Cradle of Man
- Thread starter CivOasis
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thomas.berubeg
Wandering the World
Upper Acheulite
Upper Acheulite sites are fairly similar to earlier sites, especially in already settled areas. However, Even more Northern sites towards the end of this period have a greater increase in otter remains. While one could suppose that river-otters became a preferred food source, and in-fact some academics still push this, the evidence pointing towards gradual domestication is twofold:
Firstly, Otter remains are usually associated with human burial remains, particular in certain mass grave sites, in a manner that suggests a degree of respect
Secondly, Otter remains, particularly the skulls, associated with Upper Acheulite Grave sites show signs of increased Neotany and Brain size, common traits associated with domestication.
Presumably, the otter assisted in hunting, especially near the river, but, as indicated by modern otters, can be of great use even in the Savannah.
Upper Acheulite sites are fairly similar to earlier sites, especially in already settled areas. However, Even more Northern sites towards the end of this period have a greater increase in otter remains. While one could suppose that river-otters became a preferred food source, and in-fact some academics still push this, the evidence pointing towards gradual domestication is twofold:
Firstly, Otter remains are usually associated with human burial remains, particular in certain mass grave sites, in a manner that suggests a degree of respect
Secondly, Otter remains, particularly the skulls, associated with Upper Acheulite Grave sites show signs of increased Neotany and Brain size, common traits associated with domestication.
Presumably, the otter assisted in hunting, especially near the river, but, as indicated by modern otters, can be of great use even in the Savannah.
Maseroi E2-2, or more commonly Mase-mase, is a cultural shift/split within the Maseroi E2 group that arose when food shortages in the easternmost inhabited parts of the mountainous region led to what can be seen as cannibalistic practices of eating their own dead.
Civ'ed
I ain't gotta explain a thing
Alhough the Masunke people were somewhat suited to the mountains, food became a serious concern. Due to the lack of Masunke finds post-second wave, it can be assumed that the Masunke quickly left the mountains they lived in.
Instead, a developed, "swords into plowshares" culture can be found in the plains to the south of the Masunke caves. This culture, termed the Masunke-P, is notable for two things.
First, their archeological evidence shows a great focus on seeds and art - various wall paintings have been found deicting plants. Secondly, the presence of human remains near remains of animals and burnt objects indicates either cannibalism or the starts of a burial tradition.
Instead, a developed, "swords into plowshares" culture can be found in the plains to the south of the Masunke caves. This culture, termed the Masunke-P, is notable for two things.
First, their archeological evidence shows a great focus on seeds and art - various wall paintings have been found deicting plants. Secondly, the presence of human remains near remains of animals and burnt objects indicates either cannibalism or the starts of a burial tradition.
SouthernKing
crickety cricket
The so-called Later Dandakoi culture is characterised by its further development of wood-based technology, not just tools - though those certainly did grow quite greatly in sophistication - but also in the creation of an artistic tradition, of a sort, that most likely evolved from these people's usage of wooden tools. Wooden proto-sculptures have been found in Later Dandakoi sites, as have wooden bowls and other such wooden objects.
arya126
Squad Leader
An extension of the Maseroi B2, those who went northwest found that when combining their barbed spears with crude nets of camouflage, they could be much more effective at hunting and food gathering. Those who went northwest are called the Goshen.
The Lower Acheulite culture is experiencing a fairly rapid growth in population as local fish populations are exploited along the river valley. Evidence of increased use of fire - possibly to scare off local predators, or even early attempts at cooking - has been found, although this is not conclusive.
Wave 3
The Later Dandakoi culture, like many others of this period, shows a sharp expansion in the range of archaeological sites. Compared to their earlier period, they show an increase in detail in their carvings, and are believed to have shifted to an even greater use of wood in this period, given the number of wooden artifacts and relative rarity of known tools found.
The Goshen culture shows much of the technological package and artistic motifs of the Maseroi B culture; however, given that many of the sites discovered so far are inland, it is believed that this period marked a transition to a more terrestrial subsistence within the tropical forests.
The Mase-Mase culture, known only from a few sites in the mountains, is an extremely debated grouping marked from Maseroi E2 sites showing evidence of cannibalism, which has not been exhibited elsewhere during this era. If it did existed, it seems as though the sites never became widespread, and indeed, any population in this area must have been extremely low.
The Masunke P tradition is a later variant of the early Masunke culture, which, along with significant expansion both north and south into the limited grasslands and forests of the area. They show much more elaborate artistic and burial traditions than many earlier cultures had to date.
The Lower Acheulite sites are notable from the early Acheulite period in their elaborate use of fire in rituals; along with this, one of these sites has yielded the earliest known evidence of a shaman's burial, the first clear evidence of early religious leaders.
