The Paleolithic: A Shamanic 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 Kassing 

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. The shaman's roll was to mediate by communicating  with the spirits on behalf of the community, including the spirits of the deceased. to alleviate unrest, unsettled issues, and to deliver gifts to the spirits. So far we have seen the bison, the lion and today the deer as a part animal of a human. The shaman, as the zoomorphic human, transforms into an animal by means of casting spells, use the animal spirit to help.



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
 

 
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.

Trinu Ojamaa. THE SHAMAN AS THE ZOOMORPHIC HUMAN. https://www.folklore.ee/folklore/vol4/triinu.htm

 

XI

Students' Work

 

I. Main Characteristics of the Paleolithic
 
Abigail, Bridget, Simonne, Autumn, Gabrielle, Kirsten

The main aspects of the Paleolithic time period are nomadic behavior, prayer, fire, stone tools, and cave art.

 

Hayden, Renato, Gui, Luis, Sydney, Shoshana, Maddy, Ale

The paleolithic environment was defined as using chipped stones tools and totally dependent on the environment for food - women were gatherers and men were hunters. 

 

 Anna Maria, Hailey, Mike, Natalie, Carlotta, Ellie

 The important aspects of the Paleolithic time period were the use of basic stone tools, built fires, the dependence on their environment for food, were nomadic, put their thoughts into cave paintings, and started to believe in the after life.
 
Josh, Arden, Mia, Abby

The important aspect of the paleolithic environment and what makes it distinguished is:

  • - Use of stone tools
  • - Men Hunt for food (animals, used spears/stone tipped objects)
  • - Women gathered food from the land (berries/ vegetation)

 

Jiya, Haley, Kayla, Krystelle, Lauren, Laralyn
 
5 important paleolithic facts:
  • - Fire, learned to make it themselves
  • - Using stone tools to collect and hunt
  • - Signs of spirituality (worshiping sun and rain)
  • - Art (cave paintings) made of natural resources… still exist today
  • - Nomadic, traveled in groups of 20-30, needed to find food
 
Damien, Nick & Jason

Fire because it allowed them to not only stay warm in the winter but eat tastier food and give them light. The fight or flight was caused by the thrifty gene and that forced them to make their hunts successful. They were in groups of 20-30. It was the first evidence of spiritual beliefs in humans with their burial rituals.

 
Alyssa P, Nat Hoadley, Carlota Sag, Nydia Kyr, Emilia Had, Jolie Mon

Important aspects of the paleolithic are:

  • - Longest period ever in history and the first
  • - Means "old stone"
  • - Humans lived in tribes of 20-30 people
  • - Fire discovered after a lightning strike
  • - First evidence of humans showing spiritual beliefs
  • - Expressed themselves through art with stones, blood, and water

 


 II. Paleolithic Shamanic Dance




 

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