Question

Answer the following question in 3-4 complete sentences.

Explain how the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods of the Stone Age were categorized.

Answer 1

Historians and archaeologists categorize the Stone Age into Paleolithic and Neolithic largely by changes in stone tool technology and subsistence strategies. The Paleolithic ("Old Stone Age") is characterized by simple chipped and flaked tools, hunting and foraging, small nomadic bands, and use of fire. The Neolithic ("New Stone Age") is marked by ground and polished stone tools, the development of agriculture and animal domestication, and the rise of permanent villages. The shift between them — often called the Neolithic Revolution — occurred around 10,000 BCE in many regions but its timing and features vary by location.