The Upper Acheulite culture is perhaps one of the most unique of the period, as sites identified with this tradition have yielded (not without controversy) the earliest evidence of animal domestication - specifically of otters, presumably for use in fishing, in line with the culture's traditions. Though their use is most closely identified with the Upper Acheulite culture during this tradition, as seen in the attached map, some sites associated with the Goshen and Lower Acheulite cultures also display evidence of otter domestication.
Spoiler :
Also, terrains - Maseroi E2, Mase-Mase, and Raal'ladokeroi cultures are situated in extremely cold mountains (which, going through a cold snap in this period, are seriously depleting their numbers and driving them out). The areas near the coastal mouth of the northern river, and all along the westernmost reaching the coastline, are tropical wetlands. Bar the area occupied by Masunke-P sites, which is generally warm savannah and open forests, most of the rest of the map is extremely dense tropical jungle.
Lastly, a change in rules: In subsequent updates, players will be able to move and/or alter up to 3 cultures per turn. Migrations are going to accelerate (although I feel the need to remind players that travel through jungles and particularly mountains is very slow and difficult).
Decamper
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The Canokoi, a small extension of the Later Dandakoi found further to the south west, shared the same growing use of wood for tools and art, but were differentiated by the presence of wolves in many burial sites. While it is controversial to consider it proper domestication, it is thought that the Canokoi had begun to incorporate wolf packs into their society by feeding the packs, using them for hunting and protection.
thomas.berubeg
Wandering the World
The Upper Acheulite have found their technological package particularly well suited, and later sites have continued to be found further and further along the coast and rivers. Some hypothesize that early boats must have been part of their package, but, do to the degradable material used to produce them, only very controversial evidence exists.
The Upper Goshen are distinguished from their earlier counterpart by the arrangement of their homes. While earlier Goshen sites were usually in sheltered area, in the crook of a hill or a cave, Upper Goshen sites have been found scattered throughout the rainforests. Additionally, in the later period of the Upper Goshen, Domesticated Otter skulls, showing very slight morphological differences from the Acheulite counterpart, have been found. This suggests an adaption of the Otter for use in forest hunting.
High Masunke the so-called High Masunke are a direct evolution of the Masunke P culture of the southern Sahel. Showing the same archaeological record of artistry, the lithic record shows a gradual shift from larger handaxes and scrappers to small flakes and scrappers, which would likely have been hafted as a group on a shaped bone or wood handle.
The Upper Goshen are distinguished from their earlier counterpart by the arrangement of their homes. While earlier Goshen sites were usually in sheltered area, in the crook of a hill or a cave, Upper Goshen sites have been found scattered throughout the rainforests. Additionally, in the later period of the Upper Goshen, Domesticated Otter skulls, showing very slight morphological differences from the Acheulite counterpart, have been found. This suggests an adaption of the Otter for use in forest hunting.
High Masunke the so-called High Masunke are a direct evolution of the Masunke P culture of the southern Sahel. Showing the same archaeological record of artistry, the lithic record shows a gradual shift from larger handaxes and scrappers to small flakes and scrappers, which would likely have been hafted as a group on a shaped bone or wood handle.
arya126
Squad Leader
The Lower Goshen in contrast to their upper Goshen brothers, have shown less interest in shelters and prefer to continue to migrate west. Controversial and much debated evidence shows the remains of what appear to be saddles, indicating they may have found a way to use animals for transport.
The Maseroi E2 took advantage of their mountainous location and used the plentiful stone in the area to construct great works of architecture for the period. These included sizeable tombs for their dead as well as what might be called fortified settlements, where there has been found crude stone blocks encircling ruins such as a wall, as well as one stone block lying horizontally across two upright stones to look like a gate. The ruins indicate however that not much of the population lived in these places, and therefore many speculate if there was a split in a group around this time leading to warfare, with the outnumbered side building these fortifications. Therefore they are sometimes named the Stonemen.
The Lower Achuelities, shown from crude carvings, appear to have begun to worship the element of fire, and the limited knowledge of standing in their society seems to stem from one's ability to make fire and to spin sticks on fire. There is also circumstantial evidence from carvings/paintings in the area that it was a tradition for a man to burn himself at the time he becomes a man, usually on the arm, leg, or perhaps an extremity although the more esteemed sometimes burned their own eyes out.
The Maseroi E2 took advantage of their mountainous location and used the plentiful stone in the area to construct great works of architecture for the period. These included sizeable tombs for their dead as well as what might be called fortified settlements, where there has been found crude stone blocks encircling ruins such as a wall, as well as one stone block lying horizontally across two upright stones to look like a gate. The ruins indicate however that not much of the population lived in these places, and therefore many speculate if there was a split in a group around this time leading to warfare, with the outnumbered side building these fortifications. Therefore they are sometimes named the Stonemen.
