The Muddle in the Middle Lecture 13

Question 1

Early sites in Europe didn’t have _________ technology. It doesn’t appear until about ______.

Answer 1

Early sites in Europe didn’t have Acheulean technology. It doesn’t appear until about 500kya.

Question 2

When and where were hominins found in Spain?

Answer 2

Atapuerca in Spain (1.2mya).

Question 3

Describe the Atapuerca site in Spain.

Answer 3

1) Lots of bones that belonged to eight individuals

2) Thought it was the ancestor of H. sapiens and H. neanderthalensis, called it H. antecessor

Question 4

There were signs of cannibalism in the Atapuerca. Why might this have been?

Answer 4

The current hypothesis to explain the cannibalism identified at TD6 during the Early Pleistocene is that a group of hominins periodically hunted individuals from another group, focusing mainly on younger or more defenseless individuals.
It mainly involves the consumption of infants and other immature individuals. The human induced modifications on Homo antecessor and deer remains suggest that butchering processes were similar for both taxa, and the remains were discarded on the floor in the same way.

Question 5

What type of tools were found in Pakefield, England?

Answer 5

Mode 1 (Oldowan).

Question 6

How can you tell if a rock has been hit on purpose?

Answer 6

Circles and lines occur when you hit a rock at a certain angle and sends waves of force along the rock.

Question 7

What was found in Happisburgh, England?

Answer 7

Footprints. They eroded away quickly but digital images show the heel, arch and toes of a range of adults and children. Measurement of the prints suggest that their heights varied from 0.9m to over 1.7m.

Question 8

Which species is thought to have made the Happisburgh footprints?

Answer 8

Homo antecessor.

Question 9

Why was Europe colonised so late?

Answer 9

It was cold and skin colour had to be adjusted. to absorb enough UV light for the synthesis of vitamin D (needed to deposit calcium in bones).

Question 10

Ancient DNA shows that the first hunter gatherers in Britain were dark skinned. How did they manage to survive with dark skin?

Answer 10

They probably adjusted their diet (e.g. ate oily fish).

Question 11

When was Homo antecessor around and where?

Answer 11

So far, only found in Europe. 800,000 years before present.

Question 12

When and where was Homo heidelbergensis found?

Answer 12

Approx. 700,000-200,000 years ago.
(Most of middle Pleistocene)

Fossils found in Africa, Europe and Asia.

Question 13

What was the Middle Pleistocene like in terms of climate?

Answer 13

1) Lots of continental glaciers
2) General cooling trend
3) Large swings in temperature (glaciation and interglactiaion)

Question 14

There were at least _____ major and _____ minor glaciations in Europe in the Middle Pleistocene.

Answer 14

There were at least 15 major and 50 minor glaciations in Europe during the Middle Pleistocene.

Question 15

How did the changing climate impact the environment in Africa?

Answer 15

During the cold periods, there was much less precipitation so the Sahara desert was really big - not ideal habitat. So the hominins in Africa had to stay in the suitable parts.

Question 16

How did the changing climate impact the environment in Eurasia?

Answer 16

Glacial periods would restrict the movement of all animals, especially in the north.

During the interglacials all of Europe is available to be occupied. However, after the glacial periods you would get permafrost, making it very difficult for mammals and Homo to live there.

Question 17

Why are lots of hominins found in Spain and Italy?

Answer 17

They are refuges during the glacial periods.

Question 18

Describe features of H. heidelbergensis cranium.

Answer 18

1) Larger brain than H. ergaster
2) More vertical sides of cranial vault.
3) low brow ridges.
4) Quite a prognathic face
5) receding chin
6) Large brains (1200-1300cc)

Question 19

Why do some people think H. heidelbergensis is a species of H. erectus?

Answer 19

They share low cranial vault, receding forehead, prognathic faces and pronounced brow ridge.

Question 20

What is the type specimen of H. heidelbergensis?

Answer 20

The Mauer mandible, found in 1907. Very primitive looking’ small retromolar space and lack of chin. Though posterior teeth are in the modern human range.

600kya

Question 21

Describe the Petralona skull.

Answer 21

1) Found in Greece in 1959
2) 250-670kya
3) Neanderthal-like: double arching brow ridges, non continuous. no canine fossa due to inflated maxillary sinuses.
4) Erectus like too

Some people class it as H. erectus, some class it as H. neanderthalensis and others call it H. heidelbergensis

Question 22

Describe Arago 21.

Answer 22

Found in France (350-400kya)

Very deformed so difficult to compare morphology.

Initially assigned to subspecies of H. erectus, now included in H. heidelbergensis as it shows some traits more typical of Neanderthals.

Date uncertain.

Question 23

Describe bones found in the Sima de los Huesos pit in Atapuerca.

