Pre-History

It is commonly assumed that the pre-historic people were unintelligent, unsophisticated, and primitive for various reasons. Some of these reasons include the fact that they did not have buildings like ours today, they hunted for survival and were therefore barbaric by nature, and they were altogether less civilized. However, this common assumption about the pre-historic people and their life-style has been proven false. Extensive research, along with recent discoveries like Otzi, the Windhover people, Kenwick, and Cheddar, force us to re-evaluate of views of the intelligence, sophistication, and significance of pre-historic people. Also, this new information tells us about our ancestors, and how humans are all genetically linked to a common ancestry.

One huge finding that helped to change our perception of the pre-historic people was the discovery of Otzi, a corpse frozen about 10,000 feet up in the Alps. Erika and Helmut Simon stumbled upon Otzi's corpse while they were hiking through Otztal Alps. Otzi is one of the oldest mummies in the world, and he provides us with a better idea about what life was like during the Stone Age in Europe. Along with the finding of Otzi, the discovery of specialized tools made out of copper suggests that these Stone Age people were intelligent and resourceful enough to figure out how to transform copper into useful tools. The possession of copper objects was seen as a sign of high status in the Stone Age society. The fact that Otzi was found with a copper axe and a bearskin hat suggests that he was a man of high status.

The discovery of the Windover Bog site is another great finding that provides us with more clues about the past. Located on a pond cemetery near Cape Canaveral, Florida, the Windover Bod was once home to hunter-gatherers 8120 to 6990 years ago. Many samples of weaving, basketry, woodworking, and clothing found at the Windover site reveal intricate twining techniques and the existence of textiles. This enhances the fact that the pre-historic people were intelligent and resourceful. The intricate weaving patterns also challenge the assertion that pre-historic people led a primitive lifestyle in which they merely focused on survival, because weaving these patterns clearly took a lot of time. Also, a large number of burials were found, proving that these hunter-gatherers were not constantly on the move like many people assume. These people had a stable life with plentiful resources. The Windover site has educated us about the culture and lifestyle of early Native Americans and changed our view of them. We now know that these people had the ability to adapt to a changing environment, survive in severe conditions, and care for members of their community.

The Kennewick Man is yet another discovery that further informed scientists about the pre-historic people. The 9,300 year old Caucasoid man was inspected by archaeologist James Chatters, who determined that he was about