Paleolithic Period: A Ritual Dance

 


 

 Language and Spiritual Cutulture in Old Stone Age

 

 

Timetable 

 

First Ancestors 

  • Our first ancestors lived 7 million years ago
  • Bipedal, upright walking 
  • Ability to walk emerged long before humankind developed big brains.
  • Even though they walked they were still tree climbers.
  • No hominins has been found during this period yet.

---------------------- 

Homonins

  • Hominins continued to develop 
  • 4 million years ago grasping feet were lost.
  • Multiple hominin species lived simultaneously. 
  • They may have met

------------

Homo habilis

  • 3 million years ago hominins lived in Southern Africa.
  • Tools allowed hominins to adapt to new environments.
  • The first known stone tools were produced in Ethiopia.
  • The tools may have been produced by Homo habilis.
  • The Homo habilis is a member of our own genus group, the genus Homo

-------------------

Homo erectus 

  • 2 million years ago Homo erectus became the first hominin to migrate out of Africa.
  • Homo erectus had human-like traits such as: 
  • large brains
  • dexterous fingers
  • long legs

--------------------

Brain Growth 

  • 800,000 years ago advances in cooking was fueling further brain growth.

--------------------

Homo sapiens 

  • Our own species Homo sapiens emerged in Africa 200,000 years ago.
  • They lived alongside and interbred with other hominin species.
  • Homo sapiens were highly adaptable, quickly filing nearly every geographic niche.
  • Other hominins went extinct.
  • Climate pressures and competition with Homo sapiens may have wiped them out.
  • Although these ancient hominins are now extinct, they remain our closest relatives on the family tree.
Paleolithic /  5000 - 4001
  • The Egyptian calendar, regulated by sun and moon: 300 days, 12 months of 30 days each.
  • Earliest cities in Mesopotamia (carbon-tested dated).
4000 - 3501
 
  • End of Paleolithic along Mediterranean coastline
 
 
I
 
Unit: Paleolithic
 
Theme:  Dances in the Paleolithic

Introduction
 
The Paleolithic, also called the Old Stone Age, is a period in human prehistory that is distinguished by the original development of stone tools, and which represents almost the entire period of human prehistoric technology.  Paleolithic Period is the earliest period of human development, which lasted until approx 8000 BC. The Paleolithic Period is divided into three eras.  
 
The Lower Paleolithic (traditionally divided into the Oldowan Stage (about 2.6 million to 1 million years ago), which saw the development of pebble (chopping) tools, and the Acheulean Stage (1.7–1.5 million years ago to about 250,000–200,000 years ago), in which more sophisticated hand axes and cleaving tools emerged). During the Lower Paleolithic  simple pebble tools and crude stone choppers were made by the earliest humans.  
 
Then, the Middle Paleolithic (300,000 to 30,000 years ago), followed recording the appearance of the more advanced tool-making technologies. Whether the earliest control of fire by hominins dates to the Lower or to the Middle Paleolithic remains an open question.  
 
 The Upper Paleolithic (50,000 – 12000 BC) is the third and last subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age. According to some theories coinciding with the appearance of behavioral modernity [abstract thinking, planning depth, exploitation of large game, blade technologies and symbolic behavior (e.g. art and ornamentation, music and dance), among others. Indications for dancing activities in prehistoric Europe appeared as early as modern humans, at the start of the Upper Palaeolithic era (40,000 BC).
 
 
 
The Löwenmensch figurine, also called the Lion-man of Hohlenstein-Stadel, is a prehistoric ivory sculpture discovered in Hohlenstein-Stadel, a German cave, in 1939.It is 40,000 to 35,000 years old.













(17:08 - 19:06)
 
 Thrifty Gene Hypothesis



In this video Dr. Mindy Pelz talks about the Thrifty Gene hypothesis, which is based on the idea that primitive men and women were more equipped to survive than we are in modern times because this gene was activated. 
 

 Dr. Mindy H. Pelz, D.C is a bestselling author, keynote speaker, nutrition and functional health expert who has spent more than two decades helping thousands of people successfully reclaim their health. She is a recognized leader in the alternative health field and a pioneer in the fasting movement

 
II

Learning Objectives
 
Understand the main characteristics of the Paleolithic period 
Explain the importance of cave-art for the study of human history
Gain an awareness of the inner, outer and secondary aspect of the dancers in non-literate societies
Experience the creation of a ritual dance in the subjunctive

III

Main Lesson
 
1



 Question 1

After watching this video, mention the main characteristics of the paleolithic period. 


2


CAVE ART

 

Question 2

Why is cave-art important for the study of human history?


3


GROUP WORK


BOOK LINK: 

History of Dance (Second Edition) by Gayle Kissing 

Read from pages 20 - 23.


