Primitive culture is the most ancient type of civilization that defines human life throughout history. Despite the fact that modern scientists have many different artifacts that allow you to find out the approximate dates of their appearance, it was still not possible to determine the time frame for the existence of the cave man. It is only known that the era in question is the longest, since some tribes still live in the corresponding system. They are common in Africa and South America.
The medicine
Among all practical knowledge, medicine, oddly enough, has become the first area to which the caveman turned his attention. This is proved by cave paintings, which depict various animals with the structure of their bodies, skeleton, the location of internal organs and so on. In the process of taming livestock, this knowledge was used in the treatment or, for example, in cooking.
As for the use of medicine in order to improve people's health, here the culture of primitive man did not allow this to be done until the Mesolithic era. Ancient burials prove that even in those days it was possible to impose gypsum or amputate a limb. In this case, of course, the person remained alive. But ancient people could not ascribe such actions to mere mortals; medicine seemed to them something divine. Therefore, all doctors were considered saints, they became shamans and oracles with all sorts of benefits and respect.
Maths
When the Paleolithic era came, cavemen began to acquire mathematical knowledge. They are usually used in the division of prey or the distribution of responsibilities. This is evidenced, for example, by a spear found on the territory of modern Czech Republic, where there are 20 notches distributed in equal parts into 4 parts. This means that even then people could perform the simplest arithmetic operations.
In the Neolithic, the culture of the
primitive world was replenished with other knowledge - geometric. First, a person draws on the rocks or various products corresponding figures. Then he proceeds to the construction of dwellings of regular geometric shapes. This, of course, had a positive effect on the comfort of life.
Mythology
The myth in primitive culture has become a way of understanding the world around us, and if it had not appeared, it is unlikely that a person could grow to modern cultural heights. Any action, natural or weather, was not perceived by people in the order of things, everything that happened had a certain magical connotation. It was impossible to explain, for example, rain from a scientific point of view: if it started, it means that some higher beings wanted it.
For primitive man, myths were something special. Only with their help could he go to the next stage of development. Ancient mythology had several features:
- The first myths helped people get used to many external events, and they were created through logical and abstract associations.
- Mythology could prove the occurrence of events.
- Myths did not appear just like that. They were compiled on the basis of emotional, weather, natural and any other laws.
- Mythology was transmitted from generation to generation, it was a kind of theory from the ancestors, which helped to survive, create coziness or get food. Therefore, it cannot be called an individual creation, each myth appeared as a result of collective experience within the framework of one primitive community.
- Myths contributed to self-expression, not without their help various forms of art appeared.
Gradually, the caveman moved away from myths, and then the first religious beliefs appeared. At first they were similar to each other, then more and more individualized.
Varieties of primitive religions
All the features of primitive culture are not only beliefs. Over time, the tribes gain the necessary amount of knowledge and experience, so they can move to a new stage, which consists in the formation of religions, the first of which were already in the Paleolithic. Some events that happened to people, they already learned to explain, but others were still magical for them. Then there is a belief that some supernatural forces can affect the outcome of a hunt or other important action.
Primitive culture includes several religions, presented in the table below.
Primitive beliefs| Title | Definition | Description |
| Totemism | Belief that the genus came from an animal (totem) | The totem animal became the protector of the family, they prayed and asked him, for example, to bring good luck during the hunt. In no case was it possible to kill the sacred beast. |
| Fetishism | The belief that inanimate objects possess supernatural powers | Any thing could be used as a fetish; in modern times, this role is played by talismans and amulets. People believed that the amulet could bring good luck, protect from the attack of wild animals. An important feature is that the amulet was always carried with it, it was put into the grave with the owner. |
| Magic | Belief that you can influence your surroundings or events with the help of conspiracies, fortunetelling or rituals | According to primitive people, various conspiracies or rituals could, for example, cause rain, crush enemies, help in hunting, and so on. |
After them appears a belief called animism. According to him, man had his own soul. After his death, she flew away in search of a new "vessel". It was believed that often she could not find the shell, and then she began to annoy the relatives of the deceased in the form of a ghost.
Animism, we can say, is the progenitor of all modern religions, since the afterlife is already appearing here, some kind of deity that rules over all souls, both with and without a shell, as well as the first funeral rituals. It is from this belief that the tradition went not to leave dead relatives, but to accompany them with all honors.
The rudiments of literary art
If we consider such a large-scale era as primitive culture, briefly, it will be difficult to reveal the topic of literature of that time. The appearance of the first works could not be fixed, since then there was no written language. And the existence of various legends or legends is not scientifically proven.
However, if you look at the cave paintings, you get the impression that the person clearly understood what he wants to convey to his descendants. Accordingly, previously in his head there was a certain legend. It is believed that the beginnings of literary art appeared precisely in primitive times. Only through oral legends was it possible to pass on this or that myth to the next generation.
art
Primitive art culture developed quite rapidly. Moreover, its significance was higher than in modern times. This is due to the fact that a person then could not write and express everything that he thinks in words. Therefore, the only opportunity for communication was only fine art. With its help, by the way, various teachings arose, including mathematics and medicine.
