Origins of Modern Humans

Who was our earliest Hominid Ancestor?

• “Lucy”• Australopithecus

afarensis• 3.2 million years ago• Discovered by Donald

Johanson• Ethiopia• Larger brain than ape• Jutting jaw, prominent brow

bones, flared cheekbones• Under 4 ft.• Bipedal• Small social groups• Simple tools• Ate insects, eggs, fruit• NO spoken language

What were the advantages?

•More efficient

•Energy/Calorie savings

•More offspring

Who was Paranthropus boisei?

• 1.9 – 1.5 million years ago

• heavyset, with gorilla-like face

• led by a dominant male whose strength and power holds the group together

• Well adapted to the dry arid conditions

• huge teeth, strong jaws• Ate tough vegetation

like tubers and roots• Became extinct

What were the advantages?

•Well adapted to his environment

Homo habilis (“handy man”)1.9 – 1.5 million years ago

• Africa• 1931-Louis Leakey found

stone tool at Olduvai Gorge

• 1959-more bones found• 1987-partial skeleton

found by Johanson• Larger brain, smaller

back teeth• Apelike arms• 5 ft tall, 100 lbs• Meat eater, scavenger

What were the advantages?

•Bigger brain led to tool use

O what continents did Homo erectus groups migrate after leaving Africa?

What do the migration routes of Homo Sapiens reveal about their survival skills and ability to adapt?

Homo erectus1.8- million – 200,000 years ago

• Africa, Asia, Europe• migrated out of Africa • Evolved into homo sapiens• Large brain• Smooth, round forehead;

single brow ridge; protruding jaw; large back teeth; no chin

• Tall, thin, barrel-chested, narrow pelvis

• Fully upright stance• Flint hand-axes• Controlled fire• Huts made of tree branches• Meat• Possible spoken language

Homo ergaster (Homo erectus too)1.5 -1 million years ago

• Africa• long, modern looking

noses cooled air• hairless bodies, millions

of tiny sweat glands• Bigger brains • complex understanding of

the natural world• expert toolmakers • big brains for

understanding others in their group

Homo heidlebergensis400,000 – 100,000 years ago

• Extinct• Africa, Europe, Asia• may be ancestor to

neanderthalensis• Blended elements of

both neanderthalensis and modern humans

Homo neanderthalensis230,000 – 30,000 years ago

• Europe, western Asia, Near East

• extinct• Larger brain than modern

humans• Bulge at back of skull• Bony brows, jutting face,

heavy jaw, receding chin• Stocky short limbed bodies• Thick, heavy bones and

powerful muscles• Used sophisticated tools• Hunted large animals in

groups• Cared for sick, old, wounded• Made clothing• Simple language

Homo sapiens (“wise man”)130,000 years ago

• Lived at same time as Neanderthal

• Lighter skeleton• Large brain• Smaller teeth• finely crafted and diverse tools• more efficient foraging

strategies• more complex social

organization• the full development of spoken

language• artistic expression• Spiritual beliefs

2 million BC-Early People begin using stone tools

30,000 BC-Stone age people create art

18,000 BC huge glaciers spread across the northern hemisphere

9,000 BC-people settle and grow crops

Controversy

Out of Africa Theory– Homo sapiens started in

Africa and migrated to populate the world

Multiregional Theory

• evolution and diversification of modern homo sapiens took place across a large geographic region that encompassed Africa, Asia, and Europe.

•no single cradle of origin but a "thousand points of light."

What makes us Human?

Unique Human Traits

• self-awareness• meta cognition • “reading” others• morality • collaboration toward

common goals• speech • symbolic cognition• nimble thumbs• conscience • imagination• impulse control• altruism

The Old Stone Age2 million BC-10,000 BC

• Earliest period of human history• Fossil evidence of early hominids found in

East Africa by the Leakeys• Johansson found “Lucy” in Africa• Descendants migrated out of Africa and

throughout the rest of the world

What were the characteristics of the Paleolithic Age?

2 million BCE – 10,000 BCE

• Paleo = “Old” • foraged for food• nomadic• simple tools• built shelters• egalitarian social

groups-2-30 people• genders fairly equal• belief in spiritual

world

What are the characteristics of Hunter/Gatherers?

• small foraging bands

• nomadic• dependent on

environment but adapted to it– -clothing– controlled fire

• simple tools• spoken language

What were the religious beliefs of Paleolithic peoples?

• Animistic• Cave paintings• “Venus” sculptures• Buried the dead

What changed during the Neolithic Period?

Dependency on Natural Resources *Before: Moved with their food supply *After: Water and good soil for crops

Government *Before: Families (male ruled) evolutionary, from family to village to city. *After: Chief with council.

Economy *Before: No real economy *After: Barter system

Technology *Before: Stone tools After: Farming, baking and firing pottery, specialized tools, bronze tools and weapons

What Changed during the Neolithic Agricultural Revolution?

What were the characteristics of the Neolithic Age? • Farming began

– settled into permanent villages

• New skills & tools– Pottery

– Bronze tools & weapons

• Domesticated animals– Dog as

helper/companion

– Cattle, goats sheep pigs

• Selective breeding• Food, fertilizer,

clothing

How did life change during the Neolithic Agricultural Revolution?

• More reliable food supply-less varied

• Population growth• Division of Labor

– Job specialization– Personal property– Conflict? – Cooperation?

Life in Neolithic Communities

• Organized around kinship and marriage

• Clans and lineages basis of land ownership

• Matriarchal• Patriarchal society

Neolithic Culture

• Religion-ancestors-earth-sky• Agriculture-Earth Mother-source of all new life• Male Sky God-all powerful• Burials and ancestor cults (megaliths & ziggurats)

Language Diffusion

Early Towns and Specialists

• Villages grew into towns-farmers

• Centers of trade & craft specialization

• Elaborate houses and temples, food surpluses

Jericho8,000 BCE

• 10 acre settlement-mud houses

• Several thousand people

• Massive stone wall-defense

• 12 feet tall and 6 feet thick

Catal Huyuk7,000-5,000 BCE

• 32 acres-mud houses-elaborately decorated

• No defensive wall-but outer houses had no windows facing outside-effective barrier

• Long distance trade and fine arts and crafts-religious artifacts

What were some new technologies of the Neolithic Agricultural Revolution?

• Calendars• Use animals to plow• Stronger, specialized tools• Weaving cloth• pottery

Is the word “Civilization” problematic?

Characteristics of Civilization

• Advanced cities

• Specialized Workers

• Complex Institutions

• Record Keeping

• Advanced Technology

Advanced Cities: Urbanization

Record Keeping: Literacy

Complex Institutions: Religion

Complex Institutions: Government

Specialized Workers: Social Structure

How did the First Cities Emerge?

• Farmers cultivated land along fertile river valleys

• produced surplus• Population expanded• Villages grew into

cities

Ur: Sumer’s earliest city

Ur: Agricultural Economy

Ur: Urbanization

Ur: Trade

Ur: Temple as Center of City Life

River Valley Civilizations