The Lower Achuelities, shown from crude carvings, appear to have begun to worship the element of fire, and the limited knowledge of standing in their society seems to stem from one's ability to make fire and to spin sticks on fire. There is also circumstantial evidence from carvings/paintings in the area that it was a tradition for a man to burn himself at the time he becomes a man, usually on the arm, leg, or perhaps an extremity although the more esteemed sometimes burned their own eyes out.
thomas.berubeg
Wandering the World
A lot of these are VERY anachronistic, man... Large monumental structures, horseback riding... we're something like 50,000 years away from that kind of thing.
The Lake Masepotami and Delta Masepotami are two very similar cultures that share a common parent culture, the Maseroi E2. They stem from a group of individuals who migrated down from the mountains back to their ancestors' lake where they soon split into two. One culture is confined to the island on the lake and are known as the Lake Masepotami, while another group used very primitive boats to migrate up the river where they settled* on the islands in the delta according to archeological findings. This second culture is known as the Delta Masepotami.
It is unclear why the Masepotami cultural split occured. At first, archeologists believed that the Lake Masepotami was in fact the parent culture of the Delta Masepotami because of their similarities, and that the latter arose when overpopulation on the island forced migration elsewhere. But archeological findings on both sites suggest that this is not the case as the earliest Masepotami findings both on the island and in the delta have been dated to the same period in time.
*I wasn't sure what actual word to use here. It wasn't really a settlement per se but that is where the findings are.
It is unclear why the Masepotami cultural split occured. At first, archeologists believed that the Lake Masepotami was in fact the parent culture of the Delta Masepotami because of their similarities, and that the latter arose when overpopulation on the island forced migration elsewhere. But archeological findings on both sites suggest that this is not the case as the earliest Masepotami findings both on the island and in the delta have been dated to the same period in time.
*I wasn't sure what actual word to use here. It wasn't really a settlement per se but that is where the findings are.
There also aren't any horses in the known world.
thomas.berubeg
Wandering the World
Maybe they're riding Ostriches?
It's nigh-impossible to domesticate ostriches afaik, and we're a long, long way from saddles anyway.
The Low Masunke culture has been noted for its divergence with the High Masunke culture in its use of bone tools; Small flakes and scrappers are found to be much less common in Low Masunke sites, although larger tools such as handaxes and early javelins have been found to be made from bone, with a decrease in the use of wood. Bone carvings have also been found.
Due to harsh winters and the bitter cold, the Southern Acheroi culture has developed the usage of local animal fur, although there have been some migrations south-west towards the lake - which have likely been caused by the cold in the mountains - as well as possible use of rafts for fishing in the lake. Innovations such as fishing nets and hooks start to be used here to increase the local food supply. Southern Acheroi sites are fewer in number and seem to show a much lower population density than the Acheroi further north.
The Raal'ladokeroi culture has also seen fewer sites from this later period, as well as lower population density than it used to have, although some sites indicate an attempt to move towards the lake; However, this later move towards the lake has caused some populational pressure there, with possible local shortages of food.
The Low Masunke culture has been noted for its divergence with the High Masunke culture in its use of bone tools; Small flakes and scrappers are found to be much less common in Low Masunke sites, although larger tools such as handaxes and early javelins have been found to be made from bone, with a decrease in the use of wood. Bone carvings have also been found.
Due to harsh winters and the bitter cold, the Southern Acheroi culture has developed the usage of local animal fur, although there have been some migrations south-west towards the lake - which have likely been caused by the cold in the mountains - as well as possible use of rafts for fishing in the lake. Innovations such as fishing nets and hooks start to be used here to increase the local food supply. Southern Acheroi sites are fewer in number and seem to show a much lower population density than the Acheroi further north.
The Raal'ladokeroi culture has also seen fewer sites from this later period, as well as lower population density than it used to have, although some sites indicate an attempt to move towards the lake; However, this later move towards the lake has caused some populational pressure there, with possible local shortages of food.
Calgori
Rapture's Best & Brightest
Could we create new (realistic) animals?
thomas.berubeg
Wandering the World
Well, a lot of the Niches are filled by large birds... Maybe some of those you can play with, though IIRC domestication of a bird is pretty impossible.
No fantasy animals. I gave a list at the beginning that should still be roughly accurate, and it deliberately excludes some things you might think of commonly. That being said, if you want to work with something you think might be in the area but I forgot, feel free to VM or PM me about it.