Answer 23

Cave site

430kya

3 complete crania

6 partial crania

1600 other bones representing 28 individuals

Carnivore remains also found there (cave bear and large cats)

Seemed not have been dragged there and few carnivore gnawing marks on them. Probably fell to their deaths.

Question 24

Describe the features of the species found in Sima de los Huesos.

Answer 24

1) Tall, robustly built, body proportions similar to neanderthals.
2) Ear ossicles suggest same auditory range of modern humans. (Adaptation to reception and decoding of speech).
3) Variable cranial capacity: between 1125-1390cc

Called this species H. heidelbergensis

Question 25

What are the neanderthal-like characteristics that the specimens found in Sima de los Hueos had?

Answer 25

Large nasal aperture, retromolar space in mandible.

Evidence of rotational birth as thought to be in neanderthals and modern humans.

Elongated pubic ramus.

Some people think H. heidelbergensis is ancestral to neanderthals due to these traits that are only otherwise found in neanderthals.

Question 26

What are the erectine characteristics that the specimens found in Sima de los Hueos had?

Answer 26

1) Elongated femoral neck and flaring ilia

Question 27

Why do modern humans have a twisted birth canal?

Answer 27

To accomodate a largely encephalised baby.

Question 28

How did the bones end up at the bottom of the cave in Sima de los Huesos?

Answer 28

Theories:

1) Thought the bodies had been thrown down the shaft by other humans and carnivores were drawn to the cave by the smell, got trapped and died
2) The bodies came from the cave system and were washed into that part by a flood (would eplain absense of small bones)
3) Some kind of ritual or burial: most were very young, one piece of stone tool but doesn’t look like it was ever used, all the specimens were put there within a few years of each other

Question 29

When did humans diverge from neanderthals?

Answer 29

Nuclear aDNA shows that they diverged around 550-765 kya (too far back for H. heidelbergensis to have been the common ancestor)

Question 30

Why is H. heidelbergensis not the common ancestor of H. sapiens and H. neanderthalensis?

Answer 30

Genetically, H heidelbergensis were more closely related to Neanderthals than H sapiens, so they were sitting on the branch that had already separated that belonged to Neanderthals

Question 31

Which hominin is the most likely candidate for the ancestor of H. sapiens and H. neanderthalensis?

Answer 31

H. antecessor.

Known from 900,000 year old remains in Spain.

Question 32

Describe the Bodo cranium.

Answer 32

African H. heidelbergensis, potentially.

Primitive face, similar to Erectus but expanded braincase (1250cc)

Associated with Acheulean tools.

Cut marks on skull so the flesh was removed from the bone.

No neanderthal type traits, they aren’t seen in Africa - only Europe.

Could be a speciation event that gave rise to H. heidelbergensis?

640kya

Question 33

Describe the derived traits of Kabwe/Rhodeisan man found on Broken Hill.

Answer 33

1) Large brain size (1280cc)
2) Thinner cranial bones
3) Less angular occipital
4) Face smaller than H. erectus/ergaster
5) Slender cheek bones

Question 34

Describe the primitive traits of Kabwe/Rhodeisan man found on Broken Hill.

Answer 34

1) Massive brow ridges (not continuous, forms distinct bars above each eye)
2) Still has nuchal torus
3) Still has flat and receding forehead

Question 35

What is Rhodesian Man?

Answer 35

Skull discovered in 1921, assigned to Homo rhodesiensis. Found in Broken Hill, Zambia. 200-125kya approx (based on faunal association).

10 Upper teeth had cavities (unusual in non modern humans due to diets low in sugar)

Question 36

Some people thought Rhodesian man was H. heidelbergensis. Why isn’t it H. heidelbergensis?

Answer 36

Not a Homo sapiens or ergaster and doesn’t have any neanderthal-like traits so it can’t be H. heidelbergensis. So they called it Homo rhodesiensis.

Question 37

Describe H. heidelbergensis found in North-East China.

Answer 37

1) Large brain (1200-1300cc)
2) May have co-existed with Homo erectus in this area.
3) Associated with Oldowan tools.
4) Prominent brow ridges

200-260kya

Question 38

Which type of H. heidelbergensis specimens do not resemble neanderthals?

Answer 38

Unlike European specimens, African and Asian H. heidelbergensis do not significantly resemble neanderthals.

Different species? Variation?

Question 39

Why do some people think H. heidelbergensis can’t be a single species?

Answer 39

the specimens assigned to it show a mosaic of primitive and derived characters and large variation both geographically and through time.
Too much variation for a single species? Or too little differences from previous-following specimens to be a species? Is it a chronospecies?

Question 40

Describe the tools of H. heidelbergensis/rhodesiensis.

Answer 40

1) Tool kits are predominantly Acheulean
2) After 300,000 years there’s some limited use of mode 3 tech in some regions (big game hunting with projectile weapons)