HUMAN BIOCULTURAL AND SOCIAL EVOLUTION

Biological Evolution of Man

HUMAN BIOCULTURAL AND SOCIAL EVOLUTION BICERA

Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 trace the biological evolution of early to modern humans, and
 recognize national, local, and specialized museums, and archaeological and historical sites as venues to
appreciate and reflect on the complexities of biocultural and social evolution as part of being and becoming
human.
 What does the biological evolution of man refer to?
 How can we trace the biological evolution of early to modern humans?
 What physical and biological factors have greatly developed throughout the evolution of the human species?

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Biological Evolution of Man
The current biological makeup of humans has long and complex origins. The biological evolution of man refers to the
long evolutionary history of the human species from primates to its current form, the Homo sapiens. Evolution is not an
overnight phenomenon. It took millions of years to end up with the specific set of biological traits that humanity presently
has. In this lesson, the origin, factors, and developments involved in this evolutionary process will be discussed.
The Meaning and Significance of Human Evolution
Evolution is the process of developing physical and biological change in a species over a period of time. Natural changes
and events forced species to adapt to the environment while some faced extinction for being unable to do so. In this case,
modern humans, belonging to the genus Homo, are seen as by-products of events and processes that occurred in the
past.
Human evolution, however, must not be seen as a linear process. Scientists argued that human evolution developed
much like the branches of a tree wherein each branch extends into smaller, more specific stems. It just so happened that
among all stems, only one evolutionary profile—the current human being—was able to adapt and further develop.

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The Transition from Early to Modern Humans
The biological transition of humans from its earliest state to its current physical and biological makeup took millions of
years to complete. Despite this, scientists, through the help of archaeological pieces of evidence and modern technology,
were able to identify and distinguish distinct transitional stages of human evolution. These stages are described below.

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The Significance of
Artifactual Evidences
in Understanding
Evolution
Artifactual
evidences are the only
source of knowledge in
understanding the
lifestyle and the
developments that
occurred in each
transitional stage of
human evolution. Early
human species were
discovered
through fossils which
are remains preserved
in rock. Scientists study
the structure, shape,
and development of
skeletal properties
including head shape
and teeth to determine
biological differences across early to modern species.
Artifactual evidences can also include tools that are used for hunting and gathering or symbolic writing found in caves. As
mentioned previously, these were used by the Homo erectus, though scientists are still hoping to find further evolutionary
data on other species. Below are some authentic examples of artifactual evidences that greatly contributed in
understanding human evolution.
 An antelope leg bone with cut marks was recently discovered in Africa. This prehistoric tool served as evidence
for early hunting practices and carnivorous diet among early stone-tool making humans, the Oldowan hominin.
 A cave discovered in South Africa filled with carbonized leaves and grasses made archaeologists believe that
cooking food was practiced among early humans.
Learn about it!
Appreciating the Past through the Present
It is important for modern humans to learn about their origins and developments. Nowadays, technological advances has
made delving into the past more accessible. Interactive and national museums, for example, make great venues for
learning more about the prehistoric past. The great biological evolution that the human species has been through is
complex and developmental. As human beings, we are called to understand and appreciate these advances.

Explore!
The development of humans have persisted for millions of years. These evolutionary processes have been greatly
influenced by natural phenomenon such as climate change, natural disasters, or the development of other species.
Through research, explore how these natural phenomena might have affected human evolutionary development.

Try it!
Visit the National Museum or any museum near your area of residence. Immerse yourself in the archaeological findings
featured in the museum. Since the museum has several sections, it is highly recommended that you devote time to visit
each area. Note the differences in biological makeup and lifestyle of different human species featured at the galleries.

What do you think?

Is there a possibility of finding evidence for a new human species that existed in the past? Why? Why not?

Tips
 Human evolution always moves forward. It is unlikely that humans will regress in terms of physical and biological
makeup in the coming centuries.
 Note that before the existence of the genus Homo, the Australopithecines first emerged. They are the earlier part
of human evolutionary transition.

