ANTA01 Final Study

Prognathism

Protrusion of the lower jaw or mandible

Occipital

Back of the skull

Thorax

chest, pleural cavity

Evolution

Change over time; in a biological sense refers to how the human body has gradually changed over generations

Species

A group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring

Ex. homo sapiens (humans)

Adaptation

A biological response, typically a change, of an organism to its environment

Ex. bipedalism

Human Osteology / Skeletal Biology

Study of skeletal structure, function, and variation in humans

Anthropometry

Measure of anatomical dimensions and variability

Bioarchaeology

Study of skeletal material from archaeological sites; study things like bones from burials to understand certain rituals or routines regarding death in past civilizations

Paleopathology

Study of disease and trauma in past populations

Forensic Anthropology

Applied anthropological subfield using osteology and archaeology for legal applications

Human Population Biology / Variation

Study of how humans vary in response to their environment, specifically stressors, in a physical way

Ex. difference in altitude, climate, etc.

Molecular Anthropology

Study of genetics of modern humans, non-human primates, and human ancestors

Primatology

Study of the behaviours and biology of non-human primates

Ex. diet, communication, behaviours, etc.

Paleoanthropology

Study of the evolution of humans, ancestors / fossil relatives, including the fossil primate record, to understand the circumstances leading to modern humans and primates

Genus

Grouping of different species based on shared similarities

Strata

Layers of rock

Taxonomy

Science of naming / classifying organisms

Catastrophism

Explanation for extinction, theory that earth's landscape is the result of catastrophic events

Development of Evolutionary Thought

Pre-16th Century: fixity of species + great chain of being / scala naturae

16-17th Century: Heliocentrism (Galileo + Copernicus), laws of physics + gravity, scientists open to idea of evolutionary theories

Darwin: coined the concept of natural selection, Wallace invented similar concept + collaborated w Darwin

Mutation

Change in sequence of chemical bases

Can also occur in response to environmental conditions or replication error

Source of new population in a population

Must occur in a gamete (sex cell) to be evolutionary

Modern Evolutionary Theory

A change in allele frequency from one generation to another

A two step process

Production and distribution of variation

Natural selection acting on variation

Gene flow

Interchange of genes between populations

Individuals mate in new population, but don't necessarily stay there

Genetic Drift

Random, occurs in small populations

Alleles become more / less prevalent

Biological Species Concept

A species is a group of interbreeding or potentially interbreeding organisms that produce fertile offspring that are reproductively isolated from all other such groups

Extant vs Extinct

Extant means species still exists / is alive

Extinct means species is not still living and reproducing

Homology

Similarities between organisms due to descent from common ancestor

(e.g., tetrapod, forelimb, bone number + form)

Primate Characteristics

Flexible, generalized limb structure; affords various degrees of flexibility and allows mammals to engage in multiple forms of locomotion

Prehensile (grasping) ands and feet, sometimes tails; differs from most mammals

Pentadactyl; five digits on hands and feet

(e.g., fingers, toes)

Quadrupedal, moving on four limbs

Bipedal, moving on two limbs

Arboreal, active in trees

(e.g., feeding, sleeping, socializing)

Teeth variation dictated by species' habitats / food availability; each tooth type serves diff purpose

Strepsirrhines

Most primitive primates

Lemurs, Madagascar

Lorises, South Asia + Africa

Galagos, Africa

Fossils

Preserved remains, impression, or trace of an organism that once lived

Organic parts of organism are replaced by inorganic materials

Some parts perverse better than others

Trace fossils: Impression of an organism

(e.g., footprints)

Dating Methods

Relative dating: older / younger than

Chronometric / absolute dating: used to determine actual age

Isotopes: variations of a chemical element

Radiometric decay: measure of rate of decay in isotopes; occurs at predictable and measurable rate

Potassium-argon (K/Ar) dating

The Geological Timescale (Cezonic Era)

Holocene, post ice age(0.01)

Pleistocene, ice age (2.6-0.1)

Pliocene, modernization of mammals (5.3-2.6)

Miocene, increase in temp + animal population (23-5.3)

Oligocene, plains + deserts + grasslands become common (34-23)

Eocene, first neanderthals (55-34)

Paleocene, extinction of dinosaurs (65-55)

Early Hominin Characteristics

Bipedalism, contrast from other primates

Increase in brain size

Manufacture and use of tools

Evolution of Primates

During the paleocene, plesiadapiforms were the earliest form of primates that existed and lived, however they lacked some of the characteristics that we define primates by today

Hominin Origins

Last common ancestor (LCA) shared by chimpanzees and humans lived appx 6-9 million years ago (late miocene) in Africa

Hallmark hominin characteristics have been linked to changing environmental changes

Mosaic Evolution

When characteristics evolve at different rates; combo of primitive + derived traits

Early Homo Characteristics

Pleistocene epoch

Adapted in response to environment

Homo Habilis

East + South Africa, 2.4-1.4 Ma

Stone tools

Short, small teeth

Larger brain (640 cc)

Orthognatic, smaller teeth

3.5 - 4.5' in height, 70 lbs average

Stone Tools

Indicates material culture

Simple, deliberately manufactured

Homo Erectus

1.8 Ma - 100 000 years ago

Larger brains, smaller dentition

Africa, Asia, and Europe

Modern body proportions

Reduced sexual dimorphism

Larger brain (900 cc), smaller dentition

Modern body proportions

Zhoukoudian HE = from China

Acheulean Industrial Complex

Africa, 1.7 Ma - 160 000 years

Handaxes, cleavers, bifacial tools

More standardized / complex than oldowan

Oldowan Tools

Used by Homo habilis

Oldest known stone tools, 2.5 Ma

Controlled Use of Fire

1.5 - 1.0 Ma, debated

800 000 - 400 000 years, good / widespread evidence

Social + survival benefit

Archaic Homo

~700 000 - 200 000 years

Africa, Europe, Asia

Derived + primitive characteristics

Large brain (1200 cc)

