How Long Would You Have Survived in the Stone Age?

Marie Hullett

6 Min Quiz

Image: ultramarinfoto / E+ / Getty Images

About This Quiz

About 2.5 million years ago, humans chiseled stone tools and hunted the likes of mammoths, bison and deer. They foraged for berries and consumed plants, roots and grasses that most modern humans have no idea you can eat. As they laid to rest in their bare-bones huts, they probably felt pretty fearful, with reason—you never knew when a saber-toothed tiger or a deadly snake might strike. It perhaps comes as no surprise then that humans lived, on average, to reach just age 25 during this era.

While historians don't know exactly what went on back then, experts have attempted to emulate prehistoric conditions as closely as possible. In fact, about five years ago, a reality TV show called "10,000 BC" sent 20 British people to a remote area of Bulgaria, tasked with depicting what it would have taken to survive in the Stone Age. Modeled after the Mesolithic time period, the people received only some flint, scarce food rations and a couple of basic tools. While they definitely struggled and despaired with consuming insects, gutting boars and generally "making it" in the Stone Age, they still possessed the support, comfort and safety that our ancestors definitely lacked.

So, if you traveled back to the real Stone Age, full of fearsome beasts, poisonous plants and natural disasters, how long would you last? When you take the following quiz, you can find out just how you'd stack up against your bigger, burlier ancestors.

To survive in the Stone Age, you're going to need a weapon to hunt with. Which one will you choose?

A sharpened stick

A polished stone hand ax
A flint spear

A bow-and-arrow

You live near the ocean, so you will also fish for your food. What will you use to snag a salmon?

A sharpened stick

A spear
A net

A harpoon

Stone age people were hunter-gatherers, which means you will also need to forage for the likes of berries, eggs and plants. Which of these plants would you fill up on?

Hemlock and larkspur

Cast-iron plants and orchids
Curly dock and twincrest onion

Young nettles and dandelion

Let's pretend it's 2.5 million years ago, and that you see some dark purple berries on a bush. Do you know how to tell whether they're poisonous?

No idea. I'd probably just eat them anyway. If I have a reaction, I'll try to throw up or something.

No, but I know to test the berry on my forearm, then my gums, then tongue.
I can recognize quite a few poisonous ones, like belladonna and dogwood berries.

If the berry is flat, it sounds like a Pokeweed berry. I probably wouldn't touch it.

Time to build your shelter. What will you construct yours from?

Sticks and stones

Wooden poles, animal skin and bark
A mixture of wood, clay, mud, sticks and hay

Stone and clay

Food is scarce today, so you're going to need to find some prey unless you want your stomach to grumble all night. Fortunately, you observe a mammoth far off in the distance. What do you do?

Shrug and look for some berries.

Run down and see if I can strike it with my bow and arrow.
Grab a few others to try to take it down with bow and arrows and spears.

Recruit all the other tribe members to attempt to strike it from a distance. Don't approach it until it collapses, at which point we can go in for the kill.

I'm starving. How will you prepare the meat you hunted for us without cutlery, a stovetop or oven?

Just dig in. I like my meat rare!

I'll probably ask someone more qualified to cook it. I hunted it, after all.
Cook it over a wood fire and dig in.

Cut it up with sharpened stones and cook it over a wood fire surrounded by stones.

Let's say you didn't catch any fish or hunt any game today, and you can't seem to find any fruit, eggs, edible plants or nuts. What will you munch on?

Nothing

The inner bark of pine, elm and black spruce trees
Sea urchins

Beetles, grasshoppers, crickets—there's still plenty to feast on!

Yikes. More problems. Your community's spring seems to have gone dry, and you're struggling to find water. What do you do?

Hope that someone else knows what to do

Collect morning dew with cloth
Chisel a large bowl from stone and pray for rain

I dig an underground sill, go search for water and in the meantime, crush up water from plants.

Ah, a wolf is approaching! How do you react?

Awww. Pet it!

Throw it a scrap of meat and back off. Time to domesticate this beautiful creature, am I right?
Sing and make noise while turning away cautiously.

Back away slowly while keeping my eyes peeled for others.

In general, how well would you say that you cope with stress?

Even the thought of stress makes me stressed!

I'm all right when it comes to stress.
I'm pretty good with stress. Sometimes I just need to take a few deep breaths to relax and think clearly again.

I can pretty much handle anything that comes my way while remaining calm, even in a completely unexpected circumstance.

The others in your tribe are really irritating you. Some are lazy; others are taking more than their fair share of the food. You just want to spend some time alone. What do you do?

Ditch 'em. I don't need them!

I'll admit, I'll probably start a fight.
Just try to ignore the problem. It's for the best.

Talk with them and set rules in place so that the food rations and workload remains fair.

Brrrr, it's starting to get chilly. What clothes will you fashion when temperatures drop?

Nothing. I would rather die than wear a dead animal.

A cape fashioned from feathers
Wool

Animal hides and furs

Oh, great. Maggots and fly eggs infested your winter coat of hide. What do you do?