Keypoints
 Evolution is the process of developing physical and biological change in a species over a period of time.
 Human evolution must not be seen as a linear process, but rather as branches wherein each branch extends into
smaller, more specific stems.
 The transition from early to modern humans included the Homo habilis, Homo erectus, and Homo
sapiens from the genus Homo.
 Fossils are artifactual remains that were preserved in rock.

Cultural Evolution of Man

HUMAN BIOCULTURAL AND SOCIAL EVOLUTION BICERA

Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 explain the concept of cultural evolution, and
 trace the cultural evolution of early to modern humans.
 What is cultural evolution?
 How can we trace the cultural evolution of early to modern humans?

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Mobile phones are already part of our everyday lives. In a way, they represent technological advancements due to
constant changes in their key features.
This evolution and development of mobile phones only show how culture changes through time. From the early writings of
the cuneiform up to the present features of the different units of smartphones and tablets, we can say that the way of life
of people constantly changes. This concept is called cultural evolution.

What is Cultural Evolution?

Cultural evolution explains the changes in the beliefs, knowledge, customs, skills, attitudes, and languages of humans
over time. It proposes that as humans transform themselves, their culture becomes progressively complex due to social,
environmental, and biological factors.
The cultural evolution of early humans can be traced back to the beginning of the Stone Age when they started creating
and using tools made out of stones. This is the earliest known period of human culture which started roughly 2-3 million
years ago and ended around 6000 and 3000 BCE. This period is also known as the prehistoric period because writing
was not yet invented during this time. It is divided into three separate periods:
 Old Stone Age (Paleolithic),
 Middle Stone Age (Mesolithic), and
 New Stone Age (Neolithic).

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Paleolithic Period
The Paleolithic period is the first phase of the Stone Age. This period started the creation and use of crude stone tools
which are the most primitive among the three periods. The word "paleolithic" is derived from the Greek words palaios (old)
and lithos (stone) to collectively mean "old stone age."
The early humans who existed during this period showed their skills with fire and stones that changed their diet and food
consumption. Hunting and fishing were the primary activities of the early humans during the Paleolithic period. They also
had their religious rituals based on nature and developed their own language based on sounds and hand signals.

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Mesolithic Period
The Mesolithic period is the second phase of the Stone Age. It was considered as the transition period between the
Paleolithic and Neolithic periods. The word "mesolithic" is derived from the Greek words mesos (middle) and lithos (stone)
that collectively mean "middle stone age."
Early humans during this period gradually domesticated plants and animals. They also started to form their own
settlements and communities. Hunting, fishing, and food gathering were the primary activities of the early humans. They
also started to use microliths or smaller and more delicate stone tools.

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Neolithic Period
The word "neolithic" was derived from the Ancient Greek words neos (new) and lithos (stone) that collective translates to
"new stone age."
The Neolithic period started during the last phase of the Stone Age and at this point, modern humans started to exist.
From being food gatherers, they became food producers and introduced the concept of farming. They also became
herders from being hunters during the Paleolithic and Mesolithic periods. They crafted better stone tools and invented the
axe. Pots and jars were evident during this period which served as their food containers and storage. Modern humans
also formed their permanent homes and started to have their own tribes and villages.

Explore!
Based on the development of human culture during the Stone Age and the previous lesson on biological evolution, who
were the humans that existed during the Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic periods? What would be your justification or
supporting evidence that these humans existed during those periods?

Try it!
Make a table of the three periods of stone age and compare the different contributions of each stage. Why do you think
these periods are important in the study of the evolution of human culture?

What do you think?

Following the timeline of the cultural evolution from the Paleolithic period up to the Neolithic period, what do you think
would be the next step of human development?

Keypoints
 Cultural evolution is the idea that the human culture such as beliefs, knowledge, customs, skills, attitudes, and
languages change over time.
 The Stone Age was the earliest period in the evolution of human culture when the early humans started the use
of weapons and tools made out of stones.
 The Paleolithic period was the first stage of the Stone Age. In this age, the early humans began to use fire and
stone tools. Hunting, fishing, and other practices such as religious rituals based on nature and language based on
sounds or hand signals also emerged during this period.
 The Mesolithic period was the transition period between the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods. It witnessed the
gradual transformation of human culture such as the domestication of plants and animals, formation of
settlements and communities, and food gathering.
 The Neolithic period was the last stage of the Stone age. This period was when modern humans started to exist.
Modern humans introduced farming, started herding animals, and formed their permanent homes and
settlements.

