Ch. 2, 3 & 4 Flashcards
Geological time period : Circa 5 m.y.a - 10 m.y.a
1st ancestors emerged
The pleistocene
Series of glaciations and interglactions
Ice glaciers
interglactions are times between ice ages
1st step : Genetic variation occurs within populations (through migrations etc)
2nd step : Natural selection & other forces of evolution act upon the genetic variation
Two Steps to Evolution
Played some genetic role in our evolution.
Can be our direct ancestor or cousin
Hominids
Plio-pleistocene are fossil forms
From around 6/5 m.y.a to 1 m.y.a
Pleistocene Hominids
A fossil is classified as a hominid if it shows?
Bipedality
We differ from apes in the size of our
Brain
Apes = 400 - 500 c.c.
Humans 1,350 - 1,400 c.c.
- Number of Species
- DNA
- Brain Size
- Sociability
- Language and Facial Expressions
- Diet
- Sex
- Walking Upright
- Eyes
- Tool use
Ape & Human Comparison
Two forms of Australopithecine fossils
Gracile forms = Graceful
Robust = Bigger forms
Lucy is from how many m.y.a. ?
3.5 m.y.a.
female Australopithecus afarensis
Lucy
is a form of terrestrial locomotion where an organism moves by means of its two rear limbs or legs. An animal or machine that usually moves in a bipedal manner is known as a biped
Bipedalism
Core
Large semi-hard rock used to create tools
Hammerstone
Large very hard rock used to manipulate the core
flake
slice of rock taken from the core after the hammerstone strikes the it
Biface
A type of prehistoric stone tool flaked on both faces or sides
An absolute dating technique based on the principle of the decay of the radioactive isotope of carbon, used to date archaeological materials within the past 40,000 years
Radiocarbon dating
And absolute dating technique based on the principle of the K of the radioactive isotope of potassium, used to date materials ranging in age from 500,000 years old to the age of the oldest rocks in the universe. Also called ________________
potassium argon dating
Homo Habilis
Handy Man
East Africa 2.2 m.y.a. - 1.6 m.y.a.
Homo Habilis Brain Size?
600 - 800 c.c.
The Olduwan tools were made by who because of their brain size
Homo Habilis
1.6 m.y.a. to 300,000 years ago
Homo erectus
possessed modern human-like body proportions with relatively elongated legs and shorter arms compared to the size of the torso. These features are considered adaptations to a life lived on the ground, indicating the loss of earlier tree-climbing adaptations, with the ability to walk and possibly run long distances. Compared with earlier fossil humans, note the expanded braincase relative to the size of the face.
Homo erectus
100,000 - 30,000
Homo Sapiens Neanderthalensis
are our closest extinct human relative. Some defining features of their skulls include the large middle part of the face, angled cheek bones, and a huge nose for humidifying and warming cold, dry air. Their bodies were shorter and stockier than ours, another adaptation to living in cold environments. But their brains were just as large as ours and often larger - proportional to their brawnier bodies.
Homo Sapiens Neanderthalensis
is in a region of southern china noted for its hilly valleys with numerous cave systems
700,000 - 200,000 years ago
Zhoukoudian
(i) they are confined to Polar Regions like Antarctica and Greenland.
(ii) They are thick ice sheets.
(iii) They are extensive and cover a large area and may extend up to 5000 km.
(iv) Their movement is extremely slow.
(v) They move due to pressure.
(vi) They break off at the edge of the continents and these big blocks float as icebergs in the sea.
Continental Glacier
(i) Mountain Glaciers are confined to high altitudes, i.e., the Mountains.
(ii) They are not as extensive as the continental glacier.
(iii) They are like tongues of ice moving down the valley.
(iv) They are shorter in length (not exceeding 100 km.).
(v) Their movement, though slow, is slightly faster than the continental glacier. Their movement is faster at the centre than at the sides (due to friction at the sides).
(vi) They move due to gravity and pressure.
(vii) When they melt at lower altitudes they give rise to perennial rivers, e.g., the Ganga and the Yamuna.