Ewww, probably cry

Remove the maggots and eggs and hope for the best
Look for some new clothes

Remove the maggot and eggs, then tan the hide by soaking it in an oak stump and smoking it over the fire.

Wow, the world's largest primate to ever live, the 10-foot tall and 1,100 pound Gigantopithecus, is coming right toward you. What do you do?

Scream and run. Fast!

Make a lot of noise and try to make myself appear larger so as to intimidate it
Remain calm and make myself small. If the gorilla attacks, fight back with my flint arrowhead

Avoid eye contact, crouch down and remain quiet until the gorilla loses interest. If it attacks, I pretend to "groom" it while smacking my lips.

Today is not your day. Now the prehistoric short-faced bear begins to bumble toward you. It may move slowly right now, but the bear can outrun a grizzly, reaching speeds of up to 40 miles per hour—all on its hind legs. So, how do you react?

Again, run! AAAHHHH!

Remain calm and crouch down. Act submissive.
Speak in a low, calm voice as I back away slowly

Raise my arms up high, avoid looking frightened, speak softly and back away very carefully

Oh no. The bear becomes increasingly aggressive and charges you. What do you do?

Curl up in a ball and cry

Play dead
Shield my face and heart with my arms, but avoid showing fear

Make a lot of noise and focus on striking the face and muzzle if it attacks

Yawn. After an exhausting day, it's time to settle down for some shuteye. By the way, what's your bed made from?

Dirt

Sticks
Leaves

Grasses and straw

During the cold winter nights, you will need to try to keep your fire going through the night. Do you know how?

Um, I don't even know how to start a fire, let alone keep one going.

Using a huge log usually does the trick.
Create a pyramid-style fire

Create an oven-like structure with mud, clay and stone

Oh no, your mattress keeps getting infested by bugs. How do you react?

I'll just sleep on the dirt, thanks! Really, what's the difference?

Cuddle up next to someone
Burn it a bit to kill off the bugs. Then pile more bedding on top, which actually will make it warmer and cushier. I know there are plants that repel insects, but I wouldn't be able to identify them.

Weave the river wild quince or another plant that repels insects into a new mattress

It takes about an hour on foot to reach an area rife with edible burdock roots. These roots are tasty, but not very calorie-dense. When and for how long do you trek out to dig them up?

Yeah, never. Not doing that.

Once a day for an hour or so. I imagine it gets pretty boring.
Maybe a few times a week and dig as much as I can for a few hours

Once a week. Then I'll spend all day digging them up.

Let's say you'd like to make some beer or tea in the Stone Age, perhaps to make life a little more interesting. Do you know how?

No idea

I thought you needed yeast to ferment beverages, so I'm not entirely sure.
I think so. I don't know how long it would take, though, or whether I could fashion a suitable container.

Yes, I could ferment these beverages back in the day no problem.

OK, you've caught a boar, and it's time to clean out its intestines and stomach. Do you know the ropes?

Ewww, I'd rather not.

Not really, but I'm sure I could manage.
I mean, I've prepared, cleaned and cooked other animals, so, sure. I've got this.

Absolutely. Bring on the boar.

Sure, most of your prehistoric life is focused on survival, but that doesn't mean it has to be totally artless. In fact, Stone Age peoples created plenty of cave paintings. Do you know how to concoct a paint derived from nature?

Nope

Maybe I could figure it out, but I don't really think I'd be the local tribal artist, anyway.
I think I could make a paint from clay at least.

Sure. Ochre, umber, sienna, you name it.

Speaking of art, evidence suggests that cave people wore necklaces, bracelets and other jewelry from the likes of shells, bones and tusks. Do you think you could liven up your appearance with organic materials?

No. I don't think I can liven up my appearance without online shopping, actually.

Possibly, although the idea doesn't interest me much.
OK, why not. What else was there to do?

Sure! I love to make jewelry.

Poof. Your smartphone, laptop, internet, running water, electricity—when you wake up tomorrow, all of that will be gone. How will you manage?

Um, I won't.

Pretty poorly, to be honest. In this day and age I don't know who could possibly fare well.
I won't love it, but I'll manage just fine.

Honestly, I got this! It sounds like an exciting challenge.

Now, let's talk about the not-so-distant past. Were you ever a Boy Scout, Girl Scout or Brownie?

No. I've never even been camping!

Not for long. I hated it.
No, but I still learned some of the ropes of the great outdoors.

Yeah, for years

OK, do you even like nature?

I mean, I like nature documentaries?

I like the occasional long stroll through the park or hike in the woods, but I also love my bed.
Yeah, I'm pretty big on hiking, camping and all that.

Yes! I'd love to live completely in nature.

Let's discuss your skill set. Do you possess any carving skills?

Nope. Zero interest.

No, but I feel like I could figure it out pretty easily.
I know a little about wood carving.

I know how to carve wood and stone.

Whether you love the practice or hate it, have you ever been hunting?

No way

Once
A few times

Yes, many times

7 Minute Quiz 7 Min

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