Location: a valley in East Africa a map of East Africa

Climate: This region experiences a hot and dry climate with low precipitation. Research reveals that about 2 million years ago, the climate was also warm and dry and supported many of the grasses that can be eaten by large, long-legged herbivores.

You find the following items as part of your archaeological dig:

a long bone leg
small, unmarked stones with sharp edges
small stones with sharp edges made by a regular pattern of chips
animal bones with sharp tooth marks
animal bones with long, narrow grooves
small blackened areas with soot
Part A
Fill in the chart. The first answer is provided. Remember, archaeologists may have doubts or may not always agree about what the evidence shows.

Look at this map of East Africa and compare it to the one showing your site.

a map of Africa showing human settlements

What conclusions can you make about the site when you review the chart and compare the two maps? Can you place the site on the timeline? Write a short summary of your conclusions. Remember to use the Internet resources given at the beginning of this activity. They will help you learn more about the site.

Location: a newly discovered cave in France, near the border of Spain

a map of France with a site marked in the south on the border with Spain

Climate: This region experiences a temperate climate with cold winters and warmer spring and summers. The region has high precipitation in the form of rain and snow. Research reveals that around 19,000 years ago, during the last ice age, the region entered an interglacial stage. At this time, the climate became more temperate and could support a wide range of animal and plant life.

You find the following items as part of your archaeological dig:

handprints of a reddish color near the entrance of the cave
pictures of large animals drawn with reddish or black material deep in the interior of the cave; most of these animals no longer live in the area
several stones with a regular pattern of chips around the edges
a small animal bone tapered at one end and with a hole at the other
unmarked animal bones scattered in the cave; these animals are typical of the area today
large boulders in the area typical of those deposited by glaciers; one of them used to block the entrance of the cave; it was moved recently by construction workers building a tunnel

Fill in the chart. Remember, archaeologists may have doubts or may not always agree on what the evidence shows.

Look at this map of the region and compare it to the one showing your site.

a map of western Europe with important caves marked and dated
Cave paintings were first discovered in Altamira, Spain in 1879. Archaeologists have also found cave paintings throughout France.
What conclusions can you make when you review the chart and compare the two maps? Can you place the site on the timeline? Write a short summary of your conclusions. Then, write a second paragraph in which you compare site 1 and site 2. When you compare the two sites, consider how the climate plays a role in the differences between the two sites.

Location: This site is located on the Mediterranean coast near the southwestern border of Turkey. The area has many towns and villages. It also has farms that grow wheat, olives, grapes, and other crops.

a map of Mediterranean Sea and the surrounding countries

Climate: This region experiences a pleasant, temperate climate with a long growing season. Research reveals that the end of the last ice age left this region with a climate that could support small herbivores but not large ones.

You find the following items as part of your archaeological dig:

three or four circles of medium-sized, regularly shaped stones, some piled on top of one another
the regularly shaped stones have a gap or opening in each; the gaps face each other
irregular stones scattered around the surrounding area; no organization or order
blackened piece of clay pot with residue or imprint of grain on it
several small seashells with holes; holes of uniform size as if made by tool
bones of a small bovine; a grass-eating animal, possibly a sheep or goat
bones of a canine, wolf-like animal but with narrow shoulders, smaller skull, and weaker jaws than a wolf
Part A
Fill in the chart. Remember, archaeologists may have doubts or may not always agree on what the evidence shows.

Part B
Look at this map of the region and compare it to the one showing your site.

a map of Europe and Africa marked with early agricultural sites

What conclusions can you make when you review the chart and compare the two maps? Can you place the site on the timeline? Write a short summary of your conclusions.

Then, write a second paragraph in which you compare this site to the other two sites. Be sure to take into consideration differences in climate and the distance between the site and bodies of water.