Humans in Latin America and Pre-Columbian Cultures (Lecture 6)
Humans in Latin America and Pre-Columbian Cultures
Human Evolution and Hominids in Latin America
Evolutionary Overview: The journey from early hominins like Sahelanthropus tchadensis to modern humans involves several species, characterized by changes in brain size, teeth, and bipedalism.
Early hominins (Sahelanthropus tchadensis, Ardipithecus ramidus, Australopithecus anamensis) had small brains and varied teeth/quadrupedalism, with insufficient evidence for some.
Further Australopithecines (Au. afarensis, Au. africanus, Paranthropus aethiopus, P. boisei, P. robustus) showed small brains, large teeth, and facultative bipedalism.
Early Homo species (H. habilis, H. rudolfensis, H. ergaster) developed small brains and small teeth with facultative bipedalism.
Later Homo species (H. erectus, H. heidelbergensis, H. neanderthalensis) show trends towards larger brains and smaller teeth.
Homo sapiens is characterized by a large brain, small teeth, and obligate bipedalism.
Latin American Context: Homo sapiens is the only hominid found in Latin America.
The origin of Homo sapiens is East Africa, dating back approximately 200,000 years.
Early Americans and Migration Theories
Absence of Other Hominids: There is no archaeological record of hominids (other than Homo sapiens) or Neanderthals in the Americas.
First Indications of Human Activity (Debatable):
Buttermilk, Texas: approximately 15,000 years ago.
Cactus Hill, Virginia: approximately 15,000 years ago.
Monte Verde, Chile: approximately 14,700 years ago, with some earlier sites also under debate.
Clovis Culture: Extended culture by about 13,500 years ago.
Preferred Explanation for Arrival: Siberian people crossing through Beringia (the land bridge between Siberia and North America) is the most widely accepted theory.
However, many other migration routes have also been proposed.
Migration Theories in Detail:
Bering Land Bridge Theory: Migrants from northeastern Asia crossed the land bridge that existed during the last Ice Age due to lower sea levels. These settlers then moved into Canada through an ice-free corridor between glaciers, funneling them into the U.S. and allowing rapid advancement through Central and South America. This was the prevailing theory for decades.
Pacific Coastal Route Theory: An alternative where explorers from southeastern Asia followed the coastline in small boats. This mode of travel could have enabled early settlers to reach the tip of South America in as little as 100 years.
Other Proposed Theories: North Atlantic Crossing Theory, Pacific Crossing Theory, South Atlantic Crossing Theory.
Evidence and Debates:
C. Vance Haynes, a geoarchaeologist, views these early people as