When Did the Paleolithic Ice Age Begin?
Almost 3 million years ago, humankind entered the Paleolithic period, the Stone Age, which lasted until the end of the Pleistocene, around 10,000 BCE. Within the Pleistocene, a series of ice ages occurred, with the most well-known being the last ice age and the first ice age episode during the Upper Paleolithic period, between 40,000 to 10,000 years ago.
Though the Paleolithic era began around 3 million years ago, the term 'Pleistocene' didn't come into use until about 2.5 million years ago. This geological epoch, marked by glaciations and ice ages, saw humans using tools for the first time specifically made for tool production.
The Transition and Evolution During the Pleistocene
During the Pleistocene, the Earth experienced about 11 distinct glaciations. The most recent and well-known ice age began around 115,000 years ago and ended approximately 11,500 years ago, giving way to the Holocene, the current warm and wet period. The Pleistocene started about 2.58 million years ago and lasted for 2.36 million years.
The term 'Paleolithic' translates to 'old stone' and was created by archaeologists to describe the earliest stage of human culture. This period likely began with the earliest known stone tool assemblages, possibly crafted by Australopithecines, East Africa's earliest known forebears, approximately 3 million years ago.
A Seamless Understanding in Prehistory
Modern scientific understanding of the prehistoric human era is a collaborative effort involving numerous disciplines such as anthropology, geology, paleontology, geophysics, glaciology, and marine sediment core analysis. These disciplines work in concert to provide a coherent framework for studying and understanding the Paleolithic and Pleistocene periods.
The Last Full Blown Ice Age: A Climatic Journey
The last major glaciation began about 33,000 years ago and reached its peak between 26,500 and 20,000 years ago. The ice age ended primarily by 11,600 years ago. This vast glacial period was punctuated by warm interglacial periods where temperatures were milder than today. In the coldest regions, including Southern England, annual mean temperatures dropped dramatically, often below -3 degrees Celsius due to the ice sheets and cold climate.
At the peak of this ice age, tundra covered regions extended into southern France and Spain, with Mammoths and Reindeer thriving in these cooler climates. The specific ice age episodes and their timing can be refined using Marine Isotope Stages (MIS), which offer detailed time-specific data for archaeological research and climate studies.
Conclusion
Understanding the Paleolithic and Pleistocene periods, including the Paleolithic Ice Age, requires a deep dive into geological and archaeological data. Whether referring to these periods as the 'Pleistocene' or considering the individual ice age episodes and interglacials, understanding the timing and specifics of these climatic events provides crucial insights into our early human history and the natural world.