Early Human Evolution and Development

These vocabulary flashcards cover the fundamental concepts, species classifications, and archaeological theories related to early human evolution and the study of prehistoric societies as presented in the lecture notes.

Fossils

The remains or impressions of a very old plant, animal, or human that have transitioned into stone and are often found preserved within rock for millions of years.

Species

A specific group of organisms that are capable of breeding with one another to produce fertile offspring.

Anthropology

A scholarly discipline dedicated to the study of human culture and the various evolutionary aspects of human biology.

Ethnography

The study of contemporary ethnic groups, involving an examination of their technology, livelihood, gender roles, rituals, and social customs.

Primates

A subgroup of mammals including monkeys, apes, and humans, characterized by body hair, mammary glands, a relatively long gestation period, and constant body temperature.

Hominoids

A subgroup of primates that includes apes, distinguished from monkeys by a larger body, the absence of a tail, and a longer period of infant dependency.

Hominids

A group within the superfamily Hominoidae featuring large brains, upright posture, bipedal locomotion, and hands specialized for manual dexterity.

Bipedalism

The act of walking on two feet, a development that enabled early humans to free their hands for carrying objects and using tools.

Australopithecus

A genus of early humans whose name is derived from the Latin word for southern and the Greek word for ape, known for smaller brain sizes and heavier jaws compared to the genus Homo.

Homo habilis

A species classification within the genus Homo meaning the tool maker, with significant fossil finds located at Omo and Olduvai Gorge.

Homo erectus

A species classification within the genus Homo meaning the upright man, whose fossils have been discovered in both Africa and Asia.

Homo sapiens

The species classification meaning the wise or thinking man, representing the group to which all modern humans belong.

Replacement Model

A theory of human origins that suggests modern humans originated in a single location, Africa, and completely replaced all older human forms in other regions.

Regional Continuity Model

A theory of human origins suggesting that archaic humans in different parts of the world evolved into modern humans at varying rates.

Olduvai Gorge

An archaeological site in East Africa famous for early human discoveries made by Mary and Louis Leakey over several decades.

Carbonisation

A process where organic plant remains are accidentally burnt and preserved as carbon, providing rare evidence of ancient diets.

Artefacts

Objects created by humans, such as tools, engravings, paintings, and sculptures, used by archaeologists to understand past behaviors.

Altamira

A cave site in Spain where famous prehistoric ceiling paintings of oxen were discovered in November $1879$ by Marcelino Sanz de Sautuola and his daughter.

Hadza

A contemporary group of hunters and gatherers living near Lake Eyasi in Tanzania, studied by anthropologists to understand similar historical lifestyles.

Positive Feedback Mechanism

An evolutionary process where specific developments, such as increased brain size and upright walking, reinforced and influenced each other over time.