4. Lifestyle of Early Humans: Part 1

Today, we live comfortably in houses. We have things like TV, cellphones, schools, and colleges. We also have different kinds of healthy foods to eat. We can communicate easily with others and travel easily from one place to another. 

Can you imagine life without these things? A life without big buildings, no place to live, no yummy food, and no nice clothes to wear? It is hard to even think about it, right? Well, that is how our ancestors, the early humans, used to live. They lived in the jungle and their life was very tough. 

The lifestyle of early humans was very different from today. They did not have farms or grocery stores like we do today. Instead, they relied on nature to find their food.

1. Hunters: 

Hunters were people who caught animals for food. They would use tools like spears, bows and arrows, or traps to catch animals like deer, rabbits, or birds.2

2. Gatherers: 

Gatherers were people who collected plants, fruits, nuts, and other edible items from nature. They would search for berries, roots, seeds, and leaves that were safe to eat. Gatherers knew which plants were good for food and which ones were not.2 

1. Animal skin:
Since food and clothing are basic necessities for humans. They hunted animals for food and used their skins as clothing to stay warm in the cold or cool in the heat.3

2. Bark of trees: 

In warmer climates, early humans would use large leaves or tree bark to cover themselves. They would weave or tie the leaves or bark together to create simple garments.3 

Early humans took shelter in trees and caves. Sometimes, they hid behind bushes. These shelters protected them from bigger and stronger animals. These also protected them from rain, heat and cold weather. They did not have permanent houses and they moved wherever they found animals and food in nature.4 

1. Cave paintings

Cave drawings created by early humans can still be discovered in various caves worldwide. Many of these paintings depict animals and humans. They likely used natural materials, such as charcoal, to create these paintings. These cave drawings give us clues about the activities and lifestyle of early humans.5 

1. Tools

In the beginning, early humans started hunting and eating small animals. However, they could not hunt big animals with just their hands. So, they began using sharp stones to kill animals. These were likely the first tools they used to meet their needs. This was the Old Stone age also called the Paleolithic age, when early humans made tools using stone, bones and wood.6

Over time, they improved their tools to meet new needs. They discovered that if they attached a sharp stone to a long piece of wood, they could throw it at wild animals from a distance, without needing to get too close to them. This was the invention of the spear. Later, they crafted spears using bones, which improved their hunting skills. This marked the beginning of the middle stone age called the Mesolithic age.6

2. Discovery of Fire

Initially, early humans did not understand fire. They may have witnessed forest fires or discovered fire by rubbing stones together while making tools. At first, they were scared of fire, but later, they realised its usefulness.6 

Vid: 4.2: Discovery of Fire7

 a. How did fire change the life of early humans? 

• Heat and Light: Fire provided warmth, especially during cold weather. It also gave them light at night, which helped them see in the dark.8

• Cooking Food: Early humans used fire to cook their food. They discovered that when they placed meat or vegetables near the fire, it made them tastier and easier to chew. Cooking also made the food safer to eat by killing bacteria. 8

• Protection: Fire became a valuable tool for protection. Early humans could scare away dangerous animals by creating big fires. The animals were afraid of the flames and stayed away.8