The Middle Pleistocene and Neanderthals Flashcards
Homo erectus
Oldest hominin species to be found outside Africa
How does space affect evolutionary forces?
Strongly affected by distance
- Gene flow: the further away two populations are, the lower the chances of reproducing with those individuals SO increased distance results in decrease in gene flow
- ability for species to differentiate (morphologically) from each other because higher frequency of certain alleles (very quickly) which eventually leads to speciation (by dispersion and differences in morphology)
Some population of Homo erectus was likely the common ancestor of Homo sapiens and H. neanderthalensis
Some paleoanthropologists recognize a transitional species between erectus on one hand and the Neanderthals and H. sapiens on the other
- H. heidelbergensis!!!!
Schoningen is an Archaeological site in Germany dated to ca. 400 ka
- This site preserves long wooden spears
- Butchered horses indicate hunting (at least 10)
- Some researchers consider this site to preserve some of the earliest evidence of fire
(charcoal, charred wooden tools, heated flints)
(evidence for hearths is not clear)
As late as ca. 600-500 ka, the Acheulean persists
Late Acheulean
Late Acheulean
Animal bones at late Acheulean sites have many carnivore marks that suggests that those hominins were still scavenging
Lomekwian
3.3 Ma
- associated with australopiths banging rocks together
Oldowan
2.5 - 1.76 Ma
- Associated with earliest Homo
- Understand stone flaking properties
- Simple choppers and flakes, unifacial
Acheulean
1.76 Ma
- defined by the hand axe
- associated with Homo erectus
- bifacial flaking
- end goal: transmitted across millennia (teaching?)
- also associated with a change in the number of associated carcasses at butchery sites
- use of raw materials that are non-local (foresight for tool-making? Mastery of environment?)
H. erectus populations in Europe evolved into . . .
Neanderthals (H. neanderthalensis)
H. erectus populations in Africa evolved into . . .
H. sapiens
Some H. erectus populations in Asia persisted for a very long time while others probably evolved into . . .
Denisovans
The earliest evidence for organized hunting is . . .
ca. 400 ka with “Homo heidelbergensis”
History of Discovery: Neanderthals
La Chapelle-aux-Saints skeleton found in 1908
- first fully described specimen (Marcellin Boule)
- particularly robust male, classic features
- 40 yr old with arthritis
Homo neanderthalensis
Generally thought of as a European species (but also a few present in the Levant and Western Asia)
Classic Neanderthal features
- long, low braincase
- face projecting along midline (receding zygomatics)
- double-arched brow ridges
- large nasal aperture
- suprainiac fossa
- occipital bun
- “en bombe” shape
- no canine fossa
- no chin
- retromolar space
- morphology of the inner ear
Neanderthal ear
low position of the posterior semicircular canal within the inner ear
Accretion Model
Proposes that classic neanderthal features accumulated over a long period of time
- therefore, all of those features would not be expected to be present in the earliest Neanderthals
The glacial/interglacial cycle began in the . . .
Middle Pleistocene with Homo heidelbergensis occupying Europe during interglacials
Characteristics of the Neanderthal post cranium
Difference in overall stockiness
Adaptation to cold environments
- Thermoregulation
- Body’s volume:surface area ratio
Body proportions
- broad trunk
- short distal limb
Neanderthal cranial capacity was actually larger than that of Homo sapiens
Absolute cranial capacity was over 1300 cc
- but their bodies were larger
- thus, relative cranial capacity in Neanderthals was less than Homo sapiens
The Lithic industries that follow the Acheulean are called the Middle Paleolithic in Europe and Middle Stone Age in Africa (MSA)
These industries are characterized by:
- overall less core tools, more flake tools
- handles rare or absent
- the appearance of core preparation
(Levallois technique)
- soft hammer techniques
- lots of retouching
Produces consistent size and shape
- thinner flakes
There are stone tool assemblages dated to ca. 300 ka in Africa that are clearing Middle Stone Age (MSA)
- There are some issues with identifying the earliest MSA
Levallois Technique
Final flake of predetermined size and shape
Middle Paleolithic and MSA assemblages include evidence for . . .
Mounted stone points
Were Neanderthals skilled hunters?
Yes
(groups of Neanderthals would drive large animals off cliffs)
Nitrogen isotopes are used to study . . .
Meat consumption
- the larger the isotope, the higher up the food chain (more meat consumed)
Neanderthals liked cured animal skins . . .
Judging from labial wear of incisors
“Lissoirs”
Specialized tools made from ungulate ribs, that were also probably used to prepare hides
Neanderthals had mastered fire and could make it at will; they used fire to:
- heat flint
- harden spear points
- create adhesive
- warm themselves
- cook food
- ward off predators
- hunt
Consistent hearth location over different occupations
Burniquel Cave
Mysterious ca. 180 ka site where Neanderthals apparently used fire
There is a big debate about whether Neanderthals buried their dead
Spy
- nearly complete, articulated skeleton in cave
Kebara
- ochre in sediment
- previous assertions about wildflower pollen
La Chapelle-aux-Saint
- nearly complete skeleton in divots
The Case for Compassion
Shanidar Cave, Iraq
- partial skeletons of at least 9 individuals
- 4 are argued to be deliberate burials
Shanidar 1: 40 yr old male
- left eye socket crushed (blind?)
- possible second blow to the left side resulted in withering of left shoulder girdle and humerus
- lower arm and hand missing (atrophied? amputated?)
- arthritis in knee
Cannibalism has been suggested for a number of Middle Pleistocene hominins
El Sidron, Spain
- 49 Ka
Remains of multiple individuals
- bones were smashed, butchered, cannibalized
- 12 individuals
Did Neanderthals have language?
- No indisputable evidence
- hyoid is only bone that is associated with the vocal apparatus (chimpanzee-like in afarensis; fully modern in neanderthals)
- can also look at basicranial flexion and attachment of tongue (Neanderthals similar to modern humans)
- genetic evidence (FOXP2 is a gene associated with language capabilities)
The Last Neanderthals
St. Cesaire, France
- 35 ka
Vindija
- 33-32 ka
Anatomically and behaviorally modern humans in Europe by 35 ka
- Did they see each other? Did they interact?