Sociopolitical Evolution of Man: Neolithic Revolution

HUMAN BIOCULTURAL AND SOCIAL EVOLUTION GALENDEZ
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 trace the sociopolitical evolution of man from a lifestyle of hunting and gathering to one of agriculture and
settlement,
 discuss the implications of the Neolithic Revolution to the evolutionary process, and
 explore the significance of human material remains and artifactual evidence in interpreting cultural and
sociopolitical processes.
From a prehistoric hunting and gathering society, modern society has indeed faced lots of changes and development.
How is modern society able to achieve its current form from such simple beginnings?

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Nature has greatly influenced primal lifestyle. As such, developments in human life also occurred in response to the
natural environment. In this lesson, a significant era of sociopolitical evolution will be tackled—the Neolithic Revolution.
The Neolithic Revolution
The Paleolithic period saw humans as hunter-gatherers in society. They were nomadic people who could easily transfer
from one area to another to hunt animals or gather plants for consumption and survival. This had been the practice until
around 12,000 BCE when humans started to domesticate animals and crops. This era of this newfound lifestyle is called
the Neolithic Revolution.
From hunter-gatherers or nomads, people became farmers through domestication, the process of increasing human
control in breeding animals or plants to regulate certain traits that will make them useful for other human needs. The
domestication of animals and plants implied that humans stayed in a particular area to enable their resources to grow and
expand. Some plants and animals utilized for domestication included wheat, barley, corn, nuts, cattle, goats, and sheep.
One of the first Neolithic societies recorded in existence was Mesopotamia, which is at present, the country of Iraq. It was
believed that it concurrently existed with other Neolithic societies in China, the Americas, and Africa.

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Implications of the Neolithic Revolution to the Evolutionary Process
The Neolithic Revolution facilitated an economic and societal shift that paved the way for further developments in the early
human lifestyle. As such, advances in different aspects of human life started during this era.
Below are the implications of the Neolithic Revolution in sociopolitical, economic, and human development.
Sociopolitical Development
 The Neolithic revolution paved the way for the creation of civilization through permanent settlements dictated by
reliable food supply.
 Development in domestication techniques and practices allow for a more complex society and the possibility for
urbanization.
 With the emergence of towns and cities came the birth of trade and marketplaces. This led to the economy and a
hierarchical society with public leaders and castes.
 A form of social stratification was developed. This created the idea of inequality and ideas of social power and
influence.
Economic Developments
 Because of the domestication of crops and animals, abundant supplies of food and resources were maintained.
 A selective breeding process of plants and animals that would allow for the development of new species was
introduced.
Biological Developments
 There was increase in lifespan and human population across civilizations.
 People learned to play different social roles apart from being farmers (e.g. craftsman, priest, leader).

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Evidence for the Existence of the Neolithic Revolution
Some artifactual pieces of evidence prove the existence and success of the Neolithic revolution in influencing
sociopolitical development.
Here are some actual evidences found to support the existence of this era.
 There were morphological changes among Neolithic people, including brain size and mandible and simple dietary
changes from solely eating plants to consumption of meat.
 A subterranean structure in Abu-Hureyra, Syria was found to have been built during the Neolithic Revolution and
served as a communal storage facility.
 Paleolithic people have fairly healthy teeth, but during the Neolithic Revolution, there was an increased caries
rate. Neolithic teeth were also more worn down and pitted, owing to hard inclusions from poorly grounded flour.
 Molleson (1994) has proven that there were changes in the bones of women that were task-related and
associated with cereal grinding.

Explore!
Agriculture considerably expanded throughout the Neolithic revolution. Because of this era, domestication and pastoralism
were discovered as sustainable ways of living. Systems and tools were also developed. As such, civilization was formed.
In your perspective, what could have been the implication if the early humans did not discover the method of
domestication and farming?

