Transcript Agenda  Out of Africa Theories – Rise of humans The “emergence of mind”  Consider the “meaning” of being Human  Pseudoscience (intro) 

Agenda

Out of Africa Theories
– Rise of humans
The “emergence of mind”
 Consider the “meaning” of being Human
 Pseudoscience (intro)
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
Two models for movement out from Africa
Out of Africa 1
Multiregional model

Homo erectus migrated out from Africa
some 2 million to 500,000 years ago and
spread across the continents. Populations
of erectus then adapted to local
environments and evolved into variants of
Homo sapiens. Neanderthal was
successful for 300,000 years but went
extinct as the environment changed.
Out of Africa 2
Replacement model

Homo erectus migrated out from Africa
between 2 million and 500,000 years ago
and spread across continents. Local
adaptations followed. The about 200,000
years ago Homo sapiens migrated out of
Africa in a second wave and gradually
replaced all regional populations.
Neanderthal co existed with H. sapiens for
60,000 years but were driven to extinction
through competition.
mtDNA studies
mtDNA passed intact maternally. Assumes
constant rate in mutations. Offers
evidence of migrations and periods of split
between groups.
 mtDNAstudies help map the separation in
time between human populations.
 Neanderthal genome has recently been
mapped. See:

http://genome.cshlp.org/content/20/5/547.full
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During the late Pleistocene human groups
developed the use of tool making,
organized into multiple family groups,
experimented with different types of
dwellings, tried different food gathering
strategies, and probably created group
memory (traditions) which aided survival.
The Neolithic
The rise of culture and first steps
toward civilization

Paleolithic: old stone age.

First tools of stone, bone, wood. The
stone tools have survived the ages and
can be studied. We can only conjecture
about bone and wood. See pages 141143, 151. Tools were in use among H.
erectus and Neanderthal.
100,000 years ago
H. sapiens in Europe and Asia
 H. nenderthalensis in Europe and in
limited areas of Middle East
 Important site of H. sapiens: Klassies
River Mouth, a cave site in South Africa.
See page 142-143.

Simple paleolithic tools
Klasies River Mouth
Cave deposits were 20 m deep (65 feet)
 Artifacts and ecofacts spanning early,
middle, and late stone age (60,000 years
of deposits).
 Food deposits included: shell fish, seed,
birds, marine shells, seals, dolphins,
whales, penguins, mussels, and numerous
species of mammals such as antelope,
wildebeest, eland, and other deer.

Faunal analysis
Bones at Klasies river mouth strongly
suggest animals were hunted and
butchered. (The evidence comes from cut
marks made by stone cutting tools and
not from natural abrasion or animal
gnawing).
 Human burials at site provide physical
evidence.

Population
Difficult to determine how many
individuals lived in the cave but we can
say that it was occupied on and off for
60,000 years. A good shelter with easy
access to resources.
 No evidence that the people of Klasies
River Mouth ever developed a complex
social structure beyond that of foraging
bands.

Neanderthal
Four important sites of Neanderthal:
Neander River in Germany, Shanidar cave
in Iraq, Qafzeh cave in Israel, and La
Ferassie in France.
 These sites contain evidence of tools,
burials, hunting and family grouping.
 No evidence Neanderthal ever developed
sufficient social complexity to form large
groups beyond band level.

Upper Paleolithic
About 40,000 years ago in Europe all
traces of Neanderthal vanish. H. sapiens
dominates the landscape.
 Complex new forms of stone tools begin
to be used. Entire tool kits are suggested
by the variety, perhaps with specialized
functions.
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 New
technology centers on
careful retouching of blades and a
distinctive shape.
 Archaeologists refer to this
refined technology as Solutrean.
New Technology: mesolithic
During the Solutrean period we find the
first use of spear throwers (atlatl), bows,
arrows, eyed needles, oil lamps, rope, the
use of resins as adhesives, and tools made
from antlers. The first evidence of
compound tools appears.
 Bones of domesticated dogs also appear in
archaeological deposits for the first time.
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http://www.primtech.net/Summer2
003/Solutreanartifacts.htm
“Laurel leaf”
points/spears and
knives.
Hafted points, cutting
tools and scrapers
Burins and awls.
Used for
puncturing skins,
wood and bone.
Such discoveries of ancient tools were
thought to be evidence of trolls during the
17th and 18th century.
 Realization that some cultural groups
around the globe were using similar tools
suggested that the objects were
technology from the past.

The upper Paleolithic is distinguished by carved
pieces of art representing animals, painted art
on cave walls, and sculpted figurines of both
animal and human form.
 During mesolithic burials increase in complexity.
Grave goods are found with skeletons.
 Neolithic exemplifies the greatest complexity of
material culture before agriculture.
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Review: Art and Magic
 How
are art, magic, and religion
related?
 Are these necessary precursors to
civilization?
Key sites of
discovery for
ancient art
Dolni Vestonici
Lascaux
Altamira
Santander
Grotte Chauvet
Katanda
Important sites for Art
Grotte Chauvet, France (paintings)
 Lascaux, France (paintings)
 Altamira, Spain (sculpture)
 Katanda, Africa (intricate carvings)
 Willendorf, Austria (carved figurines)
 Dolni Vestonice, Czech Republic (fired clay
figurines, carved human portraits)
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Symbol and Message
See pages 158, 162-164. Mural art and
portable art may have several meanings
and uses. Some mural art may be
attempts at sympathetic magic or can be
interpreted as “history.” It may have
served for special initiation rites or for
teaching.
 Portable art may have conferred special
powers or been signs of status/prestige
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Lascaux, France
Tuc d’Audoubert,
France
Bison sculpted in
mud.
Cave bear skull deposited on rock
facing entrance.
La Madeleine,
France
Carved in bone.
Venus figure,
carved from
mammoth
ivory
Lespugne,
France
For an interactive
cave art experience
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http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/arcnat/
lascaux/en/
Architecture
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Earliest remains of architecture are found
in France. These are huts made from
posts. Dated to 300,000 years ago. The
site of Terra Amata revealed 40 foot long,
20 foot wide oval huts with large central
posts. Opening on one end. The interior
included a working surface and hearth.
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At Dolni Vestonice (Czech Republic)
structures were subterranean and made
from mammoth bones and covered with
hides; dating to 25,000 years ago. The
location for the collection of structures
was a kill-site where remains of more than
900 mammoths have been recovered.
Preview: First Towns
next week
Sites of early villages and towns
Jarmo
 Jericho
 Catal Houyuk
 All sites are in the Near East. The
Mesolithic cultures date between 11,0009000 bce
 Groups from the region of Palestine and
Jordan are referred to as the Natufian
culture.
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Catal Houyuk
Located in Anatolia (modern Turkey)
 Situated between important obsidian
sources.
 The site may have first been occupied
around 9000 bce (11,000 years ago).
 By 7000 bce there were 2000 houses and
perhaps 8000 people living together.
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