Painting on Hunting/Gathering Activities

This is the first of my paintings forming a mini-series showing different eras of human society from pre-hisoric to modern times. The title of this first painting is 'Hunting/Gathering'. Also shown is the write-up placed in the exhibition brochure.



This first hunting/gathering era stretched for a very long time, from the very beginning of hominid history, for millions of years until the last 10,000 to 12,000 years when other types of societies evolved.

Within this long era. a modern type of humans evolved at around 100,000 years ago. They were more intelligent and were better able to communicate among themselves. They gradually accumulated a number of useful tools and practices, and most importantly domesticated fire. Fire set human apart from other animals, giving them some control over the cycles of day and night and more freedom of movement. It also strengthened relationship networks within societies. Small communities could be formed although life was still nomadic.

Advances in language especially the use of simple symbol systems occurred at the same time that homo sapiens developed. There could be some simple economic activities. Gradually there were less hunting and more gathering by women.