Try it!
Using a video streaming website, watch videos that detail the Neolithic Revolution and its significance in the development
of societies. Try to note the significant implications and contributions of the Neolithic Revolution to the present community
and survival practices.

What do you think?

Why is the Neolithic period called a revolution?

Tips
 The shift from a hunting-gathering society to the Neolithic Revolution occurred gradually. It took thousands of
years for this change to happen.
 If you look at a map of early civilizations under the Neolithic period, you will notice that all early civilizations were
situated near a body of water. This was strategically done by early humans because bodies of water may also
function as a source of food and other resources.

Keypoints
 The Neolithic Revolution was a period where agriculture and farming became prominent through plant and
animal domestication.
 Domestication is the process of increasing human control in breeding animals or plants to regulate certain traits
that will make them useful for other human needs.
  One of the first Neolithic societies recorded in existence was Mesopotamiawhich is, at present, the country of
Iraq.
 The Neolithic Revolution has sociopolitical, economic, and human implications to the evolutionary process.
 A form of social stratification was developed. This created idea of inequality and ideas of social power and
influence.
 Many artifactual evidences prove the existence and success of the Neolithic revolution in influencing
sociopolitical development.

Sociopolitical Evolution of Man: Early Civilizations and the Rise of States

HUMAN BIOCULTURAL AND SOCIAL EVOLUTION GELENDEZ

Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 trace the sociopolitical evolution of man from the rise of civilizations to the development of states,
 discuss the implications of the rise of civilizations and development of states to human biocultural and social
evolution, and
 explore the significance of human material remains and artifactual evidence in interpreting cultural and social,
including political and economic, processes.

From a hunting-gathering lifestyle to a Neolithic society, major changes took place in terms of socioeconomic factors of
early human life. Despite this already drastic movement, human lifestyle continued to develop into more organized
socioeconomic and political systems.
 What factors contributed to these changes?
 How did these developments influence future sociopolitical movements and policies?

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The Neolithic revolution, through the domestication of plants and animals, paved the way for the beginnings of early
civilizations like Mesopotamia. In this lesson, the development and implications of these civilizations will be discussed and
explained.
The Rise of Civilizations
Civilizations began to develop during the Neolithic period when the early humans learned to settle in just one area to
domesticate plants and animals for survival. The first civilizations were found mostly in Asia, particularly in China and
Mesopotamia, now Iraq. The latter was part of the Fertile Crescent, an area in the ancient Middle East that is believed to
be the “cradle of civilization” and the birthplace of agriculture, urbanization, writing, trade, and science due to its fertile
land area. This area housed two bodies of water, the rivers Tigris and Euphrates, which were also valuable resources for
the early civilizations.
During these periods, civilizations were mainly agrarian societies that treated both genders equally as the first labor only
involved farming, domestication, and harvesting. Though this may be the case, social roles began to emerge, with some
members of the community becoming priests or priestesses, laborers, and farmers.

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The Development of States
In Mesopotamia, in the region of Sumer in 4,000 BCE, two significant developments took place that influenced the flow of
the sociopolitical process of the early civilizations.
These were:
 the rise of states, and
 the invention of writing.
Historians believe that these developments occurred because of trades among different regions. The early civilizations
would have had some form of writing to document or record traces of their products and deals.
During the Copper Age (5,900-3,200 BCE), the system of commerce grew with prosperity, leading to the development of
cities and changes in sociopolitical positions with some civilizations promoting a kingship to replace priestly rule. This was
done to foresee the flow of trade and negotiations with other regions. This era gave rise to numerous developments such
as the invention of the wheel and the transition from the use of stone tools to copper tools.
In 3,000-2,119 BCE, during the early Bronze Age, copper instruments were replaced with bronze tools. Along with this,
the rise of city-states continued to flourish, thereby laying out a foundation for economic and political stability. As a result,
more empires, civilizations, and states began to rise and develop.

