T 11 SCIENCE 6ยบ
PREHISTORY Prehistory is the period between the appearance of the first humans to the invention of writing. It can be divided into three periods or ages: the Palaeolithic , the Neolithic and the Metal Ages. The Palaeolithic period About a million years ago, Spain was inhabited by hominids. Modern people appeared in Spain about 35,000 years ago. They were nomads. They lived in caves or huts. They lived in family groups called clans. They started to use fire. People made clothes from animal skins. They started to use stone , bone and wooden tools. They obtained their food by hunting, fishing and gathering wild plants. They lived short lives, and many babies died at birth The Neolithic period. Later, the population of the peninsula and the Balearic Islands became sedentary. They built the first settlements. People lived in tribes. Each tribe member had a specific job,such as cultivating the land , looking after the animals or making tools and weapons. The first cultivated plants were cereals. The first domesticated animals were dogs, goats, sheep and pigs. The Metal Ages. About six thousand years ago , people learned to use metals. First, they used copper and later, bronze and iron. They also made textiles and ceramics. Settlements became villages, which were surrounded by walls for protection. Ancient Time. This period began with the introduction of writing and finished with the fall of the Roman Empire. Two main groups of tribes inhabited the peninsula : The Iberians and The Celts.
The Iberians lived in the east and south of Spain. They were warriors, herders, farmers, craftsmen,merchants and slaves. The Celts entered Spain from the north, and lived in the north and the centre of Spain. They were herders and farmers. They were also expert metalworkers,who made jewellery , weapons and tools. Other people came to the peninsula. The Tartessians were in southern Spain , in the Guadalquivir valley. They were rich in metals such as gold , silver and copper. The Phoenicians were traders from Asia. They settled on the south coast( Cรกdiz, Mรกlaga and Granada). They founded Gades (now Cรกdiz). They introduced writing and also techniques for working with iron and pottery. The Greeks settled on the Mediterranean coast. They founded the cities of Denia and Ampurias. They introduced new crops ,such as olive trees and hens. The Carthaginians came from North Africa to trade metals and cloth. They settled on the Mediterranean coast and founded the city of Cartagena. When the Roman came, they conquered almost the territory and gave it the name of Hispania. All the inhabitants adopted Roman customs. They spoke Latin, the language of the Romans. They adopted Roman laws, culture and religion, they became Christians. The Romans built theatres, amphitheatres, thermal baths, columns, ports, bridges, aqueducts, stone roads and cities.