ANTHROP 3300 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Encephalization Quotient, Homo Erectus, Semicircular Canals
31 Aug 2016
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Bipedalism: defining feature of hominins; definitely as old as 4. 4 mya, possibly 7 mya, hominins = ancestors that broke off from common ancestor of chimps and humans. Shift to terrestriality: early hominins: small bodies, long arms and fingers, homo erectus (beginning 1. 8 mya); obligate biped. East african savannas: size of semi-circular canals (vertical ones) in ear are bigger in bipeds. Imprints on inside of cranium: encephalization quotient. Relationship of brain weight to body weight across mammals. Can predict brain weight expected at given body weight. Culture: tool making: at least 2. 6 mya: stone tools in gona, ethiopia, tools become more sophisticated through time, meat in diet, faunal remains at olduvai gorge. Scavenging and hunting occurred: very different from chimp ancestors, meat = easily digested; energy accessed quickly, expensive tissue hypothesis: trade-off brain vs. gut. Meat led to bigger brains led to tools which became a feedback loop. Dental reduction: meat, cooking and other possible causes.
