Human Bio Ch 13 Flashcards
What were the cranial capacities of the hominins?
Australopithecus afarensis (lucy) - 430 cm 3
Australopithecus africanus - 457 cm 3
Paranthropus robustus - 542 cm 3
Homo habilis - 590 cm 3
Homo erectus - 1004 cm 3
Homo neanderthalensis - 1485 cm 3
Homo sapien 1350 cm 3
What are the features of the Australopithecus afarensis?
3.9 2.8 million years ago (east africa)
Height: 110 cm (females) 150 cm (males)
Brain: 430 cm 3
Skull: low and sloping forehead, prominent brow ridges, short sagittal crest in males
Teeth and jaw: prognathic jaw, small canine teeth, diastema present
Limbs: Big toe not opposable long arms but shorter than legs, long curved fingers and toes, features for bipedalism
Pelvis: short and wide pelvis.
What are the features of Australopithecus africunus?
3.2 - 2 million years ago (southern africa)
Height: 110 cm (females) 135 cm (males)
Brain: 480 cm 3
Skull: slightly arched forehead, smaller brow ridges
Teeth and jaw: prognathic jaw, shorter and smaller incisors and canines, large molar and premolars and no diastema
Limbs: big toe not opposable, long arms but shorter than legs, some curvature of the finger and toe bones, features for bipedalism
Pelvis: short and wide pelvis, less rounded than in modern humans.
What are the features of Paranthropus robustus?
- 1.8 - 1.2 million years ago
- Females height is 1 m and males is 1.2 m
- Cranial capacity 520 cm 3
- Large sagittal crest for attachment of chewing muscles
- Very large molars and premolars, with small incisors and canines by comparison
- Prognathism, although less than australopithecines
- Wide dish-shaped face with large zygomatic arches (cheek bones)
- Heavy brow ridges
- Structures for bipedalism.
What are the features of Homo habilis?
- 2.3 - 1.5 million years ago
- Females height is 110 cm and males it 130 cm
- Cranial capacity is 590 cm 3
- Rounder skull
- Small brow ridge
- Central foramen magnum
- Moderate prognathism
- Teeth arranged in a rounder arch
- Relatively short legs and long arms
- Slightly curved finger bones, indicating a strong power grip
- Able to form a precision grip.
What are the features of Homo erectus?
- 1.6 million - 250 000 years ago
- First species to use fire
- Height ranging from 145 cm - 185 cm
- Cranial capacity of 1050 cm 3
- Short, stocky body with thicker bones suggesting a demanding lifestyle
- Low, sloping forehead
- Defined brow ridges
- Large thick jaw with no chin however was suggesting that one was beginning to form
- Reduced size of molars
What are the features of Homo neanderthalensis?
- 28 000 - 300 000 years ago
- Females height 156 cm and males 168 cm
- Cranial capacity of 1485 cm 3
- Shorter and more robust than modern humans, wider shoulders
- Long and low brain case, occipital bun as the back of the skull, thick brow ridges, receding forehead with elongated skull, flared zygomatic arches, depression at back of skull for neck muscle attachment
- Larger and more robust prognathic jaw, lacking a chin, larger teeth
- Thick, shorter limbs with large joints
- Wider pelvis
- Barrel shaped rib-cage
What are the features of Homo sapiens?
- 300 000 years ago to present day
- Females height 160 cm and males 175 cm
- Cranial capacity 1350 cm 3
- Short slender trunks and long limbs
- The skull has a short base and a high brain case
- Short jaw, boney chin and small teeth
- Long legs compared to arms and straight finger and toes
- Broad and shallow pelvis
- Less barrel shaped rib-cage.
What are oldowan tools?
2.6 - 1.7 million years ago
A very simple tool made by removing several flakes from a stone used by, Australopithecines and Homo habilis. Would be used for skinning animals, chopping up meat, breaking bones, crushing plants and digging up edible plant roots.
What are acheulian tools?
1.7 million - 200 000 years ago
A type of hand axe that was flaked all around the edges, first in one direction and then in another, until it formed a roughly 2-faced lump, which is teardrop in shape, used by Homo erectus. Helped in making fire, butcher and skin animals, cut wood or other plant materials.
What are mousterian tools?
200 000 - 40 000 years ago
A tool characterised by a careful preparation of stone core from which a large number of flaked could be removed, used by Homo neanderthalensis. Uses the Levallois technique (process of producing a flake from a stone core) and the flake tools could also be used to be joined onto a handle, spear or arrow in a process called hafting.
What are aurignacian tools?
43 000 - 26 000 years ago
The tool culture of stone, bone and antler, used by Homo sapien. Blade tools and were made by removing long, flat edges from the core stones, easy to handle and effective in cutting.
What are solutrean tools?
22 000 - 19 000 years ago
The stone tool culture characterised by pressure flaking stone to produce beautifully made willow-leaf and laurel-leaf points, used by Homo sapien. More decorative and ornamental, a symbol rather than a tool.
What are magdalenian tool?
18 000 - 12 000 years ago
A prehistoric culture known for a predominance of bone and antler over flint and stone tools and for the works of art they produce, used by Homo sapien. Was a tool used to make other tools, used as fine needles, barbed spear points and spear throwers, artwork and statues.
What are the main trends in tools overtime?
- Increased manipulation of materials
- increased complexity of tools
- Greater variety of materials being used to make tools
- Improved workmanship and development of equipment needed to manufacture the tools
- Increased specialisation of tools.