Question 3

What are the inner, outer and secondary aspects of the dancer in non-literate societies?

 

4


The Shaman



5


Paleo Indians of North America



 The Utes


(min 2:13 - 5:20)



------------------------ 


IV

 

A Note to Remember

 The motions used in their dances were basic, everyday movements, which were simple enough that everyone could join in. Men at the time also used dance as a way to prepare for battle. They would perform war dances to build teamwork and work themselves up for battles.



V

 Case Studies

 

Book Link:

Dance Appreciation by Julie Dawn Loring

 https://www.google.com/books/edition/Dance_Appreciation/LyP_DwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=dancers+imitate+animal+movement&pg=PT21&printsec=frontcover

 

Book link:

 Yaqui Myths and Legends

Pages 9 - 11 

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Yaqui_Myths_and_Legends/LZkwEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Yaqui&printsec=frontcover

 

Videos 

1

 

 2



Question

What is your overall response to these videos, specifically to the role of the shaman in the Paleolithic?

 

VI


ACTIVITY 1


Create a shamanic dance. Choose 8 moves that represent an animal of your choice. Perform the dance with intention.  



VII
 
Students' Work
 
1

 2

3

4

 
5
 
 
VIII

JOURNALING


Write a brief reflection about your experience in class today and post it on Discussion Board. Find two posts you would like to interact with. 
 
 
IX

Glossary


X

Sources

Korisettar, Ravi (1998). Early Human Behaviour in Global Context. Routledge.

McBrearty, Sally; Brooks, Allison (2000). "The revolution that wasn't: a new interpretation of the origin of modern human behavior". Journal of Human Evolution. 39 (5): 453–563.

Henshilwood, Christopher; Marean, Curtis (2003). "The Origin of Modern Human Behavior: Critique of the Models and Their Test Implications". Current Anthropology. 44 (5): 627–651.

Hill, Kim; et al. (2009). "The Emergence of Human Uniqueness: Characters Underlying Behavioral Modernity". Evolutionary Anthropology. 18 (5): 187–200. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.469.5702.

 

XI

Students' Work

 


 



 



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Retention: Oggun God of Metals

Image
   I   Introduction     Cultural retention is the act of retaining the culture of a specific ethnic group of people, especially when there is reason to believe that the culture, through inaction, may be lost . Many African-American cultures experience cultural retention as a result of the influx of Africans during the slave trade.     There is no movement without rhythm. Link:  https://youtu.be/lVPLIuBy9CY Question 1 What does the expression "there is no movement without rhythm" mean within the context of African dance?    II   Learning Objectives      Understand the importance of the God of metals  Explain the relationship between dance and rituals in the context of Yoruba rituals Gather an awareness of the influence that Yoruba dances have had on Caribbeans cultures  Experience the explorations of dance moves from the Yoruba pantheon .     III   Main Lesson   1       W...
Read more

Ancient Egypt: Myth of Osiris

Image
  Timeline   First Hominins Period:  The earliest, dating 7-6 million years ago.   Early Hominins Period: From 2.7 - 1.5 million years ago. Paleolithic Period: Roughly from 2.5 million years ago to 10,000 B.C. Neolithic Period: From around 4300 BC down to 2000 BC Indigenous Caribbean 1492 AD (Spider web idea) Syncretic Caribbean  2022 AD (Spider web idea)   Copper or Chalcolithic Age: 3500 to 2300 BCE. Bronze Age : 3300 BC to 1200 BC, Iron Age: 1200 B.C. and 600 B.C. The Portuguese, in the 16th century , were the first to buy slaves from West African slavers and transport them across the Atlantic. In 1526, they completed the first transatlantic slave voyage to Brazil, and other Europeans soon followed. Syncretic Caribbean:  2022 AD (Spider Web idea) Ancient Egypt:   First Dynasty: 3150  -  2890 B.C. / Apis Bull Ritual or The Running of Apis Old Kingdom / 2,700-2,200 B.C.  / King Radjedef :  Radjedef...
Read more

Ancient Rome: Pantomime

Image
   I  Unit: Ancient Rome Theme: Pantomime Introduction In modern historiography, Ancient Rome refers to Roman civilization from the founding of the Italian city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom, Roman Republic and Roman Empire until the fall of the western empire. Ancient Rome gave to the Performing Arts its pantomime. Pantomime is a dramatic entertainment, originating in Roman mime, in which performers express meaning through gestures accompanied by music.   II Learning Objectives    Understand the impact the the Roman Empire had on religion Explain why new comedy was important within the context of Ancient Rome Gain an awareness about the connection  between Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece Experience the use of pantomime to tell a story    III Main Lesson   1  Ancient Rome (5:36 min.) Question 1  What was a main cultural...
Read more