Biological Anthropology The genus Homo Homo habilis Larger

Biological Anthropology The genus Homo

Homo habilis • Larger brain • Flatter face

Homo habilis • Leakey • Name means “Handy Man”

Homo habilis: culture Olduwan pebble culture

Homo habilis: culture • Leakey: large brain = tool manufacture

Homo habilis Where? East Africa

Homo habilis When? 2. 5 -1. 5 mya

Homo habilis • Small & large specimens • Light skull • Cranial Capacity = 800 cc

Homo habilis: bipedalism • Full Biped - Increase leg length -Decrease arm length • Shorter in stature

Homo habilis: dentition • Short molars • Small canines • Simian shelf • Parabolic dental arcade

Homo erectus • 1891 • Eugene Dubois • Indonesia

Homo erectus Java Man

Homo erectus • Peking Man • 1926 • China

Homo erectus Where found? Africa Asia Europe

Homo erectus: When? Africa 1. 6 mya- 400, 000 ya Asia 1. 5 mya-200, 000 ya Europe 800, 000 -200, 000 ya

Homo erectus: bipedalism Full bipedalism: “Turkana Boy”

Homo erectus: dentition A. boisei • Parabolic Jaw • Simian shelf H. erectus

Homo erectus: cranium Cranial capacity: 900 -1225 cc

Homo erectus: culture Acheulean tools: Hand axe culture

Homo erectus: culture • Sophisticated tools • Consistently shaped • Suggests communication

Homo erectus: culture First to use fire! (but not necessarily make)

Homo sapiens: where & when • Africa: 400, 000 ya (archaic) • Asia & Europe: 200, 000 ya • Australia: 60, 000 ya • North America: 27, 000 ya

Homo sapiens

Homo sapiens: bipedalism Is bipedalism “finished”? Back problems Flat feet

Homo sapiens: dentition • Parabolic jaw

Homo sapiens: cranium Cranial capacity: 1250 -1400 cc

Homo sapiens: cranium Most modern features • Forehead • Chin

Homo sapiens: culture • Art & Symbolism – Portable Art – Figurines, personal ornaments 230, 000 ya: Acheulean figurine, Israel

Homo sapiens: culture Upper Paleolithic 35 -10, 000 ya: – Use of ivory, bone, wood – New tools – Art & decoration

Homo sapiens: culture • Ritualized Burials – notions of afterlife? – feelings for deceased?

Homo sapiens: culture • Produce Fire – protection from cold – keep away predators – cooking – focal gathering point

Homo sapiens: language • Evidence of language • The most important tool we now use • Writing (ca. 6, 000 ya) • Art • Cooperative efforts • Has features not found in the communication systems of any other living organism