Paleolith era - very important period of formation of all mankind, finding of the qualities and knowledge which allowed to develop finally in a modern look by it. Borders of this period are approximately defined by scientists between 2.4 million and 10 t. years BC.
There are several schemes of a periodization of a paleolith from which the most known is the scheme subdividing this first historical period of mankind into early, average and late stages. The early paleolith, in turn, is divided into primary, shellsky and acheulian eras. Light on human activity of an era of paleolith is shed by the finds found at different times and absolutely in different places of Earth. A set of monuments of ancient culture are found in the African valley of Upper Nile, in caves of France (La Lazare, Fonde-de-Gom), in the territory of present Central Asia, the Volga region and Ukraine. These monuments demonstrate customs of primitive people, tell about their abilities and achievements.
During an early stage of a paleolith of people learned to hunt big animals, such as rhinoceroses, elephants or bisons. Hunters did not hurry to leave the places rich with a game what tell the parking of ancient people found in the territory of modern Europe and Africa about. The possibility of the general hunting and the parking are the certificate that the mankind of an era of paleolith was already not bad equipped and had rudiments of public organization. Mastering fire became a huge step to nationalization of life. Through some, time very small by historical standards, the person already learned to extract fire by means of friction. This was, probably, the first technical victory, one may say, a starting point for emergence and development of such phenomenon as technical progress.
At the time of the Middle Paleolithic arose and patrimonial society began to be improved. There were certain dwellings closing the ancient person from nature whims, of course, as far as only it was possible by means of the chum made of mamontovy bones. Death stopped being just the termination of life, she received ritualism, dead men began to be buried in artificial crypts. Scientists found burials where together with the dead man in a crypt also various objects, generally weapon were located. This fact demonstrates emergence at ancient people of certain and very difficult representations and views about the world around. It is also necessary to note such important fact as the beginning of the practice of the exogamy (ban on the marriage relations between members of one sort) which allowed to avoid many problems and laid the foundation of improvement of look per se. The top paleolith is studied most in detail thanks to rather large number of the cultural monuments which reached modern times in the invariable look. Despite severe living conditions and the proceeding Ice Age, the person already took a huge step forward. Collecting, hunting and fishery were its major activities now. Weapon became more effective, some samples found scientists in burials are ornated and rather skillfully issued. The fact that similar weapon is found not in each grave suggested scientists an idea of emergence at the time of the top paleolith of a cult of breeding elders. Scientists also consider the evidence of growing of human society finds of the small dwellings of rounded shape intended for accommodation only of two people. Art of the top paleolith tells researchers about the arising and gradually gathering matriarchy cult what a huge number of female images on walls of ancient caves is connected with. The bear as a symbol of fearless force, courage and vital force enjoyed also wide popularity among ancient artists. Images of animals became the first examples of a totemizm which further development can be tracked during the next historical eras of development of humanity.