ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Western Civilization through Muslim Eyes Part 1: Physiognomy of the West Genesis of Human Life and Civilization The very advance in scientific research into the origins of life on this planet pushes the date of its first appearance further back into remoter ages while increasing the riddles to unravel and the puzzles to solve.

Despite the comparatively recent appearance of human life proper—an infinitesimal fraction of the period for which the planet has nourished living matter —much uncertainty obscures the etiology of its production. Nonetheless, scientists and paleontologists have, by excavations and the discovery of artifacts, corn and other relics of human handicraft, been able to trace the course of man's upward progress through a series of stages in history thus: 1.

Paleolithic : marked by the use of simple weapons to kill animals in self-defense or for food: stones, sticks and similar hunting tools: savagery and brutishness in constant fear of the beasts: use of caves and holes in the earth as shelter from voracious carnivores and from the dark. Primacy went to the most capable hunter: all human effort was bent to the conquest of foes— whether hostile nature or animals or humans. 2.

The Later Paleolithic : man's first step up from the use of existing objects as tools was to fabricate for himself, e.g. by binding a stick to a stone to make a hammer, or manufacturing a sharp edge by percussion of flints; from which he was led on to the discovery of the art of kindling a fire; and so to the cooking of food; and the overcoming of night and dark. Long centuries were spent on this series of developments until the Paleolithic stage was finally surmounted, and: 3.

The Neolithic Age : saw manifold and varied changes in human living. Artifacts were still made of stone and wood, but the crude clumsy devices of the Paleolithic were replaced by beautifully regular, exact and polished tools. Huts were made to live in, woven wood plastered with mud. Mud was molded into crocks and pots, dried first in the sun and later on the fire. Crops were grown and the soil cultivated in primitive fashion; certain animals were domesticated.

Man learnt which grains to sow for food, which trees to protect for fruit and timber. He invented the bow and arrow and so rid himself of some types of dangerous beast; and spears to catch fish. Arrowheads, spears and axes were still of sharpened stone.