The Pyramid builders

Number of words – 262 Why were these particular pyramids built? Were they just individual tombs for individual pharaohs? Here’s where there’s some disagreement. Traditional Egyptologists suppose that a new pyramid was built for each new pharaoh. But if a pharaoh reigned 40 years, and his pyramid could be completed in 20, the huge work … Read more

The origin of trade

Number of words – 344 Imagine how surprised the first Neolithic farmer must have been when he hit a pebble with his stone hammer and instead of shattering, the pebble just bent. A nugget of native copper! Copper does sometimes occur pure, in small nuggets. By banging away at it our Neolithic hero could form … Read more

The settling down of human nomads

Number of words – 297 In more temperate regions in Africa, there are hunter-gatherer tribes today who manage well enough by spending only a couple of days a week in food gathering task. They may not have their own kinds of leisure time activities. So, if the Neolithic life style was that pleasant, why did … Read more

Domesticating Sheep

Number of words – 244 Occasionally, when an adult sheep has been killed by humans for food, a lamb remains that’s taken back to the camp for a pet. The lamb is fed and becomes somewhat tame. Others, over the generations receive the same treatment, and with the right genetic variations may lose some of … Read more