Ancient Alcoholic Drink (c. 10,000 B.C.E.)

A pleasurable beverage appears. The accidental fermentation of a mixture of water and fruit in sunlight is thought to have led to the first discovery of an alcoholic drink by a prehistoric people. Evidence of intentionally fermented beverages exists in the form of Stone Age beer jugs dated asearly as the Neolithic Period ( 10,000 B.C.E ). Other jugs have been excavated in Southwest Asia and North...

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Lunar Calender (c. 15,000 B.C.E.)

Early humans record the passing of time. The earliest known lunar calendar is in the caves at Lascaux, southwest France, and dates from around 15,000 B.C.E. Various series of spots represent half of the moon's near-monthly cycle, followed by a large empty square, which perhaps indicate a clear sky.A lunar calendar counts months (a period of 29.5350588 days) and is based on the phases of the moon....

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Ancient Braide Rope (c. 17,000 B.C.E)

Fibers are twisted into a valuable tool. One of the oldest artifacts in the world, rope is still extensively used in many environments. It seems unlikely that it will be replaced for many years. Traditionally made from the natural fibers such as hemp, jute, or coir, rope is now also made from synthetic materials such as nylon and even steel. Rope is a braided fiber, twisted to form a supple, strong...

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Ancient Boomerang (c. 18,000 B.C.E.)

The advent of an easily retrievable weapon. The oldest boomerang so far found was discovered in a cave in the Carpathian Mountains in southern Poland and is believed to be date form 18,000 B.C.E. The practice of throwing wood has also been illustrated in North African rock paintings tha date from the Neolithic Age (approximately 6000 B.C.E) The wood thrown consists variously of a "throwing club,"...

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Ancient Bow and Arrow (c. 20,000 B.C.E)

Distant target come within deadly reach for the first time. Evidence of the early use of bows and arrows has been found in cave paintings in Western Europe and North Africa. Its development probably arose in the Upper Paleolithic (old stone age) around 20,000 B.C.E., when people realized that the weapon would enable hunters to kill outside their throwing range. Bows and arrows were portable, easy...

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Ancient Atlatl (c. 23,000 B.C.E.)

Early humans extended spear-throwing range. When Spaniards first met the Aztecs in around 1500, the explorers were horrified when their armor was easily penetrated by the Aztec throwing darts. The Aztecs achieved this feat with the atlatl, a simple device used by many ancient peoples for long-range hunting, It probably dated from around 23,000 B.C.E.  The atlatl consists of a throwing...

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Ancient Sewing (c. 25,000 B.C.E)

Clothing is fitted using needle and thread. The history of sewing is closely allied to the history of tools, The earliest needles ever discovered date from the paleolithic era ( the earliest stone age) around 25,000 B.C.E., key finds from that period include needles in south west France and near Moscow in Russia. These were made of ivory or bone, with an eyelet gouged out. Some have been found...

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