Chapter 5 Flashcards
Modern humans
a member of the species of Homo Sapiens, which includes all living humans today
Modern Humans Biological Characteristics
- larger brain and globular braincase
- Vertical forehead
- Reduced brow ridges
- Pronounced chin and smaller teeth
- Reduced body mass and a narrow trunk
- Unique pelvis shape
Modern humans first appeared
in Africa between 200,000-100,000 years ago
Fossils in Morocco
pushed the date to 300,000 years ago
Fossils in South Africa
120,000 and 70,000 years ago
Middle Stone Age
earliest modern humans in Africa that date between 300,000-40,000 years ago
Stone tools
much more variation in this period than previous periods
- tang (base to secure to a spear or handle
- finely made bifacial tools for knives or hunting points
- Microliths made of multiple pieces and used for spears and arrows
Bone tools
first, make an appearance in this period
-The Democratic Republic of Congo dates 75,000 years ago (oldest known bone tools ever found)
Stone tool embedded in a bone
provide evidence of hunting (buffalo/cow)
Use of fire
intensive evidence
Shellfish and seal bones
found around water sources (little evidence of marine resources found at Neanderthals sites)
Fish bones and mollusk remains
dating 160,000 years old
some sites as well indicating fishing and expanding of the diet
Blombos Cave Sites
The earliest evidence of a hominin making a pattern comes from South Africa
Ochre (soft red iron-rich rock) date 100,000-77,000 years ago
Painted slab found in Namibia
dated 28,000-26,000 years ago (first stone tools were thought to be part of middle age)
Similarities in Neanderthals and Early Modern humans
- Stone tools were made though prepared core-technology
- There is variability in stone tools
- Evidence exists of hunting and fire use in both
Differences in Early
- Stone tools variability is greater
- Elaborate bone tools exist
- Evidence of fishing and collecting shellfish
- Evidence of artwork
Neanderthals disappeared form Europe
40,000-27,000 years ago
Upper Paleolithic
archaeological period that corresponds to first occupation of Europe by modern humans
Out of Africa Hypothesis
Neanderthals replaced by migrating monder humans
Hybridization hypothesis
interbreed with monder humans as a hybrid and “dissappear” as a separate species
Multi regional hypothesis
Neanderthals to evolve locally into modern humans
Out of Africa
fossil records favor
Neanderthals fossils
do not show modern human traits 36,000 years ago
Challenges the multi-regional hypothesis
there should have been a longer-standing mix of traits
DNA from Neanderthals
1-4% not native to Africa have neanderthals DNA
timing of gene flow of Neanderthal and modern humans
ranges from 86,000-37,000 years ago
Upper paleolithic
40,000-11,000 years ago shows a clear pattern of change in stone tools
- Microliths
- Bone tools
- End-scrapers
- Burins
- Sophisticated points used as light projectiles
- Atlatls (advanced spears)
Human burials
rich ornamentation appear around 28,000 years ago
Oldest piece of mobility art
dates 40,000-36,000 years ago found in Germany and consists of a lion-headed man carved out of ivory (earliest evidence of imagination)
Cave paintings
first commonly protray animals (rarely humans)
Earliest know painting cave
Chauvet Cave in France 38,000-33,000 years ago
HUnting magic?
painting to make the hunt successful or as actul hunting plans
Fertility magic?
to bring about fertility in animal population and/or human populations
Shamans and trances
acting as intermediary between humans and the supernatural realm
Mythogram
metaphysical map or drawing to explain the world
Bodt ornamentation
such a necklaces made of bone beads, pierced animal teeth, and pierced shells also appear in this period
Evidence of clothing
body ornamentation determined by discovery of ancient haed lice, dating to 70,000 years ag, tthat lived mainly in clothing
Housing
hutalso appears and is evidenced by distributions of animal bones and artifacts near hearths that were not sheltered by caves or other natural geographic features
