Anthro Introduction
...es. Our early ancestors relied on hunting and gathering as a way of survival. For centuries, the hunting and gathering lifestyle was the only means of obtaining food. Roaming the same environment over time, the hunter-gatherers became familiar with the environment that surrounded them. They also became familiar with which animals to hunt and which plants were edible. This hunting and gathering lifestyle developed a pattern of living. As nomads, they were able to survive by living in groups of 20 to 30 members following the migrations of the animals and seasonal vegetation. Hunting required careful observation of animal behavior patterns and group effort was imperative to successfully kill any animal. Over the years, the development of tools helped hunting become easier. Every individual was responsible for finding food. This was the primary goal of the early humans. Women generally stayed close to the camps and played an important role in acquiring food by gathering berries, nuts, digging for roots. The men hunted the animals. Both gender was imperative roles for survival. Shelter of the camps consisted of wood poles or huge animal bones to form a frame and then covered with animal hides. The use of fire was a huge advantage for the early humans. Fire was a source of light, heat, and in some cases, protection. Fire also enabled early humans to cook their food making it edible and easier to digest and chew. The making of tools and the use of fire were two important technological innovations of our early ancestors. They were imperative to adapt to the crucial environment and to survival. A significant advance towards human survival was the shift from hunting and gathering to the ability to produce food continually through agriculture. Agriculture allowed a regular supply of food for a greater amount of peop...