Peopling of the Earth

Beginnings to 4000 B.C.E.From Early Humans…

to homo sapiens…

Where did early humans originate?

Out of Africa

-3-4 million years ago

What were early humans capable of?

-walked upright

-hunted animals and gathered berries, plants, insects

-developed tools

-discovered and used fire

-lived in social groups

Homo sapiens(that’s us!) evolved from Homo erectus

By 200,000 years ago, people whose skeletons were like those of Homo sapiens were already living in Africa.

Between that time and about 100,000 years ago, people who were both anatomically and genetically “like us” emerged in eastern and southern Africa.

This is a reconstructed Homo sapiens skull, found in Israel. It has been dated to about 90,000 years ago.

How did Homo Sapiens differ from early humans?

Approximate geographical range of Neandertals, 100,000-28,000 BCE

Approximate geographical range of Homo sapiens by 28,000 BCE

Range of Neanderthals

Range of modernHumans by 28,000 years ago

LARGER RANGE OF MOVEMENT!

Migrations of Homo sapiens

Possible coastal routes of human migration

Possible landward routes of human migration

Migrations in Oceania

Human Origins200,000-250,000

years ago

Southwest Asia100,000 years ago

Europe40,000 years ago

Siberia40,000 years ago

Australiaas many as 60,000

years ago

North America12,000-30,000

years ago

Oceania1600 B.C.E.-500 C.E.

Chile12,000-13 ,000

years ago

Why were homo sapiens able to able to migrate further?

Language!• Homo sapiens had language

– so they could exchange complex ideas with each other.

– and they could store and add to the ideas of previous generations.

• Because they swapped ideas, they kept finding– new ways of doing things.– new ways of living.

Language SharedIdeas

New Ideas

Learning

Language made collective learning possible.

It is what human history is about!

It is what makes us special!

• The stores of knowledge and skills humans built up are called “culture.”

• No other animal can store and accumulate knowledge and skills in this way.

• We call this ability “collective learning.”

At first, changes in technology were very slow.

After about 100,000 years ago, the pace of change began to increase.

Evidence appears from about that time of humans living in east, central, and southern Africa. They were:

How did collective learning change How did collective learning change human culture?human culture?

For example, Blombos Cave

Making more advanced and varied tools.Making more advanced and varied tools.

Experimenting with body decoration and abstract symbols.Experimenting with body decoration and abstract symbols.

Remains discovered at Blombos Remains discovered at Blombos Cave are one example of the more Cave are one example of the more complex culture some humans complex culture some humans were developing as many as were developing as many as 90,000 years ago.90,000 years ago.

View looking out of View looking out of Blombos Cave to Blombos Cave to the Indian Oceanthe Indian Ocean

Bone points from Bone points from the cavethe cave

Ochre piece with scrapeOchre piece with scrapemarks. A person may havemarks. A person may havescraped the ochre to scraped the ochre to get powder to use to makeget powder to use to makebody paint.body paint.

The people who lived in this The people who lived in this seaside camp:seaside camp:

Made sharp stone spear points Made sharp stone spear points using methods that appeared in using methods that appeared in Eurasia only 50,000 or more Eurasia only 50,000 or more years later. years later.

Made objects from bone, the Made objects from bone, the earliest use of this material earliest use of this material known.known.

Scored bits of bone and ochre Scored bits of bone and ochre with marks that may have had with marks that may have had symbolic meaning.symbolic meaning.

From about 40,000 years ago, archaeological evidence shows faster and faster cultural change and increasing complexity.

Humans began to:Humans began to: Create both naturalistic and Create both naturalistic and

abstract art.abstract art. Make more specialized tools.Make more specialized tools. Weave and knot fiber.Weave and knot fiber. Decorate clothing.Decorate clothing. Make jewelry.Make jewelry. Build semi-permanent Build semi-permanent

structures.structures.

The engraved horse The engraved horse panel in the Cave of panel in the Cave of Chauvet-Pont-D’Arc Chauvet-Pont-D’Arc in southern France. in southern France. The image is about The image is about

31,000 years old. 31,000 years old. (http://www.culture.g(http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/arcnat/ouv.fr/culture/arcnat/

chauvet)chauvet)

Venus of the Kostenki I site in Venus of the Kostenki I site in Russia dated to about 23,000 years Russia dated to about 23,000 years ago. This stone female head is ago. This stone female head is wearing headgear of woven wearing headgear of woven basketry. (New York Times, Dec. 14, basketry. (New York Times, Dec. 14, 1999. Photo: Bill Wiegand, 1999. Photo: Bill Wiegand, University of Illinois.)University of Illinois.)

Acceleration!Acceleration!

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Homo sapiens ability to adapt increases. What forces them to adapt?

Different Environments!

1.1. Language develops.Language develops.2.2. Habitats expand.Habitats expand.3.3. Technology multiplies.Technology multiplies.4.4. Wall painting and Wall painting and

sculpture are created.sculpture are created.

Differences between early humans and homo sapiensDifferences between early humans and homo sapiens

Stay tuned to see how history develops as humans adapt to different environments!

Because of these differences, homo sapiens were able to migrate further and adapt to various environments.