ARCH 112 Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: Peking Man, Zhoukoudian, Becoming Human
27 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Homo erectus
First hominin to leave the African continent
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1.8 mya to 100,000 years ago (pretty successful species)
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Size of brain 800-1200
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Acheulian tool industry
Homo erectus manufactured tools known as
Acheulian tools.
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The Acheulian is characterized by large oval or
teardrop shaped hand axes.--started to be seen around
1.4 mya
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Oldowan tools are seen in earlier Homo erectus, 1.76
mya (Homo habilis are the ones mainly to use
Oldowan)
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'Bifacial' tool (hand axe), has two sides
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St. Acheul is a more recent site
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Controlled use of fire
Earliest evidence of controlled use of fire dates to the
time of Homo erectus
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Discussion of the consequences of controlled use of
fire
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Clear evidence dates to about 800,000 years ago --
Gesher Benot Ya'aqov, Israel (evidence of a
hearths--'fireplace')
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Important for better health (kill toxins and parasites),
warmth, socializing (passing down knowledge), for
hunting at night, defense
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Homo erectus sites:
African Sites
Oldest** African specimens date to about
1.8mya
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Nariokotome, Kenya (West Turkana Boy or
Nariokotome Boy--11* years old when died--
died at the edge of a lake)
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Koobi Fora, Kenya (Koobi Fora KNM-ER
3733)
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Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania (OH-9 Olduvai)
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Eastern Europe
Dmanisi, Georgia –earliest** well dated
archaeological site outside of Africa
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Dates to 1.7+mya
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Four hominins found
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Around 800 cc
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Only about 4.5 ft. tall
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Characteristics similar to homo erectus
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Tools are more primitive (but still Oldowan
tools)
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Java, Indonesia
Recovered by Eugene Dubois in 1891
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Initially classified as Pithecanthropus erectus
but later reclassified as Homo erectus
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Dates of some Homo erectus fossils from
Indonesia have been reported to be as old as
1.6-1.75mya
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China
“Peking Man” fossils from Zhoukoudian were
originally called Sinanthropus pekinensis
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Date 800,000 to 200,000ya
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Recent evidence of sites in Northern China as
old as 1.36 to 1.1mya
Video Clip
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We will watch a clip of Episode 2 of the video called "Becoming
Human"
Midterm everything up until the Neanderthals
Homo erectus (cont'd)
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
10:24 AM
Document Summary
1. 8 mya to 100,000 years ago (pretty successful species) The acheulian is characterized by large oval or teardrop shaped hand axes. --started to be seen around. Oldowan tools are seen in earlier homo erectus, 1. 76 mya (homo habilis are the ones mainly to use. Earliest evidence of controlled use of fire dates to the time of homo erectus. Discussion of the consequences of controlled use of fire. Clear evidence dates to about 800,000 years ago -- Gesher benot ya"aqov, israel (evidence of a hearths--"fireplace") Important for better health (kill toxins and parasites), warmth, socializing (passing down knowledge), for hunting at night, defense. Nariokotome boy--11* years old when died-- died at the edge of a lake) Dmanisi, georgia earliest** well dated archaeological site outside of africa. Tools are more primitive (but still oldowan tools) Initially classified as pithecanthropus erectus but later reclassified as homo erectus. Indonesia have been reported to be as old as.
