an ice dam, affected Neolithic settlements, possibly leading to their abandonment due to water shortages and temperature rises.

23:17

Neolithic Impact: Glacial Boulders and Farming

  • German archaeologist Mahler speculates on the impact of glaciers depositing boulders during the Ice Age in northern Germany and North Central Europe.
  • Hunter-gatherers were unaffected by the boulders, but sedentary farmers faced challenges when cultivating large fields.
  • People learned to move heavy objects like boulders, marking a significant development.
  • Neolithic peoples discovered traction around 4000 BC, using oxen to clear fields and build structures like cult sites and tombs.
  • Oxen were also used for plowing fields, making Neolithic farmers more productive than their southern European counterparts.
  • Neolithic farming was labor-intensive, leading to increased disease risk, but the population grew rapidly.
  • Stone circles, burial grounds, and large stone structures like menhirs were built, requiring significant effort and organization.
  • Neolithic structures like the Barnenez burial mound in Brittany were monumental and often built at grave sites, lasting for centuries.
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