Final answer:
The Paleolithic Age, or Old Stone Age, dates from about 3.3 million years ago to 12,000 years ago and is marked by the use of simple stone tools by early humans. It includes the creation of language, art, and the refinement of tool-making techniques. This age is distinct from the New Stone Age, which is associated with the beginnings of agriculture.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Paleolithic Age, known as the Old Stone Age, is a significant period in human history spanning from approximately 3.3 million years ago to around 12,000 years ago. During this era, humanity's distant ancestors began using simple stone tools, marking the start of technological development and human culture.
This age predates the advent of agriculture and domestication of animals, which are characteristics of the subsequent Neolithic Age or New Stone Age. The use of stone, wood, bone, and other organic materials like leather and vegetable fibers for tool-making is characteristic of this period. Although many organic tools have not survived, stone tools, known as paleoliths, are the primary archaeological evidence we have from this era.
We attribute the creative accomplishments of humanity, such as the development of language, art, and the mastering of fire, to the Paleolithic period. This was also the time when Homo sapiens began their global migrations. The Paleolithic Age is divided into three periods: the Lower Paleolithic, Middle Paleolithic, and Upper Paleolithic, with the latter period being known for the emergence of advanced tools and art forms, like cave paintings and Venus figurines.