PA Final Exam – Flashcards

Middle Pleistocene (780,000-125,000 ya) Late Pleistocene (125,000-10,000 ya) Transitional species between H. Erectus and H. Sapiens Exhibit several H. Erectus characteristics: face is large, browbones projected, forehead low, in some cases cranial vault is thick More derived features: increased brain size, more rounded braincase, more vertical nose, less angled back of skull existed: 800,000-200-000 H. Heidelbergensis

Marked by periodic advances and retreats of massive continental glaciations Interglacials- climate periods when continental ice sheets are retreating At least 15 major/50 minor glacial advances documented in Europe Glaciations enveloped large areas of Europe, Asia, N. America, Antarctica Hominins still restricted to Old World affected as climate, flora, fauna, animal life shifted during Pleistocene In Africa; main effect change in rainfall during glaciations became more arid, during interglacials rainfall increased Affected food and migration routes

Changing rainfall patterns. Migration routes swung back and forth. Example: Sahara Desert expanded, blocking migration in and out of sub-Saharan Africa.

As the ice sheets expanded, sea levels dropped, more northern regions became uninhabitable, and some key passages between areas became blocked by glaciers. Example: During glacier peaks, much of western Europe would have been cut off from the rest of Eurasia.

Increased brain size, a more rounded braincase, a more vertical nose, and a less angled back of the skull (occipital)

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One of the best known is Kabwe (Broken Hill). Fieldworkers discovered a complete cranium, together with other cranial and postcranial elements belonging to several individuals. Dates ranged: 600,000 to 125,000 ya.

Cave near Gran Dolina 600,000-530,000 ya 28 individuals, 4000 fragments contains more than 80% of all Middle Pleistocene hominin remains Early Neandertal like pattern: arching browbridges, projecting mid face Earliest evidence of deliberate disposal of the dead

Mousterian Industry (Middle Paleolithic) stone tool industry, larger portion of flake tools than Acheulian tool kits Technology - improved on previous prepared core techniques like the Lavellois created more flakes than predecessors, turned into scrapers, points, knives evidence of specialized tools for skinning and preparing meet, hunting, woodworking, hafting no evidence of bone tool use as compared to upper paleolithic Speech/symbolic: likely possible of speech used pigment (like early h. sapiens) and wore jewelry Burials: deliberately buried dead disposal of dead some cases body deliberately modified/flexed grave goods at burial sites not as complex as h.sapiens

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One of the most important Neandertal discoveries was made in 1908 at La Chapelle-aux-Saints, in southwestern France. A nearly complete skeleton was found buried in a shallow grave in a flexed position. Around the body were flint tools and broken animal bones. Marcellin Boule studied it. They all belonged to the same social group, representing a band of hunter-gatherers. Males stay together and mate with other females in different groups. Most recent of the Western European Neandertals come form St. Cesaire, in southwestern France, and are dated at about 35,000 ya

Remains have been dating back to 130,000 ya, but book focuses on populations that lived especially during the last major glaciation, which began about 75,000 ya and ended about 10,000 ya. Western Europe where they have been most studied. They tend to be less robust. Their brain size, was actually larger than that of H. sapiens today. Neandertals was 1,520 cm. The larger size may be associated with the metabolic efficiency of al arger brain in cold weather. Cranium is large, long, low, and bulging at the sides. Forehead rises more vertically than that of H. erectus, and the browridges arch over the orbits instead of forming a straight bar.

Neanderthals deliberately buried their dead. Dates back 90,000 years at Tabun. Discoveries at La Chapelle and Shanidar. They are placed in the grave with a flexed position.

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1) The regional continuity model is associated wit paleoanthropologist Milford Wolpoff. a) Denying that the earliest modern H. sapiens populations originated exclusively in Africa b) Asserting that significant levels of gene flow (migration) between various geographically dispersed premodern populations were extremely likely throughout the Pleistocene. 2) Replacement Models 3) Partial Replacement Models

Around 200,000-100,000 ya, fossils have been interpreted as fully anatomically modern forms. Earliest comes from Omo Kibish, in southernmost Ethiopia.

Omo Kibish, in southernmost Ethiopia.

Using radiometric techniques, redating of a fragmentary skull (Omo 1) demonstrates that, coming from 195,000 ya, this is teh earliest modern human yet found in Africa-or, for that matter, anywhere. Omo 2 is much more robust and less modern in morphology.

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A cultural period usually associated with modern humans, but also found with some Neandertals, and distinguished by technological innovation in various stone tool industries, Best known from western Europe, similar industries are also known from central and eastern Europe and Africa.

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Western Europe 40,000 - 10,000 ya Divided into 5 different industries based on stone tool technologies: Aurignacian, Chatelperronian, Gravettian, Solutrean, Magdalenian Major environmental shifts, warming trent melted ice Tundra, grasslands, large herds of animals: mammoths, reindeer, bison, horses bountiful sources of food Humans exploited fish and fowl for 1st time Relative abundance, spread out over Europe lived in: caves, open air camps, built large shelters Far more elaborate burials Age of innovation and amazing technological change Magdalenian - spear thrower Paleolithic art: cave art, small portable art "Venuses" Use of pigments Culmination of 2 million years of cultural development body ornaments, "needles" for tailored clothing Age was "doomed" by climate change of 10,000 ya