Mountain Glaciers
We all have the same number and type of teeth but they are shaped differently
pleistocene hominids characteristics
The Oldowan is the oldest-known stone tool industry. Dating as far back as 2.5 million years ago, these tools are a major milestone in human evolutionary history: the earliest evidence of cultural behavior. Homo habilis, an ancestor of Homo sapiens, manufactured Oldowan tools.
olduwan pebble choppers
Reports of handaxe discoveries span an area extending from southern Africa to northern Europe and from western Europe to the Indian sub-continent.
Acheulean stone tools are the products of Homo erectus, a closer ancestor to modern humans. Not only are the Acheulean tools found over the largest area, but it is also the longest-running industry, lasting for over a million years. The earliest known Acheulean artifacts from Africa have been dated to 1.6 million years ago.
acheulian hand axe
__________ is a name given by archaeologists to a style of predominantly flint tools (or industry) associated primarily with Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis) and dating to the Middle Paleolithic, the middle part of the Old Stone Age.
Mousterian
is a name given to the continuous geographic trench, approximately 6,000 kilometres (3,700 mi) in length, that runs from Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley in Asia to Mozambique in South Eastern Africa.
The Great Rift Valley
Ausrtalopithencines are found earliest in east Africa in the _______ ______ _______
The Great Rift Valley
Tools made by just going with unplanned blueprints
opportunistic tools
The species exhibits a combination of human and chimpanzee like features. Since the initial discovery, labels have been found us just that this earliest ancestor likely walked on two legs.
Ardipithecus
discovered in the 1990s
Ardipithecus`
The brain size was 880 c.c.
Turkana Boy or Nariokotome Boy
The boy was 5’3”
Turkana Boy or Nariokotome Boy
Excavations began in 1983, first hominids found in 1991
Damanisi Stie, Georgia
Six hominids were found
Damanisi Stie, Georgia
Spain
Gran Dolina
Ancient cave opening exposed when railroad bed cut through area
Gran Dolina
Collectively known as Atpureca region
Gran Dolina and Sima de los Huesos
Over 25 different animal species (horses, bison, rhinoceros…)
Gran Dolina
250,000 years old, pit of bones (cave bears and archaic humans)
Sima de los Huesos
New DNA
Some euro peasants = Neanderthal
Some SE Asians = Denisovans
A third new genetic ancient population
Denisovans
The explosion of Cultural Evolution
- Migrations
- Tool kits
- Population increase and Evidence of Resource Specialization
- Symbolic Complexity Increases Dramatically
M
T
P
S
- Migrations
- Tool kits
- Population increase and Evidence of Resource Specialization
- Symbolic Complexity Increases Dramatically
- Migrations
- Tool kits
- Population increase and Evidence of Resource Specialization
- Symbolic Complexity Increases Dramatically
M
T
P
S
is the setting of a complex of caves in southwestern France famous for its Paleolithic cave paintings. The original caves are located near the village of Montignac, in the department of Dordogne. They contain some of the best-known Upper Paleolithic art. These paintings are estimated to be 17,300 years old.[3] They primarily consist of images of large animals, most of which are known from fossil evidence to have lived in the area at the time.
Lascaux Cave
Lascaux Cave
is the setting of a complex of caves in southwestern France famous for its Paleolithic cave paintings. The original caves are located near the village of Montignac, in the department of Dordogne. They contain some of the best-known Upper Paleolithic art. These paintings are estimated to be 17,300 years old.[3] They primarily consist of images of large animals, most of which are known from fossil evidence to have lived in the area at the time.
Relating to or being an early form or subspecies of Homo sapiens, anatomically distinct from modern humans. Neanderthals in Europe and Solo man in Asia are usually classed as archaic humans.
archaic homo sapiens
____________ contends that after Homo erectus left Africa and dispersed into other portions of the Old World, regional populations slowly evolved into modern humans. This model contains the following components:
The Multiregional Continuity Mode
____________ asserts that modern humans evolved relatively recently in Africa, migrated into Eurasia and replaced all populations which had descended from Homo erectus
Out of Africa Model
Lowering of sea level-exposure of shallow continental shelves along coastlines. Barriers to movement, or creating new land to allow migration (implications for sight detection)
Effects of glaciation
