Download - The culture of early hominids
ANTHROPOLOGY 1(The Culture of the Early Hominids
and the Emergence of Homo Sapiens)Lecture 6
Introduction• Bipedal hominids lived in East Africa about
4 mya
• Hominids are classified in the genus Australopithecus
• some African hominids (2.5 myo) are known as genus Homo.
• The life-style and culture of the hominids from about 4mya were discovered when the first Homo Sapiens may have emerged.
• The trends in hominids evolution was the development of the following:
• bipedal locomotion• Expansion of brain• Modification of female pelvis• Reduction of face, teeth, and jaw
Bipedalism• Nobody knows the exact development of
bipedalism
• Fossil records are very skimpy
• The only basis perhaps are the skeletal anatomy
Bipedalism• The condition of having two feet or of
using only two feet for locomotion
• Appears to be more efficient for long-distance travel
• All theories of the origin of bipedalism are speculative
• Have increased the emerging ability to see predators
• Have facilitated in transferring food
• Efficient in tool use
• Walking – long distance travel
Brain Expansion Australopithecines
• Had relatively small cranial capacity , ranging from about 380 to 530 cm³
• Not larger than chimpanzees
Homo (H. Habilis)• Has cranial capacities which is about 50%
of the brain capacity of humans
Homo Erectus• Which may have appeared about 895 cm³
or about 70% of the brain of modern humans
Australopithecines: • Earliest definite hominids• Fossils were found in East Africa,
Tanzania, Ethopia, and Kenya
• Divided into 4 groups• Australopithecus anamencies• Australopithecus afarencies• Australopithecus africanus• Australopithecus boisei
Homo Erectus: • Was the first hominid species to be
widely distributed in the Old World.
• First example of homo erectus was found in Java and next in China.
• Java in 1891 by Eugene Dubios, a Dutch anatomist (Pithecanthropus erectus- erect ape man)
Physical Features of Homo Erectus: • Has a long, low, and thickly walled skull• Flat frontal area prominent brow ridges• Relatively smaller teeth
• Brain was larger compared to habilis but relatively smaller than the average brain of modern man.
• Prominent projecting nose in contrast to the australopithecines
• Comparable to human today in size
• Tools and artifacts from 1.6 mya were probably produced by H. Erectus
• First to used fire
The Emergence of Homo Sapiens• Modern-looking people evolved 50, 000
years ago
• “modern humans” skeletal resemblances those with humans and recent people
• Domed skull• Chin• Small eyebrows• Brow ridges• Puny skeleton
• Most modern humans are compared with Homo Erectus
• Thinner and lighter bones
• Smaller teeth and jaws
The Transition of Homo Erectus to Homo Sapiens
• Homo Erectus evolved into Homo Sapiens
• Disagree about the classification of fossils
• Maybe earlier or later varieties of the same species
• Fossils with mixed traits• Found in Africa, Europe, and Asia• Cranial capacities of over 1,200 cc • Low forehead• Large brow ridges
• Early definite Homo Sapiens did not look completely like the modern humans
• But were not so different from us• Neanderthals (Valley of Germany)
• Fossils with mixed traits• Found in Africa, Europe, and Asia• Cranial capacities of over 1,200 cc • Low forehead• Large brow ridges
• Early definite Homo Sapiens did not look completely like the modern humans
• But were not so different from us• Neanderthals (Valley of Germany)
• Fossils with mixed traits• Found in Africa, Europe, and Asia• Cranial capacities of over 1,200 cc • Low forehead• Large brow ridges
The Emergence of Modern Humans
The Cro-Magnon• Appear in Western Europe about 35, 000
years ago
• Were once thought to be the earliest species of modern humans
2 Theories about the origin of modern humans
• Single-Origin theory (near East)• Multiregional theory (various place)
2 Period of cultural history• Upper Palaeolithic (Europe, near East , and Asia)• Later Stone Age (Africa)
Upper Palaeolithic (Europe, near East , and Asia)
Preponderance of blades bones and other tools Hunter-gatherers
Lived in highly mobile bands Camps (open cave and rock shelters)
New development and techniques Emergence of art Population growth
New inventions (bow and arrow, spear-thrower and harpoon)
Arts• Shafts of spears and similar objects were
decorated with figures of animals
• Figurines of human females are exaggerated form (Venuses)
• Beads• Curving• Paintings