study guide

Australopithecus africanus

A hominin that lived ca. 3–2 million years ago in South Africa, known for bipedal locomotion and gracile features.

Australopithecus afarensis

A hominin that lived ca. 3.9–2.9 million years ago in East Africa; famous specimen: 'Lucy'; evidence of habitual bipedalism.

Homo erectus

A hominin that existed ca. 1.9 million–110,000 years ago in Africa, Asia, and Europe; first to use fire and Acheulean tools.

Homo floresiensis

Also known as 'The Hobbits,' lived ca. 100,000–50,000 years ago on Flores Island, Indonesia; characterized by small stature.

Homo sapiens sapiens

Anatomically modern humans that appeared ca. 300,000 years ago; known for advanced tool use and symbolic thought.

Denisovans

An extinct group known from DNA evidence in Siberia; interbred with Neanderthals and modern humans.

Neanderthals

Hominins that lived ca. 400,000–40,000 years ago in Europe and Asia; adapted to cold climates and used sophisticated tools.

Genetic evidence of interbreeding

Suggests interactions between Neanderthals, Denisovans, and anatomically modern humans.

Neanderthal DNA

Persists in modern non-African populations, accounting for approximately 1-2%.

Denisovan DNA

Found in some Asian and Oceanian populations, indicating interbreeding with modern humans.

Upper Paleolithic

Characterized by advances in tool technology including blades and composite tools.

Venus Figurines

Symbolic art from the Upper Paleolithic, depicting exaggerated female forms.

Dolní Věstonice

Site with early ceramic technology and evidence of human occupation (~30,000 BP).

Blade technology

Refers to longer, thinner flakes that are more efficient than Mousterian tools.

Semi-permanent dwellings

Structures from the Upper Paleolithic, such as mammoth bone huts.

Mobile Art

Portable objects, like figurines, contrasting with permanent art like cave paintings.

Migration from Siberia

Supported by genetic evidence of the colonization of North America via Beringia.

Ice-Free Corridor Hypothesis

Proposes a migration route for early humans into North America.

Kelp Highway Hypothesis

Suggests coastal migration routes for early settlers of North America.

Clovis First vs. Pre-Clovis

Debate about the timing of the first settlers; evidence at Monte Verde predates Clovis culture.

Megafauna extinctions

Linked to human hunting and climate change in North America.

Clovis Points

Distinct fluted stone tools associated with the Clovis culture.

Hunter-Gatherers

People who rely on varied subsistence strategies and have egalitarian social structures.

Younger-Dryas Climatic Episode

A brief return to glacial conditions occuring approximately 12,900–11,700 BP.

Mesolithic/Archaic

Period marked by a transition to more sedentary lifestyles among hunter-gatherers.

Plains Hunters and Bison Jumps

Communal hunting strategies used by some Holocene hunter-gatherers.

Stable isotopes and diet

Used to reveal subsistence patterns of ancient populations.

Social & Technological Intensification

Increased reliance on diverse resources seen in Holocene hunter-gatherers.

Complex Hunter-Gatherers

Show evidence of hierarchy, storage, and trade among their communities.

Shell Middens & Aquatic Resources

Indicate coastal adaptations of Holocene hunter-gatherers.

Regional Developments in SE US

Early pottery and soapstone exchange among prehistoric communities.

Poverty Point

Site known for monumental architecture and large earthworks, dating to ~3,700 years ago.

Gordon Childe’s Model

Theoretical framework explaining the shift from foraging to farming.

Domestication as a Process

The transition from foraging to cultivation and then agriculture.

Natufian Sickles

Early harvesting tools from approximately 12,500 BP.

Paleoethnobotany

The study of ancient plant use and relationships between humans and cultivated plants.

Domesticated Plants & Animals

Exhibit morphological changes resulting from human intervention.

Regional Farming Variations in East Asia

Involves the comparison of rice vs. millet farming.

Teosinte to Maize

The domestication process observed in Mexico.

Eastern Agricultural Complex

Refers to the domesticated crops of Eastern North America.

Rye domestication

Occurred during the Younger-Dryas period in Southwest Asia.

Neolithic Societies

Characterized by early settlements and their social organization.

Tell Sites

Early settlements, like Çatalhöyük, representing Neolithic lifestyle.

Household Organization & Ritual

Important for social cohesion in Neolithic communities.

Obsidian Exchange

Trade networks present in Neolithic societies.

European Neolithic

Showcases monumental structures such as Stonehenge.

Ötzi the Iceman

A well-preserved individual from the Neolithic era, dating to ~5,300 years ago.

Plains Middle Archaic

Refers to hunter-gatherer societies focused on bison exploitation.

Stallings Island

Site known for early pottery found in the SE US (~4,500 BP).

Large earthworks at Poverty Point

Evidence of trade and ceremonial activities in ancient societies.

Natufian culture

Represents pre-agricultural sedentism in the Levant (~12,500 BP).

Pre-Pottery Neolithic

Period representing the establishment of early farming communities.

Upper Paleolithic ceramics at Dolní Věstonice

Earliest known ceramics, dating to ~30,000 BP.

Cave paintings at Lascaux

Artistic representation created around ~17,000 BP.

Monte Verde

Site of pre-Clovis occupation (~14,500 BP) that challenges the Clovis First theory.

Gault/Friedkin Site

Indicates early North American occupation over 16,000 BP.

Head-Smashed-In

Bison jump site reflecting communal hunting practices.

Göbekli Tepe

An ancient ritual complex dating to ~11,500 BP, predating agriculture.

Abu Hureya

Transition site from foraging to farming understood to have occurred ~13,000–7,000 BP.

Çatalhöyük

A dense settlement known for its wall paintings dated to ~9,000 BP.

Stonehenge

Constructed in phases between ~5,000–3,500 BP; notable for its astronomical alignment.