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Implications of the Rise of Civilizations and States
The rise of civilizations and states led to urbanization, economic focus, political power, and material development. These
changes allowed both positive and negative implications that directly affected future developments in the sociopolitical
evolution of men.
Below are some implications of the rise of civilizations and states.
 Warfare: Conflict and wars emerged among states as tension grew among them. Soon, professional armies and
weaponry began to make their appearance.
 Metalwork: A huge development in metalwork occurred along with the rise of civilizations and states. During this
time, people began to discover various raw materials, such as iron, copper, and bronze for making tools and
weapons.
 Political system: Because of economic factors such as trading, leadership among city-states began to be more
organized and developed. With the kingship system replacing the priestly leaders, each state had its executive
branch that centralized decisions and communications with other states.
Learn about it!
Evidence for the Existence of Civilizations and States
Artifactual evidence prove the existence and occurrence of early civilizations and states.
Here are some of the actual evidences found to support the existence of this era.
 In 1922, archaeologist Sir Leonard Wooley discovered the remains of two four-wheeled wagons that dated back
to the time of Mesopotamia.
 Excavations in the 1840s revealed human settlements in Mesopotamia during 10,000 BCE.

Explore!
The developments within the Fertile Crescent, specifically in Mesopotamia, generated numerous contributions to
contemporary lifestyle and practices. Because of this, the early civilizations became an important aspect of history. It was
during this period that an organized sociopolitical and economic structure was established.
If you were an archaeologist, what aspect of the early civilizations would you prefer to focus on?

Try it!
Using clay and other art materials, create your structure of the early civilizations and states. You may choose one
civilization (e.g. Mesopotamia) or one area of early life (e.g. trading or farming). It is your prerogative to incorporate any
structure that you think might exist during the period. Use your learning in this lesson as a guide.

What do you think?

What form of sociopolitical development would have risen from the implications of the rise of states and civilizations?

Tips
 Mesopotamia, in Greek, translates to “between two rivers”. This translation refers to the rivers Tigris and
Euphrates that surround the land.
 The Mesopotamian civilization existed even before the Egyptian civilization. After the Middle Eastern civilization
began, Egyptian civilization soon developed along the Nile River.

Keypoints
 The first civilizations were found mostly in Asia, particularly in China and Mesopotamia which is now Iraq.
 The Fertile Crescent is an area in the ancient Middle East that is believed to be the “cradle of civilization” and the
birthplace of agriculture, urbanization, writing, trade, and science due to its fertile land area.
 In Mesopotamia, in the region of Sumer in 4,000 BCE, two important developments took place that influenced the
flow of the sociopolitical process of the early civilizations. These were the rise of states and the invention of
writing.
 The implications of the rise of civilizations and states include warfare, developments in metalwork, and changes
in political systems.

Sociopolitical Evolution of Man: Democratization

HUMAN BIOCULTURAL AND SOCIAL EVOLUTION DURAN

Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 explain democratization as a sociopolitical evolution, and
 explore the significance of human material remains and artifactual evidence in interpreting cultural, social,
political, and economic processes.
 What is democratization?
 How did democratization start?

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The early civilizations created new environments, called city-states which introduced new developments in various
aspects of life. What outcomes have led to these continuous progress and ventures?
The rise of civilizations and city-states paved the way for the introduction of new developments during the Copper and
Bronze Age. Now, we look at how those impacted the following periods and developments.

Democracy and Democratization

Democratization refers to the spread or expansion of democracy.
Democracy means "rule by the people." The term comes from the Greek words demos, which means "people,"
and kratos, which means "rule." While democracy is often traced back to the Greeks, particularly the Athenian democracy
during 5th century BCE, a form of primitive democracy is said to have existed during the hunting and gathering period in
independent tribes.
The form of democracy during 500 BCE in city-states is said to be a form of direct democracy where citizens participate
directly in decision-making. On the other hand, the evolved form of democracy−−**representative democracy**−−that
became widespread in nation-states is where officials are elected to represent a group of people.

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Historical Path to a Democratic City-State
Agricultural developments in Asia and Africa eventually spread to the nearby civilizations of Greece and Rome. Both
Greeks and Romans adapted to the farming culture developed by the Mesopotamians, even following the latter’s
sociopolitical structure of kingship. Eventually, they were able to engage in trade as their resources highly developed and
impacted socioeconomic growth.

