test 1 Flashcards
what is anthropology
The study of modern and ancient
human CULTURE and BIOLOGY
what is culture
“A uniquely human means of nonbiological adaptation; a
repertoire of learned behaviours
for coping with the physical and
social environment”
Culture (broadly) and culture
(=society)
➢ culture is our non-biological
means of adapting to and
making sense of our physical
and social environments
➢ protocultural behaviours
➢ tool use
➢ language
physical anth or bioanthropology
the study of human biology
and their evolution including
primate relatives
l
linguistic anthropology
the study of the origin and
development of human
language
The study, interpretation and
comparison of ancient writings
The influence of language on
human behavior and culture
cultural anthropology
the study of extant cultures
tool use
ability to manipulate
tools is related to
bipedalism and
complex brain
➢ language allows us to
convey detailed and
elaborate knowledge
when passing on
cultural practices
➢ to examine origins of
cultural behaviour must look at material
evidence and
biological indicators of
culture
➢ problem: incomplete
record
The Herto fossil (160-154 kya)
The oldest known fossils clearly
ascribed to the Homo sapiens
were found at the Herto site:
australopithecines
earliest hominid ancestors, by 4
mya
➢ South and East Africa
➢ Australopithecus anamensis,
Kenya, 4 mya
➢ Laetoli footprints, Tanzania, 3.6
mya
➢ Australopithecus afarensis
➢ bipedal, small brains (400 cc),
probably vegetarians
➢ A. afarensis was probably
ancestral to the genus Homo
homo habilis
➢ earliest member of genus Homo
➢ 2.5 mya – 1.6 mya in East and
South Africa
➢ Oldowan tools – earliest human
tools, beginning of Lower
Paleolithic
➢ cranial capacity 640 cc
homoergaster/erectus
➢ H. ergaster is a form of H. erectus
that evolved in Africa
➢ evolves from H. habilis in East
Africa by 1.75 mya and
disappears 150 kya
homo ergaster
➢ 1.75 mya-150 kya
➢ cranial capacity 1000 cc
➢ language?
➢ hunting?
acheulean hand axe
➢ associated with H.
erectus/H. ergaster
➢ evolves from
Olduwan pebble
tools
➢ first occur 1. 5 mya in
Africa, W. and central
Europe and Asia
➢ a multi-purpose tool:
chopping pounding
plants, cutting meat,
boring holes,
weapons
homo ergaster migrations
➢ first hominid to leave Africa, after 1.75 mya
neanderthals
➢ EUROPE AND NEAR EAST
➢ 130,000 – 35,000 BP
➢ WÜRM GLACIAL
➢ KAFZEH, ISRAEL MODERNS AT 90 KYA,
NEANDERTHALS AT 60 KYA
➢ MODERN HUMANS IN AFRICA 200 KYA,
ASIA 100 KYA
upper palaeolithic
➢ 40,000 to 12,000 BP
➢ explosion of art and technology
➢ anatomically modern humans