It is likely that primitive culture did not perceive drawings as art. With their help, people, for example, could receive the blessing of their totem animal by depicting it inside their home. They did not notice the decorative role of the drawings, and made them only in order to convey knowledge, indicate their faith and so on.
In primitive culture, animals were often painted. People depicted on various surfaces of animals or their separate parts. The fact is that the whole life of that time revolved around hunting. And if the miners of the community ceased to bring game, it is unlikely that a person could survive.
There is another feature of cave painting. Primitive artists did not see the proportions. They could draw a huge mountain goat, next to which is a tiny mammoth. Understanding of proportions appeared much later and not in the primitive system. Also, animals were not depicted standing, they were always in motion (running or galloping).
The appearance of artisans
All the achievements of primitive culture can be considered minimal in comparison with what the artisans were able to do. People of that time acted collectively, if they were learning something, they could not reach a high professional level. But with the beginning of agriculture, the situation changed, artisans appeared who spent their entire lives doing one specific thing, honing their skills. So, some made spears, the second got game, the third grew plants, the fourth could heal and so on.
Gradually, people began to think about the exchange. Communities began to take shape not as they used to, when blood ties were the main criterion for choosing a place of residence. Farmers stopped there, where fertile soils, weapons manufacturers - near primitive quarries or mines, potters - where there is strong clay. Hunters never remained in place, they moved depending on the migrations of animals.
In order for each of these communities to receive what it lacks, people began to change things. Some gave away dishes or totem talismans to others, receiving vegetables in return, others exchanged implements for meat. Over time, this was the reason for the formation of cities, and subsequently - full-fledged countries or states.
Periodization
The entire primitive system is divided into several periods. This happens on the basis of materials that were used in the manufacture of tools at one time or another. The first and longest is the Stone Age. It, in turn, is also divided into several stages: Paleolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic. At this time, the formation of man takes place, art, mythology is born, the tool of labor is produced and improved.
After the development of metal, the features of the primitive culture underwent a significant transformation. With the discovery of copper, the Eneolithic, or Copper-Stone Age begins. Now people master crafts and exchange, because for metal processing you need knowledge that was only available to those who had enough time to develop their skills.
After copper, bronze is opened, which virtually immediately displaces copper, since it is much harder. The Bronze Age is coming. The first societies appear where division into classes is noted, but it cannot be argued that this has not happened before. Also around this time the first cities and states formed.
With the discovery of iron and its properties, the Iron Age sets in. Not all tribes of that time could mine and process the indicated metal, so some territories go far ahead in their development. Further, it was impossible to call the primitive era, a new one began, but not all states were able to enter it.
It should be noted that during each period the use of other materials in production is allowed. They received their names only in accordance with the predominance of the raw materials used.
Taylor's Common Thoughts on Primitive Culture
A great contribution to modern knowledge was made by the English ethnographer, who was very interested in primitive culture. Taylor E. B. printed a book in which he described in detail all his thoughts, of course, confirming them with facts. For example, he was one of the first to indicate that societies of that time developed extremely slowly for one simple reason. It is the lack of writing. People did not have the opportunity to accumulate and transmit information in the way that a modern person can do. And everyone learned about something new from their own experience, which, incidentally, was often repeated in another society or community.
There are several suggestions as to why primitive culture developed so slowly. Taylor suggested that this was not only due to a lack of writing. Cavemen learned to live, their experience often became fatal. However, after such sad mistakes, the whole community began to realize that something could not be done. Consequently, the action on the model hindered development, people were simply afraid to try to do otherwise.
Many historians do not share the theory that in
primitive society there was a division into social systems. However, Taylor thought otherwise. Those who improved their ritual knowledge occupied a special position in the community, respected them and often presented them with an additional portion of food or a more convenient and safe dwelling.
Famous work
If we consider such an era as primitive culture, briefly, then we can take as a basis virtually any territory of the planet. This is due to the fact that initially all societies that have ever appeared in the world developed approximately the same. Taylor in his book "Primitive Culture" described many events of that time, and he confirmed his every word with facts, whether archaeological finds or the first mythological writings.
According to Taylor, the primitive culture in modern times is too much underestimated. Moreover, many people today believe that that era was wild. This is true, but only in part. If at the moment a person considers a rough-hewn ax, which helped in hunting for a mammoth, as a product of a clumsy master, then he is hardly thinking about what would happen if the ancient hunter did not take this product in his hands.
The culture of the primitive era is interesting for research. Despite the fact that many scientists paid their close attention to it, there remains an infinite number of unsolved and unproven moments. There are only assumptions and hypotheses. In fact, no one can say for sure that a particular cave painting unambiguously meant a specific event or action. The primitive era is as mysterious as many other things that cannot be explained today, even with modern, ingenious minds and technologies.