► Neanderthal and Emergence of Mind ► What it means to be Human. ► Readings: Scarre Chapter 1, Also: pages 55,59,74-75, and Chapter 4.

►Neanderthal and Emergence of MindNeanderthal and Emergence of Mind►What it means to be Human.What it means to be Human.

►Readings: Scarre Chapter 1, Also: Readings: Scarre Chapter 1, Also: pages 55,59,74-75, and Chapter 4pages 55,59,74-75, and Chapter 4

6 million years of human 6 million years of human development in one development in one

class periodclass period

Key topicsKey topics

► Comparative Comparative morphologymorphology

► BipedalismBipedalism►Neanderthal Neanderthal

evolutionevolution►Dating technologyDating technology

► Paradigms of Paradigms of imagery: what is a imagery: what is a Neanderthal?Neanderthal?

►Modern HumansModern Humans►Humanity: What is Humanity: What is

it?it?

Comparison of Chimp and Comparison of Chimp and human skeletal structurehuman skeletal structure

Comparative morphologyComparative morphology

► Examines skeletal Examines skeletal structuresstructures

►DentitionDentition► Craniometrics: skull Craniometrics: skull

developmentdevelopment►Genoype/phenotypeGenoype/phenotype

►Humans do not Humans do not descend from descend from chimps, but we are chimps, but we are distant cousins with distant cousins with an ancient common an ancient common primate ancestor.primate ancestor.

Skulls

Human Chimp

The issue of bipedal locomotion.

In the old model: human ancestors evolved large brains, invented tools, then became bipedal as they came to depend on tools…the “smart ape hypothesis.”

Considerable evidence supports the hypothesis that bipedalism was well established 4.6 million years ago, before tools and large brains… upright ape hypothesis”

Leatoli (see Scarre 59)

Leatoli evidenceLeatoli evidence

►Anatomically human foot, knee, pelvis, Anatomically human foot, knee, pelvis, posture, teeth, and hand evolved long posture, teeth, and hand evolved long before large brains or human-like before large brains or human-like facial structures.facial structures.

►Proto-human creatures were bipedal Proto-human creatures were bipedal 4.6 mya and probably earlier.4.6 mya and probably earlier.

Sexual dimorphism in Australopithecus.

4 million years ago.

Dentition

Chimp A.afarensis Human

►The oldest known The oldest known manufactured tools are dated manufactured tools are dated at 2.6-2 m.y.a., at 2.6-2 m.y.a.,

►Found in various parts of Found in various parts of Africa, and are grouped under Africa, and are grouped under the name Oldowan pebble the name Oldowan pebble tools, given them by the tools, given them by the Leakeys in 1931.Leakeys in 1931.

The Pleistocene (2 m.y.a. to 10,000 B.P.) is the epoch of human life.

Lower Pleistocene (2 to 1 m.y.a.): Australopithecus and early Homo

Middle Pleistocene (1 m.y.a. to 130,000 B.P.): Homo erectus and archaic Homo sapiens

Upper Pleistocene (130,000 to 10,000 B.P.): modern Homo sapiens

Dating technologiesDating technologies

► C14C14► StratigraphyStratigraphy► K/Ar-ArK/Ar-Ar► Fission trackingFission tracking► PaleomagnatismPaleomagnatism

► BiostratigraphyBiostratigraphy► Tuff correlationsTuff correlations► Relative datingRelative dating

NeanderthalNeanderthal

►Was Neanderthal a separate species of Was Neanderthal a separate species of human or something else?human or something else?

►Could Neanderthal and archaic Could Neanderthal and archaic humans interbreed? Latest DNA study humans interbreed? Latest DNA study (2010) suggests yes—we all have a (2010) suggests yes—we all have a little Neanderthal in us.little Neanderthal in us.

►What became of Neanderthal?What became of Neanderthal?►Did Neanderthal exhibit human Did Neanderthal exhibit human

behaviors?behaviors?

►Biggest question: what does it mean to Biggest question: what does it mean to be human?be human?

Australopithicus (all species)

Homo habilis

H. erectus

H. neanderthal

H. sapiens (archaic)

H. sapien sapiens

Direct line model.No longer considered valid.

Australopithicus

H. habilis

H. erectus

H. Neanderthal

H. Sapiens (archaic)

H. Sapiens sapiens

Branching tree model.

H. Florensis (“hobbits”)

The French

H. neanderthalH. sapien

H. neanderthal

H. sapien

H. neanderthal

H. sapien

Direct ancestor

Cousin, no overlap

Not close enough to be same species, overlap

A

B

C

Archaic

Modern

Homo sapien

(minus lower jaw)

Key elements of cranial morphology

Changing imagesChanging images

►New data and new sensibilities have New data and new sensibilities have inspired a rethinking about inspired a rethinking about Neanderthal. Neanderthal.

►Forensic science has changed our Forensic science has changed our perception of physical appearances perception of physical appearances (phenotype).(phenotype).

►Archaeological data has changed view Archaeological data has changed view about Neanderthal life.about Neanderthal life.

►mtDNA suggests greater split in time mtDNA suggests greater split in time from archaic humansfrom archaic humans

Neanderthal as frat boy run amok.

Brutish behavior considered Neanderthal.

Skeletal remains of child with Neanderthal traits, Portugal, 30,000 years old.

(2010)

Modern child Neanderthal (?) child

Is this the face of a 30,000 year old Neanderthal/Human hybrid?

Theory of human migration: Theory of human migration: origins of modern humansorigins of modern humans

►Two competing hypotheses currently Two competing hypotheses currently debated. These hypotheses will be debated. These hypotheses will be affected by new DNA research.affected by new DNA research.

►Out of Africa 1 and Out of Africa 2 Out of Africa 1 and Out of Africa 2 (next week)(next week)