Greece
 Societal status and groups began to develop:
o the king (bearing the highest position in all Greek city-states),
o the aristocracies and noblemen, then
o the farmers.
 Wars were already occurring between city-states, and tension grew between social classes.
 Greek kings had growing ambitions to transform themselves into wealth-laden rulers just like their predecessors
from the Bronze Age.
 The need for power was not feasible as the primarily abundant metal during the period was iron, a relatively
cheaper metal compared to bronze. If the king sought greater power, he would not be able to do so easily since
weaponry and machinery, primarily made of iron, were much cheaper, and could be afforded by practically
anyone within the city-state.
In 750 BC, with high tension and alarm over the intentions of the king, the noblemen gathered together and ousted him,
leading to a successful establishment of the first republics.

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The Beginnings of Democratization
The developments in the Greek city-states led to the birth of democracy and the rise of democratization in societies.
Oligarchy
 Greek Kings were deposed by the noblemen.
 City-states began to change the form of leadership into oligarchy where rulers were from aristocratic families.
 Because of inexpensive and accessible weaponry and the ongoing wars between city-states, even ordinary
people like the farmers learned to arm themselves and rebel against drastic changes.
 The oligarchic government ruled in favor of the noblemen and aristocracies, so ordinary people also used their
collective power against an abusive government.
Tyranny
 Since there were few noble people in government, city-states, in effect, were ruled by a tyrant, a positive term for
a Greek leader that means “boss.”
 Tyrants became effective in ensuring fair treatment for both land owners and farmers.
 For some time, peace and equality emerged among social classes.
 In the second generation of tyrant rule, however, the son of a tyrant made some wrong and abusive decisions that
eventually lead to another revolution, ousting the tyrant rule.
Birth of Democracy
 Because of the tyrant's abuse of power, intelligent leaders of Greek city-states proposed that power must be held
by the common people.
 This led to the creation of a more broad-based constitution, eventually developing the city-states to have a
democratic setting.
 In 594 BCE, Solon gave Athens a new constitution. This event was considered as the rise of democracy in
Greece.
It should be noted, though, that not all Greek city-states followed this ruling, especially the poorer, more backward areas.
Still, the political change in Greece soon led Rome to follow a democratic ruling thereafter.
Also, keep in mind that citizen participation in democratic decision-making during this time was limited to males and
therefore, did not encompass the total population.

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Significance and Implications of Democratization
The development of democracy led to changes that greatly impacted the ordinary people by reducing inequality and
promoting fair treatment for all. The beginnings of democratization in Greece laid a foundation for modern-day democracy.
Also, the establishment of a democratic government promoted more cultural and artistic implications that eventually
distinguished Greek and Roman civilizations from any other ancient civilization.
Below are some artifactual evidences of the artistic and cultural implications of democratization.
 Greek literature began its ascent as poet Homer created his epics, the Iliad and theOdyssey.
 Stone temples that appeared as early as 600 BC were improved through classical Greek structures upon the rise
of democratization.

Explore!
Attaining democracy in Greek antiquity involved lots of shifts in leadership and political functions like kingship, oligarchy,
and tyranny. If you were living during this period, which among these forms of leadership would you have preferred to be
part of? Why?

Try it!
The rise of democracy led to numerous cultural and artistic reforms among Greeks and Romans. Try to search videos or
pictures of Greek and Roman art. Compare them and cite commonalities and differences that you may observe.

What do you think?

The United States and the Philippines are democratic countries. How do you think citizens from these countries still affect
or influence the decision-making process that involves the welfare of these nations?
Keypoints
 In Greece, societal status and groups began to develop with the king bearing the highest position in all Greek
city-states, followed by the aristocracies and noblemen, then the farmers.
 In 750 BCE, with high tensions and alarm over the intentions of the king, the noblemen collectively acted on
ousting him, leading to a successful establishment of the first republics.
 It was in 594 BCE when Solon gave Athens a new constitution. This event was considered as the rise of
democracy in Greece.
 The establishment of a democratic government had cultural and artistic implications.
 Wars and tensions across Greece and between city-states were one of the primary factors in the rise of
democracy.