Midfacial prognathism, protecting occipital

Controlled fire (790 000 years)

Natural shelters + spears (400 000 years)

Wooden spears (400 000 years)

Homo Neanderthalis

200 000 - 28 000 years

Europe, west Asia, Middle East

Used fire, shelter, clothes, tools

Low + elongated cranium

Midfacial prognathism

No chin

Occipital bun, heavy brow ridge

Large brain size (1200 - 1700 cc)

5'1 - 1'5 in height, 1190143 lbs in weight

Fossil Record Trauma Evidence

Low life expectancy

Evidence of injury + healing

Characteristics of Mousterian Tool Technology

Flake tools

Soft hammer percussion

Use of adhesives

When was the Neanderthal Extinction + Why did it happen?

Within 10 000 years of modern humans arriving (42 000 years)

Possibility of modern humans having a competitive advantage

Denisova Cave

195 000, 76 000 - 52 000 years

Best known from DNA

Genetic similarities to melanesians, australian aborigines, philippines, southeast asians

Homo floresiensis

100 000 - 60 000 years

Liang Bua Cave, Flores, Indonesia

Small, long, low cranium (417 cc)

Reduced prognathism

No chin, mandible like early homo / australopiths

Long arms + feet, short legs

Just over 1m in stature

Early Views of Neanderthals

Neander Valley (1856)

La Chapelle-aux-Saints, France (60 000 years)

Severe osteoarthritis

Enamel Hypoplasia

Growth arrest lines

Anatomically Modern Homo Sapiens

Africa, 315 000 years

Evolved from archaic

Large brain size, globular cranial vault

Gracile mandible + chin

African Origin Model

Homo sapiens evolved in africa, expanded ranges without interacting w/ archaic groups in Europe + Asia

Multiregionalism

Homo sapiens evolved simultaneously in Africa, Europe, Asia; gene flow maintained single species + regional variation

Assimilation Model

Homo sapiens have african origins + interbreeding

Humans Discovered: Jebel Irhoud, Morocco

Homo sapiens discovered in 1961, originally dated to 160 000 years; actually 315 000 years

Ice-Free Corridor Model

Low sea levels during Pleistocene

Archaeological sites predate ice free corridors

Coastal Route Model

Early Americans expanded ranges from Asia, followed Pacific coast of the Americas southward 17 000 - 15 000 years ago

Supported by rich coastal ecosystems

Projectile Point

Used as arrow / spear points

Omo Kibish, Ethiopia (104 000 years)

Barbed Harpoon Point

Katanda, DR Congo (80 000 - 90 000 years)

Burin

Used for engraving + carving

La Madeleine, France (17 000 - 11 500 years)

Awls

Used for piercing small holes in leather, wood, etc.

Blombos Cave, South Africa (77 000 years)

Bone Sewing Needles

Xiaogushan, Liaoning Province, China (30 000 - 23 000 years)

Parietal Art

Cave paintings, pigments came from minerals

Earliest paintings found in Sulawesi, Indonesia, 45 500

Endogamy

Mating within a distinct group, causes similar populations

The Neolithic Evolution

The neolithic (or new stone age) was 11,700 years ago

Large distribution of humans while staying as our own original species (humans), due to adaptability skills

Changes in settlement patterns, new technology, biological repercussions

Sedentism → permanent settlements, communities, cities

Domestication and the Origins of Agriculture

Breeding due to selected traits often prevents animals' survival in the wild

Animals considered domesticated when they cannot breed / survive without human intervention

Plants considered domesticated if they genetically differentiate from their wild relatives

Sedentism

Settlement pattern of staying in one place, work to maintain domesticated species

Civilization

Stage of human social and cultural development and organization that is complex

Cities

An urban centre that both supports and is supported by a hinterland of lesser communities

e.g., Çatalhöyük, Uruk

City Characteristics: Çatalhöyük, Turkey

Complex settlement with 8000 residents

2000 houses, multi-level w access via roof

9000 years ago

City Characteristics: Uruk, Iraq

"First true city"

5500 - 1800 years ago

Sumerian civilization, 20 000 people

Temples at society core

Included government, military, social classes

Civilization Characteristics: Mesopotamia (Iraq)

Uruk, 5500 - 1800 years ago

Ebaid, early farming culture, 7500 - 6200 years

Drainage systems → agricultural productivity → population growth

Sumerian was first urban civilization in the region of Sumer, 4900 - 4350 years ago; true social stratification

Ziggurat

Mud-brick temple-pyramids build on elevated platforms

Civilization Characteristics: Indus Valley

3600 - 2900 years ago

Architectural planning: irrigation, retaining walls, platforms, sewer systems

Civilization Characteristics: China

Longshan period

4600 - 4000 years ago

distinct social classes

Ritualistic

Warfare

walled towns

Shang dynasty

3600 years ago

First historic civilization of china

Elite ruling class

Writing system + divination

New World Civilizations

Relies on agriculture + plant domesticates

Long distance trade

Social classes + powerful leaders

Low reliance on wheel

Civilization Characteristics: Mesoamerica

Olmec

3200 - 2400 years ago

Sites at San Lorenzo and La Venta

Significant landscape modification

Ritualistic sculpture and carving (anthropomorphic), courtyards, plazas, artificial ponds

Written communication w glyphs

Maya

2100 years ago

Trade networks

Complex tools

Class + religion based society

Writing system w hieroglyphs + codices

Organized sport