ANTHROPOLOGY Flashcards
what is evolution?
change in a species’ characteristics over generations (the process of natural selection)
what are the details of one pre-modern human hominid?
Homo Heidelbergensis, discovered in 1908, in Germany near the towns Heidelberg and Mauer. Homo Heidelbergensis had a larger braincase, brow ridge, and flatter face than older humans. They were the first humans to hunt large animals regularly, also the first early humans to build shelters. Scientists found remains of what they think is a human ritual from approx. 400000 years ago in Spain. They discovered the skeletons of approximately 30 Homo Heidelbergensis bodies at the bottom of a pit. ‘Pit of Bones’. Heidelbergensis were the first early human to live in a colder climate, their overall short and wide bodies was an adaptation that was strategically developed for conserving body heat. Heidelbergensis lived in the times of early fire and tool use. Homo Heidelbergensis existed 800,000 to 100,000 years ago.
What made this hominid successful?
tool use & evolution
Settling into Culture: explain the impact of Government & domesticating animals
Domestication of Livestock: No longer have to hunt, can bring food with us, gave us other goods (eggs, milk, wool). Used for transportation, farming, labour work.
Law and Government: Created order, made a system (democracy & others), keep us safe. Establish justice, insure domestic peace, provide for the common and secure blessings of liberty.
What are the details of two of the primates we looked at?
Baboons: Omnivores, live in savannas and tropical forests. Most of their time is spent on the ground. Troops up to 300 led by dominant male. Don’t have a mating season and go at it all year. Their butts will swell as a message saying ‘I’m open for business!’ Lead male may hoard females; this is called consortship. They have 10 different vocalizations.
Gorillas: Folivers, live in troops with ~3 females, their offspring and a male or two. Female gorillas change troops to avoid inbreeding. Habitat varies from submontane to montane forests. 98% DNA matches with humans. Mothers take responsibility of offspring. Western & Eastern gorillas are very different.
How do they compare to humans? How are they different? (Primates)
Can both use tools and communicate through vocalizations, some can mate all year round like us and some share almost all of our genes.
What can primates teach us about us?
how we evolved
What is a rite of passage?
A ceremony/event marking an important stage in someone’s life
the three stages of a rite of passage
Stage 1: Removed from society to learn what is required.
Stage 2: Transition, going through the ceremony itself.
Stage 3: Reintegration, brought back to the group in your NEW role.
Describe one of the rites of practice we looked at in class
Papua New Guinea Crocodile Skin: Boys acceptance as men. The crocodile plays a significant part in the Papua New Guinea culture it is believed the reptiles came from the Sepik River and became humans. Slits are made in boys’ skin then clay and tree oil are inserted into the cuts
Stage 1: the boys of the tribe are taken to a spirit house and kept for six weeks before the
initiation.
Stage 2: tribal leaders make deep incisions across their bodies the boys then stretch out in
front of a fire so smoke can blow into the cuts, while clay and tree oil is inserted into the
lesions to help them maintain their raised scale shape.
Stage 3: a celebration takes place where the boys don headdresses and jewellery.