Importance of Artifacts in Interpreting Social, Cultural, Political, and Economic Processes

HUMAN BIOCULTURAL AND SOCIAL EVOLUTION DURAN

Objective
At the end of this lesson, you are expected to be able to explore the significance of human material remains and
artifactual evidence in interpreting cultural, social, political, and economic processes.
In your home, you have probably seen objects belonging to your great-great grandparents that were kept by your parents
or other relatives. Like artifacts, these objects help in describing or creating a picture of the past.
 What implications do these objects have at present
 What do they tell about the past?
 What role do artifactual pieces of evidence play in understanding early societies?

Learn about it!

Artifacts
Archaeologists have discovered artifactual pieces of evidences even dating back to the beginning of human evolution. As
a result, present-day social and biological scientists are able to open a window to what life was in the past. In this lesson,
the significance and value of artifacts in several aspects will be described and discussed.
Artifacts are objects made or modified by humans in the past. They are recovered after a long time through
archaeological endeavor or by chance. Apart from serving as windows to the past, artifacts are also deemed significant
because they are tangible or authentic proof that a certain period in history actually occurred.
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The Significance of Artifacts
Artifacts have significant contributions in interpreting social, cultural, political, and economic processes that occurred in
the past. Their existence proves and describes these aspects thoroughly. The discovery of artifacts and the understanding
of various processes have provided a stable foundation for the socioeconomic, political, and cultural growth that humans
have come to recognize today.

Learn about it!

Importance of Artifact
Preservation
There are various reasons why
artifacts must be preserved and
taken care of. Below are some
of them.
 Artifacts are
irreplaceable. Artifacts
, being made
hundreds, even
thousands of years
ago, are very delicate
objects that cannot be
replaced by any
available material in
the present time.
 Artifacts are keys to
understanding the
past. Practices that
occurred in the past
would not have been
known if not for the
discovery of artifacts.
 Artifacts give people a sense of identity. Artifacts greatly describe culture and society. They provide people
with an opportunity to further understand their identities and heritage, as well as some collective qualities that their
culture may have.
 The past is yet to be fully discovered. Despite the seemingly great successes archaeologists have made in
recent years, there is still more to discover about history. Treating artifacts like pieces of puzzles will eventually
provide a general picture of the past.

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Present-day “Artifacts” for the Future
Many advances have already been made and discovered within this century. It is logical to treat these discoveries as
significant elements that can help shape the future. As such, the technologies and developments that the world has today
must also be well-preserved. These must be treated with certainty that one day, these “artifacts” will be discovered and be
understood by future generations.

Explore!
Archaeologists hunt for artifacts for a period of months, some even extending up to several years. They proceed with their
digs with caution to eliminate the risk of damaging any artifact they may find. If you were to place yourself in an
archaeologist’s shoes, would you be willing to sacrifice so much time and effort to know about the past? Why? Why not?

Try it!
Create your own artifact by making a time capsule. Find a container that you can seal. In this container, put anything you
want that may have a significant value to you. You may put in letters, pictures, or toys. Be sure to firmly seal the container
once you are done. Keep the container somewhere safe. Set a specific date in the future when you will open your time
capsule.

What do you think?

What could be the soci implications if no artifact was ever discovered?

Tips
 Artifacts may consist of any tangible object that was originally part of the distant past but was recently discovered.
They may include bones, fossils, tools, and a lot more.
 Archaeologists are responsible for digging out artifacts. Anthropologists study an area’s culture. Together, they
work to create a holistic picture and identity of a certain group.

Keypoints
 Artifacts are objects made or modified by humans in the past. They are recovered after a long time through
archaeological endeavor or by chance.
 Artifacts have implications in the understanding of social, cultural, economic, and political processes.
 It is important to preserve artifacts because they are irreplaceable, help understand the past, and give people a
sense of identity.
 Present-day discoveries and technologies will one day be artifacts for the future generation.