Human Evolution: From Archaic Homo to Modern Society
The Origin, Evolution, and Dispersal of Modern Humans
Early Archaic Homo
Early Archaic Homo: < 500,000 BP; Africa, Asia, Europe (Kabwe, Atapuerca). Key examples include Kabwe (Broken Hill) in Africa, Atapuerca in Europe, and Dali in China. These are all skeletal remains.
Physical appearance, technology, subsistence, “teamwork and tools”; Levallois Culture: Mousterian. The stone tool culture in which Neanderthals produced tools using the Levallois technique. Levallois is a distinctive method of stone tool production used during the Middle Paleolithic, in which the core was prepared and flakes removed from the surface before the final tool was detached from the core.
Neanderthals
Neanderthals were limited to Europe and western Asia; a local variety of late Archaics.
Physical appearance; technology, subsistence, social behavior; adaptations to cold climate. Kebara, Shanidar, La Chapelle, Mousterian Culture. Kebara in Israel: They were modern, and their skulls possess a lot of similarities with modern humans. La Chapelle was in Western Europe.
Anatomic Features of Modern Homo Sapiens
Anatomic features of modern Homo sapiens: Fossil and genetic records provide a wealth of information about modern human origins. Two hypotheses help to draw further conclusions about the origins of us living people.
When and where do they first appear? Cro-Magnon, Herto. Cro-Magnon remains were found in France and appeared in Europe around 32,000 yBP. Herto remains were found in Africa and appeared around 160,000 yBP.
Upper Paleolithic Culture
Upper Paleolithic culture: Technology and art. Increased visible symbolic behavior (cave art), burial of deceased with grave goods, decreased hunting, increased fishing, aquatic foods, likely more plants, and reduced focus on big game. Animal technology changes reflect an increased focus on fishing.
Models of Human Origins
Models of human origins: Out of Africa (single origin, global dispersal, replacement), Multiregional Continuity (no replacement). The Out of Africa model adequately explains the origin of modern human variation but incorrectly asserts that no gene flow occurred between Neanderthals and modern H. sapiens. The Multiregional model explains modern human origins.
Assimilation Model (African origin, lots of mixing): Neanderthals contributed to the gene pool of today’s European and European-descended populations. They died out, but they adapted to the cold.
Fossil evidence and genetic evidence in support of these models. Lagar Velho: A skeleton of a 5-year-old with a number of archaic, Neanderthal-like cranial and postcranial features, such as its limb proportions and robusticity.
The Little People of Flores
The Little People of Flores: Who are they? They were found in Flores, Indonesia, and were called “hobbits.” They represent a group of early hominids.
The First Americans
The first Americans: Who are they, when, and how did they arrive? Paleo-Indians migrated from Asia, and their culture was Clovis.
Our Last 10,000 Years
Life After the “Ice Age”
Life after the “Ice Age”: How are we still evolving? Domestication is the process of converting wild animals or wild plants into forms that humans can care for and cultivate.
Agricultural Revolution
Agricultural revolution: Domestication of plants and animals (Neolithic). The late Pleistocene/early Holocene culture, during which humans domesticated plants and animals.
Advantages:
- More food
- Population growth
- New technology
- Food storage
This is called the Neolithic demographic transition. This shift from a low birth rate resulted in a rapid increase in the world’s population. Superfoods are cereal grains, such as rice, corn, and wheat, that make up a substantial portion of the human population’s diet today.
Disadvantages:
- Demand on the environment
- Overpopulation
- Disease ecology
- Malnutrition
Population crowding and infectious disease, malnutrition, iron deficiency, dental caries, and osteoarthritis.
Anthropogenic Changes to Our World
Anthropogenic changes to our world: Overpopulation, environmental degradation, and disease patterns.
Geopolitical Realities of Health and Longevity
Ameloblasts: Cells that make tooth enamel. Anemia. Heme iron: Iron found in red meat, fish, and poultry that the body absorbs efficiently. Nonheme iron: Iron found in lentils and beans. Porotic hyperostosis: Expansion and porosity of cranial bones due to anemia. Cribra orbitalia: Porosity in the eye orbits due to anemia.