ANTHROPOLOGY 1(The Culture of the Early Hominids

and the Emergence of Homo Sapiens)Lecture 6

Introduction• Bipedal hominids lived in East Africa about

4 mya

• Hominids are classified in the genus Australopithecus

• some African hominids (2.5 myo) are known as genus Homo.

• The life-style and culture of the hominids from about 4mya were discovered when the first Homo Sapiens may have emerged.

• The trends in hominids evolution was the development of the following:

• bipedal locomotion• Expansion of brain• Modification of female pelvis• Reduction of face, teeth, and jaw

Bipedalism• Nobody knows the exact development of

bipedalism

• Fossil records are very skimpy

• The only basis perhaps are the skeletal anatomy

Bipedalism• The condition of having two feet or of

using only two feet for locomotion

• Appears to be more efficient for long-distance travel

• All theories of the origin of bipedalism are speculative

• Have increased the emerging ability to see predators

• Have facilitated in transferring food

• Efficient in tool use

• Walking – long distance travel

Brain Expansion Australopithecines

• Had relatively small cranial capacity , ranging from about 380 to 530 cm³

• Not larger than chimpanzees

Homo (H. Habilis)• Has cranial capacities which is about 50%

of the brain capacity of humans

Homo Erectus• Which may have appeared about 895 cm³

or about 70% of the brain of modern humans

Australopithecines: • Earliest definite hominids• Fossils were found in East Africa,

Tanzania, Ethopia, and Kenya

• Divided into 4 groups• Australopithecus anamencies• Australopithecus afarencies• Australopithecus africanus• Australopithecus boisei

Homo Erectus: • Was the first hominid species to be

widely distributed in the Old World.

• First example of homo erectus was found in Java and next in China.

• Java in 1891 by Eugene Dubios, a Dutch anatomist (Pithecanthropus erectus- erect ape man)

Physical Features of Homo Erectus: • Has a long, low, and thickly walled skull• Flat frontal area prominent brow ridges• Relatively smaller teeth

• Brain was larger compared to habilis but relatively smaller than the average brain of modern man.

• Prominent projecting nose in contrast to the australopithecines

• Comparable to human today in size

• Tools and artifacts from 1.6 mya were probably produced by H. Erectus

• First to used fire

The Emergence of Homo Sapiens• Modern-looking people evolved 50, 000

years ago

• “modern humans” skeletal resemblances those with humans and recent people

• Domed skull• Chin• Small eyebrows• Brow ridges• Puny skeleton

• Most modern humans are compared with Homo Erectus

• Thinner and lighter bones

• Smaller teeth and jaws

The Transition of Homo Erectus to Homo Sapiens

• Homo Erectus evolved into Homo Sapiens

• Disagree about the classification of fossils

• Maybe earlier or later varieties of the same species

• Fossils with mixed traits• Found in Africa, Europe, and Asia• Cranial capacities of over 1,200 cc • Low forehead• Large brow ridges

• Early definite Homo Sapiens did not look completely like the modern humans

• But were not so different from us• Neanderthals (Valley of Germany)

• Fossils with mixed traits• Found in Africa, Europe, and Asia• Cranial capacities of over 1,200 cc • Low forehead• Large brow ridges

• Early definite Homo Sapiens did not look completely like the modern humans

• But were not so different from us• Neanderthals (Valley of Germany)

• Fossils with mixed traits• Found in Africa, Europe, and Asia• Cranial capacities of over 1,200 cc • Low forehead• Large brow ridges

The Emergence of Modern Humans

The Cro-Magnon• Appear in Western Europe about 35, 000

years ago

• Were once thought to be the earliest species of modern humans

2 Theories about the origin of modern humans

• Single-Origin theory (near East)• Multiregional theory (various place)

2 Period of cultural history• Upper Palaeolithic (Europe, near East , and Asia)• Later Stone Age (Africa)

Upper Palaeolithic (Europe, near East , and Asia)

Preponderance of blades bones and other tools Hunter-gatherers

Lived in highly mobile bands Camps (open cave and rock shelters)

New development and techniques Emergence of art Population growth

New inventions (bow and arrow, spear-thrower and harpoon)

Arts• Shafts of spears and similar objects were

decorated with figures of animals

• Figurines of human females are exaggerated form (Venuses)

• Beads• Curving• Paintings