Chapter 12 Neanderthals and Archaic Homo sapiens

Early Archaic H. Sapiens A Review of Middle Pleistocene evolution Middle Pleistocene Culture Neanderthals: Late Archaic H. Sapiens Culture of Neanderthals Genetic Evidence Evolutionary Trends in the Genus Homo

Early Archaic Homo sapiens

Homo erectus continued to evolve as transitional forms between Homo erectus and Homo sapiens sapiens.

All Middle Pleistocene specimens are classified within the species Homo sapiens.

There is variation within and between samples of these hominids and they are geographically widely dispersed.

Middle Pleistocene Culture: Levallois technique

Tool making technique for controlling flake size and shape invented by the archaic Homo sapiens in Africa and Europe.

Required several coordinated steps suggesting increased cognitive abilities in archaic Homo sapiens.

Middle Pleistocene Culture

Dwellings included caves, open-air sites and temporary structures.

Chinese archaeologists insist that sites contain evidence of human-controlled fire.

Many different food sources including fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and bird eggs.

Neandertals:Late Archaic H. sapiens

Classified H. sapiens, they are like us, yet different.

Brain size larger than that of H. sapiens today. Cranium was large, low and bulging at the

sides. France, 1908 - Nearly complete skeleton was

found surrounded by tools and animal bones.

Neandertal Culture: Settlements

Improved on the previous Levallois techniques by inventing a new variation.

Lived in open sites, caves and rock shelters. Fire was used for cooking, warmth, light, and

keeping predators at bay. Some indication of specialization of tools.

Neandertal Culture: Subsistence

After the beginning of the Upper Paleolithic the spear thrower was invented.

Besides meat, Neandertals ate berries, nuts and other plants.

Due to the bitter cold of the last glacial period, it is assumed that Neanderthals wore simple clothing.

Neandertal Culture: Symbolic Behavior

Consensus is that Neandertals were capable of articulate speech.

Neanderthals deliberately buried their dead. Burials contained grave goods (stone tools,

animal bones and flowers) and graves were covered with stone slabs.

Evolutionary Trends in the past 2 million years

Early Homo to Homo erectus Homo erectus into early Homo sapiens Archaic Homo sapiens to anatomically modern

Homo sapiens

Three Taxonomic Issues

Classification of fossils in “archaic Homo sapiens" is imprecise, since this group is ill-defined.

Several early archaic specimens show derived features different from Homo sapiens.

Neanderthals are viewed by many researchers as representing the species, Homo neanderthalensis.