Hominin Origins: Methods

Hominin Evolution (continued)

*Homo erectus "upright human" (continued from previous class)

Food procurement

Scavenging

Hunting

Gully in Spain

Communication skills

Social organization

Video: The Making of Mankind: A Human Way of Life

*Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis)

300,000- 30,000 years BP

Brain capacity 1500 cc

Improved technology

Hand ax, rope, etc.

Emotions and ritual/religious behavior

Intentional burials

Diet

Meat, processed olives, and herbs

Decorations/Art?

Slow or no speech?

*Homo Sapiens "thinking human"

160,000 years BP

Brain 1400 cc

Decorations/Art

South Africa, 100,000 BP (Voyages, pp. 8-9)

Europe 30,000 BP

Asia 25,000 BP

Australia 20,000 BP

Homo Sapiens vs. Neanderthals

Brain shape/Speech hypotheses

Frontal lobes

Larynx

Lecture Study Questions

1. In the video, The Making of Mankind: A Human Way of Life, what methods have archaeologists developed to 1) distinguish between natural rocks and stone tools, and 2) identify animal bones that Homo erectus broke open to eat the marrow? How effective are these methods?

2. Comparing the characteristics of Neanderthals (H. neanderthalensis) and modern humans (H. Sapiens), what theories have been developed to explain why modern humans had advantages over Neanderthals?

Reading Study Questions

Hansen, et al., 6-16

1. When did the first anatomically modern humans (H. Sapiens) settle Asia, Australia,and Europe? How does the settlement of Asia, Australia, and Europe demonstrate the developing cognitive abilities of anatomically modern humans?

2. Compare the technological inventions and social developments of Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans (H. Sapiens). Do you agree with the textbook authors when they write, "Whatever the actvity, anatomically modern humans performed the same task at a higher level than Neanderthals"? Why or why not?

Supplementary Reading on D2L>Content:

02) “Shanidar Cave Yields New Signs of Neanderthal Emotions”

1. During the excavations of 1953 and 2016, what different evidence did archaeologists discover in Shanidar Cave that supports the hypothesis that Neanderthals had emotions?

2. What methods have archaeologists used to learn about Neanderthal diet, rope-making technology, and art?

3. Based on the "Shanidar Cave" article, Voyages in World History (pp. 6-13), and class lecture, do you agree with Bruce Hardy, professor of anthropology at Kenyon College, when he says, “There’s no reason to think Neanderthals are cognitively any different than we [anatomically modern humans] are,”? (p. 24) Why or why not?