Chapter Review: The Rise of Modern Humans and Early Civilizations

These flashcards cover key concepts regarding the origins of modern humans, their migrations, and early agricultural and urban societies across different regions.

Homo sapiens

Anatomically modern humans that originated approximately 300,000 years ago.

Out of Africa model

A theory proposing that modern humans evolved in Africa and migrated to Eurasia, replacing or interbreeding with archaic human groups.

Modern Behavioral traits

Characteristics in archaeology signifying symbolic art, complex tool kits, and organized use of space.

Blombos Cave

A significant archaeological site in South Africa containing 75,000-year-old engraved ochre and shell beads.

Denisovans

A distinct hominin group identified through DNA analysis, known to have interbred with early modern humans.

Peiligang Culture

An early Neolithic culture in the Yellow River Valley known for millet farming and distinctive pottery.

Hemudu Site

An archaeological site providing evidence of early wet-rice cultivation and wooden stilt-houses in the Yangtze Delta.

Liangzhu Culture

Late Neolithic culture famous for jade working and advanced water-management systems.

Erlitou site

Considered the capital of the Xia Dynasty, showing early urbanism and bronze casting in Chinese history.

Oracle Bones

Artifacts from the Shang Dynasty used for divination and early writing.

Quipu

A system of knotted strings used by the Inca for record-keeping.

Monte Verde

A Pre-Clovis archaeological site in Chile dating to approximately 14,500 years ago.

Olmec

The Mother Culture of Mesoamerica known for their colossal heads and significant archaeological sites.

Teotihuacán

The largest city in Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, known for its impressive pyramids.

Great Zimbabwe

A massive city known for its dry stone walls that housed around 18,000 people.

NAGPRA law

A law requiring federal agencies and museums to return Native American cultural items to their tribes.

Cultural Resource Management (CRM)

The practice of managing and preserving archaeological sites in the context of modern development.

Pseudoarchaeology

Unscientific claims that disregard archaeological evidence, often minimizing achievements of ancient peoples.

Bantu Expansion

A major movement of people, language, and farming from West Africa into the South and East.

Ksour

Medieval trading hubs in Mauritania used for gold and salt caravan networks.

Indus Valley Civilization

An ancient civilization characterized by standardized urban planning and similar residential structures.

Narmer Palette

An archaeological artifact that depicts the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt.

Meroë

The capital of the Kingdom of Kush known for iron production and distinctive pyramids.