Transcript Chapter 1: Prehistory and Near Eastern Civilizations

Introduction and the
Near Eastern Origins of
Western Civilization
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Introduction to Western Civilization
1. What Are Your
Questions…What Do You
Hope to Discover?
2. How Might This Course
Help in Your Quest?
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Introduction to Western Civilization
All history is the history of thought.
(R.G. Collingwood)
To be ignorant of what happened before you were
born is to remain always a child.
(M. Tullius Cicero)
Anyone who cannot give an account to oneself of
the past 3,000 years remains in darkness, without
experience, living from day to day.
(Goethe)
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Key Questions
What is “Western” Civilization?
Is the West “special?”
Does the West have unique/noteworthy
features or is it just one of many cultures?
Is the West in decline or withering away?
Is Western culture better – or worse – than
others?
Does it matter? (Dead…White…Men)
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Major Themes
Growth of rational inquiry
Tension between religious ideals and socialpolitical realities
Rise of constitutional forms of government
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Interesting Questions
History of ideas (e.g., progress)
How the West grew rich
Emergence of the self
The death of the soul
The nature of war
The American political ideals and the
concept of rights
Echoes of the past in art and architecture
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Principal Focuses
Historical record: Social, political,
intellectual, technological, and economic
events
Cultural legacy: Developments that move
culture in new directions; provide examples
of specific styles/modes of thought; show
diverse perspectives; provide links between
styles; mark start/end of era; are interesting
or “cool.”
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What Is A “Civilization?”
Form of urban life, involving the construction of
permanent settlements
System of government that regulates political
relations
Development of social classes distinguished by
wealth and occupation
Tools and specialized skills for production of
goods, leading to manufacturing and trade
Shared system of religious beliefs, whose
officials play significant role in community affairs
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An Important Caveat
The anthropological use of the term
“civilized” carries absolutely no value
judgment
“Primitive people” can create valuable and
lasting works
Highly “civilized” societies can cause
indescribable suffering
This course chronicles high achievements
and grim background
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The Origins of Western Civilization
Africa is the site of the origin of hominids
… and the earliest “human” recognition of
abstract images in the environment.
The Makapansgat pebble
resembling a human face,
c. 3 million BCE
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Recent African Origin (RA0) Model of
Modern Humans
The recent African origin of
modern humans is one of
two hypotheses of the origin
of anatomically modern
humans. The theory is also
known as the Out-of-Africa
model, the recent singleorigin hypothesis (RSOH),
and the Replacement
Hypothesis.
According to this theory, anatomically modern humans evolved solely in Africa, between 200,000 and
100,000 years ago, with members of one branch leaving Africa by 60,000 years ago and replacing all
earlier human populations. Alternative theories claim a multiregional origin of modern humans. Some
claims push back the original "out of Africa" migration to 2 million years ago.
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Upper Paleolithic (40,000 – 11,000
BCE)
Traces of physically modern humans found
in North Africa, Near East, parts of Europe
No writing; everything known (surmised)
from artifacts:
Nomadic
Hunter-gatherers
Implements of stone, bone, wood
Probably small populations/bands
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Stone Age Art: Women
L-R: Venus of Willendorf (c. 28,000 BCE), Venus of Laussel (c. 25,000 BCE, Reclining Woman (relief,
c. 12,000 BCE, La Magdelaine Cave, France)
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Stone Age Art: Sculpture
Human with feline
head, Hohlensteinsatdel, c. 30,00028,000 BCE.
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Stone Age Art: Animals
Two Bison, Ariege, c. 15,000 BCE
Bison with turned head c. 12,000 BC
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Stone Age Art: Cave Paintings
Clockwise from upper
left: Altamira bison;
spotted horses, PechMerle, 22,000 BCE;
aurochs, Ardeche,
30,000 BCE;
rhinoceroses, Ardeche,
30,000 BCE;
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The Purpose of Cave Paintings (?)
Linton Panel,
Linton Farm, Maclear District, Eastern Cape, SA
The Linton Panel contains many trance images. In the top picture is a reclining figure with
cloven hoofs. Here, the shaman has taken an animal form to enter the spirit world. Those who
have experienced the trance state compare it to being under water, which explains the fish and
eels around this figure. Supernatural force could be drawn from the eland and brought back for
healing, rainmaking, and hunting game. These paintings were produced in the last 200 years.
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The Neolithic Era (11,000-4,000)
After 11,000 BCE changes in the global
climate brought transformation in economic
and settlement patterns
Agriculture is the key
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The Fertile Crescent
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Impact of Agriculture (1)
1. Dependence of relatively
few plants
2. Vulnerability to weather
3. Dependence of harvest
times
4. Demand for intense
physical labor
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Impact of Agriculture (2)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Permanent Dwellings
Specialization
Technological Advances
Accumulation of Wealth
Agra, in Iran, and Catal Hayuk, Turkey
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The Agricultural Revolution:
Technology (1)
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The Agricultural Revolution:
Technology (2)
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The Agricultural Revolution:
Technology (3)
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The Agricultural Revolution:
Technology (4)
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The Agricultural Revolution:
Technology (5)
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Neolithic Settlements
Jericho tower
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New Technologies
Clay containers
Tools
Animal Plows
Boat
Wheel
Kiln-fired brick/pottery
Weaving/dyeing/tanning
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Neolithic Society
Stratified
Hereditary (?) elites were rulers, priests,
generals/warriors
Focus on supernatural powers
But…very little known about Neolithic
society
Coordinated systems of authority do not
emerge until 4th millennium BCE in
Mesopotamia.
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