Ancient cultural development and evolution

Ancient Culture Development (ARC)

Ancient Culture Development

As ancient man developed, they were faced with various challenges that were as well confronted in particular ways, in order to survive in the environment that was full of challenges. There was the use of stones shaped like chisels, flaked at the tip to provide a sharp edge to cut meat. This is one of the earliest documented tools that are estimated back to around 2.5 million years ago (Anne Pyburn, 2003). These were tools that were discovered in East Africa at Olduvai Gorge as one of the ancient man's abode.

There was division of labor apparently, and men who were faster were commissioned to hunting while women did the gathering of plant products and caring for children. This was a simple governance structure that had to do mainly with domestic labor structure. This was during the lower Paleolithic.

During the upper Paleolithic there were fancier stone tools and bone tools to help in better hunting and cutting the meat, there were artifacts made of bones, ivory and antler most likely for beauty purposes. To accomplish the need to keep records, the early man at this time got involved in cave drawings and paintings as well as art on portable items. Among the Blombos cave findings were the carved bone tools and fishing gear, an indication that man started diversifying the diet more at this time. It is also during this time that the early man started cooking and making fired clay to cater for the need to have good food (Anne Pyburn, 2004).

One thing that significantly marks the Neolithic period is the production of crops. This was occasioned by the need for early man to halt and rest, tired of running around looking for animals. During the time that the crops were still maturing, they got involved in leisure like cave drawings. During this Neolithic period, the food production prepared the economic and social foundations for the emergence of urbanization. The lesser movements in terms of hunting meant they had to get organized into social settings. This was also the period that saw wide spread of herding in the Middle East. The food surplus as a result was able to support the political leaders, priests and crafts specialists. The surpluses also led to inequality in economy as some of the farmers grew wealthier than others. During the 5500 BC, there is evidence of emergence of small towns in the form of large settlements that had satellite villages surround them. These towns were the political centers for the emerging chiefs as well as religious centers. By the 3800 BC Mesopotamia could be rightfully noted to be one of the world's first cities as the dwellers there had accumulated significant amounts of power and wealth as well as a significant population. This was the emergence of governance system (The Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago, 2010a).

One of the earliest forms of structured governance was that of King Hammurabi in Mesopotamia from 1792 to 1750 BC. He had the laws inscribed on stones which he undertook to make accessible to his subjects by placing them in all the temples. This was the beginning of governance with civility as they had written rules that had to be referred to when one did any wrong (The Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago, 2010b).

It is noted that during the 900 to 630 BC, the Mesopotamians built huge palaces as a reflection of the amount of power that the rulers wielded at that time. These palaces were a sign of security as more were built in the areas where there were deemed to be enemies of the empire and threats might arise. The wars that Mesopotamia fought were mainly for economic gains, as they taxed those whom they conquered and made their subjects and took land and resources as tribute. At times, war was also justified on religious grounds. The king was actually charged with the divine duty of conquest in Mesopotamia, with an aim of bringing as may subjects under the national god Ashur (The Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago, 2010c).