Quick Notes: Extinction of the Woolly Mammoth was around 12,000 BCE in Europe, but only 2000 BCE in Siberia. This probably reflects shift in climate, rather than hunting by humans. New weapon: Bows and arrows appear (after 20,000 BCE) Cro-Magnon cave paintings: Most Cro-Magnon cave art was not made with charcoal, but rather with mineral pigments, such as iron oxide (red ochre) or black manganese.   By this time, man had become very capable hunters/gatherers, and had scattered all over the world. Scientists have found remains of these early people in Europe, Asia, America, Africa, all over, really. Life was harsh, but they had plenty of food and warm shelter. Many members of these groups lived to a very old age.  The Homo sapiens sapiens who lived in Europe were called Cro-Magnon.  HOMES: These early men built permanent homes, to shelter from the long, harsh winter of the Ice Age. In the summer, they followed the herds, and lived in tents. Winter homes were Ice Age huts, built tepee style, from branches and mammoth bones, covered with animal skins. These huts were used for many years, so they built them carefully. Holes were dug, deeply into the ground. Poles were inserted into these holes, and then tied tightly together at the point of the tepee, at the top, with string made from animal guts. Warm furs were laid over this structure and sewn tightly in place. Large rocks were piled around the bottom, to help hold the hut together. Some huts were built to hold only a small group of people. In the Ukraine, remains of "long huts" have been found, large enough to hold an entire tribe. Long huts had several entrances, with rooms for several fires inside. In the summer, the tribe moved, following the animals. They lived in sturdy tents, that could be moved from place to place. As winter approached, they returned to their winter shelters. Quite often, they had to chase out the wild life that had moved in, during their absence! FOOD: These hunter-gatherers ate a variety of seeds, berries, roots and nuts, as did their ancestors. They also ate fish and seemed to have an ample supply of freshly caught game. Their lives were not a constant struggle for survival because they were such good hunters. They learned to organize hunts and to cure and store food for the long winter. Hunting was done individually and in groups. They used traps, which allowed them to catch food while they busy doing something else. Fisherman used bows and arrows, nets woven from vines, fish hooks, and even poisons. Some groups built rafts and canoes, to catch bigger fish in deeper waters. CLOTHING: In colder climates, early man learned to soften leather to make warm, comfortable clothes, sewn together with string made from animal guts, using needles made from bone. In warmer climates, they made cooler clothes from woven grass, and even from bark. They made necklaces and bracelets out of shells, teeth, feathers, flowers, and bone. Some decorated their bodies with paint and tattoos, made from natural dyes. These may have been signs of social standing or tribal ID's (identification signs). ART: As well as jewelry, they created pottery, and fired it to give it luster, strength, and durability. They created little statues, carved from ivory and bone.  TOOLS & WEAPONS: Man had learned to be a skilled toolmaker. Weapons included stone axes, knives, spears, harpoons, wooden bows & sharp stone tipped arrows. Both the saber-toothed tiger and the woolly mammoth became extinct during this period, but that more probably reflects a shift in climate rather than hunting by humans. Virtual Tour of Cave Paintings  The Cave at Lascaux Cave Art To learn more about Early Humans, click on the tools below