Peopling of the Earth Beginnings to 4000 B

Peopling of the Earth Beginnings to 4000 B. C. E. From Early Humans… to homo sapiens…

Where did early humans originate? Out of Africa: 3 to 4 million years ago

What were early humans capable of? -walked upright -hunted animals and gathered berries, plants, insects -developed tools -discovered and used fire -lived in social groups

Homo sapiens (that’s us!) evolved from Homo erectus § By 200, 000 years ago, people whose skeletons were like those of Homo sapiens were already living in Africa. § Between that time and about 100, 000 years ago, people who were “like us” emerged in eastern and southern Africa. This is a reconstructed Homo sapiens skull, found in Israel. It has been dated to about 90, 000 years ago.

How did Homo Sapiens differ from early humans? Range of Neanderthals Range of modern Humans by 28, 000 years ago Approximate geographical range of Neandertals, 100, 000 -28, 000 BCE Approximate geographical range of Homo sapiens by 28, 000 BCE LARGER RANGE OF MOVEMENT!

Migrations of Homo sapiens Europe 40, 000 years ago Siberia 40, 000 years ago North America 12, 000 -30, 000 years ago Oceania 1600 B. C. E. -500 C. E. Southwest Asia 100, 000 years ago Human Origins 200, 000 -250, 000 years ago Australia as many as 60, 000 years ago Possible coastal routes of human migration Possible landward routes of human migration Migrations in Oceania Chile 12, 000 -13 , 000 years ago

Why were homo sapiens to able to migrate further? Language! Homo sapiens had language l so they could exchange complex ideas with each other. l and they could store and add to the ideas of previous generations. Ø Because they swapped ideas, they kept finding New Ideas l new ways of doing things. l new ways of living. Ø Language Shared Ideas Learning

Language made collective learning possible. The stores of knowledge and skills humans built up are called “culture. ” Ø No other animal can store and accumulate knowledge and skills in this way. Ø We call this ability “collective learning. ” Ø It is what human history is about! It is what makes us special!

How did collective learning change human culture? At first, changes in technology were very slow. After about 100, 000 years ago, the pace of change began to increase. Evidence appears from about that time of humans living in east, central, and southern Africa. They were: For example, Blombos Cave § Making more advanced and varied tools. § Experimenting with body decoration and abstract symbols.

Remains discovered at Blombos Cave are one example of the more complex culture some humans were developing as many as 90, 000 years ago. The people who lived in this seaside camp: § Made sharp stone spear points using methods that appeared in Eurasia only 50, 000 or more years later. § Made objects from bone, the earliest use of this material known. § Scored bits of bone with marks that may have had symbolic meaning. View looking out of Blombos Cave to the Indian Ocean Bone points from the cave Ochre piece with scrape marks. A person may have scraped the ochre to get powder to use to make body paint.

Acceleration! From about 40, 000 years ago, archaeological evidence shows faster and faster cultural change and increasing complexity. Humans began to: § Create art. § Make more specialized tools. § Weave and knot fiber. § Decorate clothing. § Make jewelry. § Build houses they were going to live in for awhile. The engraved horse panel in the Cave of Chauvet. Pont-D’Arc in southern France. The image is about 31, 000 years old. (http: //www. culture. gouv. fr/culture/arcn at/chauvet) Venus of the Kostenki I site in Russia dated to about 23, 000 years ago. This stone female head is wearing headgear of woven basketry. (New York Times, Dec. 14, 1999. Photo: Bill Wiegand, University of Illinois. )

Homo sapiens ability to adapt increases. What forces them to adapt? Different Environments!

1. 2. 3. 4. en the early huma ns and moder n homo Language sapie develops. Habitats ns expand. Technology multiplies. Wall painting and sculpture are created. Because of these differences, homo sapiens were able to migrate further and adapt to various environments. Stay tuned to see how history develops as humans adapt to different environments!