Egyptian Prehistory

Flashcards covering key vocabulary from the lecture on Egyptian Prehistory.

Paleolithic

The 'Old Stone Age,' characterized by the development and use of stone tools by early humans.

Hunter-Gatherers

People who subsisted by hunting animals and gathering wild plants, living in small groups called bands.

Homo erectus

An extinct species of early human known as 'erect man,' presumed to have made Lower Paleolithic handaxes.

Levallois method

A technique used in the Middle Paleolithic to produce flake-tools by preparing a core from which flakes can be struck.

Acheulean

A stone tool industry associated with the Lower Paleolithic, characterized by large bifacial handaxes.

Microliths

Small stone tools, less than 5 centimeters long, developed during the Late Paleolithic and often used as components of larger tools.

Neolithic Revolution

The transition from a subsistence based on hunting and gathering to an economy based on agriculture and domestication of animals.

Epipaleolithic

The period after the Paleolithic, marked by the emergence of final hunter-gatherer cultures before the Neolithic.

Saharan Neolithic

Neolithic cultures found in the Western Desert of Egypt that exhibit some agricultural practices but lack permanent villages.

Farming and Animal Husbandry

The practice of cultivating crops and raising animals for food, which emerged during the Neolithic period.

What is the main difference between the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods?

THE Paleolithic was based on hunting/gathering; the Neolithic introduced agriculture and animal domestication.

Who likely made Lower Paleolithic handaxes in Egypt?

Homo erectus

What tool technology is associated with the Middle Paleolithic?

Levallois flake technique

Which species is associated with Upper and Late Paleolithic in Egypt?

Homo sapiens sapiens (modern humans)

Where is the world's oldest known underground mine located?

Nazlet Khater-4, Middle Egypt (ca. 30,000–35,000 years ago)

Which site provides early evidence of violent human conflict?

Jebel Sahaba (ca. 12,300 BP), Lower Nubia

What kind of art was found at Qurta?

Late Paleolithic rock art of wild cattle and humans

What is the Qarunian culture known for?

Epipaleolithic fishing, hunting, and microlithic tools (Faiyum, ~7000 BC)

What defines the Neolithic period in Egypt?

Introduction of cereal farming and domesticated animals

Where were early herded cattle possibly kept in the Neolithic?

Nabta Playa and Bir Kiseiba (Western Desert)

What is a typical feature of Saharan Neolithic pottery?

Line and point decoration using combs or cords

Who led major prehistoric excavations in Nubia and the Western Desert?

Fred Wendorf

Which culture represents Egypt’s first true Neolithic farmers?

Faiyum A culture

What does the presence of grinding stones in Late Paleolithic sites indicate?

Increased use of wild plants in diet (e.g., nut-grass tubers)

What is the "Wild Nile" period and why is it significant?

Around 13,000–12,000 years ago; major flooding caused gaps in archaeological evidence.

What do microliths suggest about Late Paleolithic technology?

Advanced tool specialization, possibly for bows and arrows