The African archaeological record is unique in its longevity and continuity from the first stone tools to the development of farming and early states. This course selects three intervals of technological and social change starting 500,000 years ago and ending with the development of plant and animal domestication.
The first transition is from Early to Middle Stone Age (between 500,000-200,000 years ago), the second from the Middle to Later Stone Age (70,000 to 20,000 years ago) and finally the shift from hunter-gatherer lifestyles to ones based around farming and cattle after 10,000 years ago.
Along the way we’ll consider how technologies change, what role climate change plays as a driver of innovation and explore the emergence of symbol-use and the appearance of rock art.