ANT203H5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Taung Child, Calcium Carbonate, Paleoanthropology
Document Summary
Paleoanthropology: the study of early humans and their ancestors (paleoprimatology). Deals with both their biology (eg. morphology) and culture (eg. Deals with both their biology (eg. morphology) and culture (eg. tool use) S(cid:272)ie(cid:374)tists (cid:272)o(cid:373)i(cid:374)g togethe(cid:396) f(cid:396)o(cid:373) (cid:373)a(cid:374)y dis(cid:272)ipli(cid:374)es to (cid:272)o(cid:373)(cid:271)i(cid:374)e thei(cid:396) effo(cid:396)ts . We can learn a lot about the evolution of humans and non-human primates by looking and analyzing fossil remains. Taphonomy is the study of the processes affecting an organism after death that result in its fossilization. Plants and animals from humid tropical forests, or mountain areas are rarely preserved due to high rates of decay or erosion. A big problem for primates such as chimps and gorilla lineages. Hard parts (bones and teeth) more easily preserved soft parts not. Found mostly in: volcanic deposits, lake or river sediments, caves. Not that they only lived there, but best preserved there.
