Life in early hunter-gatherer societies was shaped by the physical environment.Homo sapiens emerged in East Africa between 100,000 and 400,000 years ago.Early human societies, through the development of culture, began the process of overcoming the limits set by the physical environment.The beginning of agriculture, including permanent settlements, was a major step in the advancement of human social organization.Archaeologists continue to find and interpret evidence of early humans and their lives.