The Stone Age: Life Long Ago

The Stone Age is the name given to the very earliest period of human history, when people made tools and weapons from stone. It began millions of years ago and ended when humans learned to use metal. It is called the Stone Age because stone was the hardest, most useful material people had.

Early Stone Age people were hunter-gatherers. They did not farm — instead they moved from place to place, hunting animals and collecting berries, nuts, and roots to eat. Because they followed the animals and the seasons, they did not build permanent homes; they used caves or simple shelters made of branches and animal skins.

A favourite stone for tools was flint, because you could chip it to make a razor-sharp edge. People made hand axes for cutting, spear tips for hunting, and scrapers for cleaning animal skins to wear as clothes. Making a good tool took real skill and lots of practice.