ANT 1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 27: Bipedalism, Homo Ergaster, Neanderthal
Document Summary
At some point in hominin evolution, larger brains favored by selection. Australopithecus & paranthropus had ape-like (small) cranial volumes. Early homo sees an increase in cranial size. No; different species (h. rudolfensis vs h. habilis) H. neanderthalensis and h. sapiens about the same sized brains. Homo sees several shifts in absolute brain size. But larger relative shifts in brain size later on. A. afarensis -> h. habilis incr in brain size but larger incr h. ergaster -> h. neanderthalensis. Independent selection for larger brains in later homo lineages. Shift in diet to more meat -> better preserved fossils (?) Mobius line corresponds to where acheulean tradition is find. Oldowan technology associated with earliest archaeological sites: tanzania. Another possibility: accumulation of stones & bones at location frequented by both hominins and other animals (ex: water hole) Beginning of the human habit of accumulating articles at particular location. Greater reliance on technology than non-human primates.
