ANTH151 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Homo Floresiensis, Mitochondrion, Woolly Mammoth
10 May 2018
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ANTH151 Lecture
IX: The Epic of Humanity
The Rise of Anatomically Modern Humans
The puzzle
• 100,000 years ago the world was populated by diverse hominids (at least three species)
• 30,000 years ago humanity was much more uniform globally
• What happened?
Evolutionary timeline of genus Homo
• H. Ergaster/African erectus
• Georgicus
• Javanese & Chinese erectus
• Antecessor
• Cepranensis
• Heidelbergensis
• Helmei
• Neanderthalensis
• Sapiens
• Floresiensis
Herto skulls
• Discovered in the Afar region of Ethiopia
• Older than remains of other members of Homo genus such as Neanderthals
• Homo sapiens idaltu (elder) or sometimes just archaic HOmo sapiens
• Definitely dated 160-154 mya
• 1450cc capacity with some robust traits
• Clearly establish Africa as origin of humanity
• Discovered with stone tools and hippo bones
• Evidence of mortuary handling - smoothed child’s skull
Modern human traits
• Vertical forehead
• Small, flat face
• High, rounded cranium
• Chin
• Less robust postcranium or ‘neck-down’ (gracile)
• Complex behaviour, tool use and cumulative culture
• Social organisation extends
Modern human behaviour
• Late stone peoples more efficient foragers than earlier group. Modern humans hunted larger,
more dangerous game (buffalo, bush pig). Signs of planning such as seasonal kills (seal
pups). Evidence of fishing.
• No clear-cut division in technology; some later traits show up in earlier sites (innovations
seem to be sporadic and sometimes lost), but tool kits grow more sophisticated (including
more bone, antler and ivory).
• Evidence of transporting raw materials long distances (Shell, stone, ochre). For example, in
Africa, obsidian carried 140 to 240 km.
• Environmental and social changes may have led to ‘revolutionary’ growth in group size
Homo sapiens idaltu (archaic Homo sapiens)
• In most respects, skeletons are very close to modern (e.g. Overall size, cranial capacity, tall
rounded skulls)
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• Still robust bone structure: pronounced brows, robust lower body, which may be activity-
dependent
• Geographical variety in the species was more pronounced than it is now (because gene flow
wasn’t as great? Because we are smaller subset of variety?)
• Many traits of modern human lifestyle: fire, shelter, big game hunting. Living structures with
fireplaces and elaborate burials.
• Ironically, we have better data on Neanderthals during the same time period
What drove change?
• Although humans were modern, why did it take so long for radical changes in life?
• ‘Punctuated equilibrium’ - evolution need not to be slow, gradual or even; sudden change can
produce acceleration
• Some theorists argue for genetic change, but just as likely to have been social, cultural, or
environmental
Why get smarter?
• In the past 250k years, climate has been particularly hard
• Ice Ages seem to reduce food availability and dry out forests, which can be hard on primates
• Hard selective pressures and isolated habitat pockets can create strong conditions for
speciation events
• Some argue that humans have ‘variability selection’: development of general traits for
shifting conditions rather than specialisation
Cultural ‘big bang’?
• Some theorists, like Richard Klein, argue that 50 mya, suddenly human traits and creativity
start to explode
• Klein says one mutation led to change in behaviour with minimal anatomical change
• ‘Human revolution’ from European data
‘Revolution that wasn’t?’
• Europe only home to Neanderthals until 40 mya
• Most hallmarks of ‘human revolution’ Europe happened earlier and in staggered sequence in
Africa
• Appears that human change in gradual and cumulative
Symbolic designs & stone beads
• Geometric designs on ochre of interest, not only because abstract, but also because some
appear to be calendrical
• Beads suggest, not only ornamentation, but trade and long-term relations of exchange (38
mya)
‘Human revolution’?
• Most theorists now agree that big brain alone not sufficient; human intelligence is subject to
what Michael Tomasello called a ‘ratchet effect.’
• Combination of population density, cultural accumulation and brain size led to rapid change?
• Owen Lovejoy: our ancestors may have been ‘every big at intelligent as we are today, but
they lacked the shoulders of giant on which to perch’
Painting, art and symbolic life
Lascaux, France
• Over 600 paintings and 1500 engravings
• Only ‘human’ is bird man
• Hall of the bulls
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find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Javanese & chinese erectus: h. ergaster/african erectus, georgicus, antecessor, cepranensis, heidelbergensis, helmei, neanderthalensis, sapiens, floresiensis. Modern human traits: vertical forehead, small, flat face, high, rounded cranium, chin, less robust postcranium or neck-down" (gracile, complex behaviour, tool use and cumulative culture, social organisation extends. Modern human behaviour: late stone peoples more efficient foragers than earlier group. Modern humans hunted larger, more dangerous game (buffalo, bush pig). Signs of planning such as seasonal kills (seal pups). Africa, obsidian carried 140 to 240 km: environmental and social changes may have led to revolutionary" growth in group size. Because we are smaller subset of variety?: many traits of modern human lifestyle: fire, shelter, big game hunting. Ironically, we have better data on neanderthals during the same time period. Punctuated equilibrium" - evolution need not to be slow, gradual or even; sudden change can produce acceleration: some theorists argue for genetic change, but just as likely to have been social, cultural, or environmental.
