Prehistory

<!–^~^31|left|First form of French Art: over 12,000 years old!^~^–>The first humans found in France, known as Homo Erectus, are believed to have lived around 950,000 B.C.

<!–^~^32|right|Fact:There are over 4,000 Dolmen (prehistoric sepultures) in France^~^–>At the end of the ice age, around 10,000 B.C., Neanderthal men evolved slowly towards the more settled Neolithic civilizations (4,000-2,500 B.C.). People began to cultivate crops and settle herds, villages started to appear (many villages of today still occupy the same locations as those started then).

The Celts, emerging from Central Europe, settled in Germany and Gaul as early as 2500 B.C. They started to work with iron to make tools and weapons, and lived in well organized societies until 125 B.C., when the Roman Empire began its in the South of France.

950,000- 80,000 B.C. (400,000 B.C. Discovery of Fire)
Homo Erectus