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63 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Paleoanthropology |
Study of early human fossils and the context in which they are found |
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What is human evolution baed off of? |
The fossil record |
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Mineralization |
the fossilization of bones by air pockets in bones getting filled with sediment and metals |
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Taphonomy |
the study of how bones come to be buried in the earth and preserved as fossils |
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Laetoli footprints |
discovered by Mary Leakey in 1978 in Tanzania. 3 early humans walked through wet, volcanic ash from a nearby volcano. A baby was walking in the steps of the mother. Subsequent layers of ash covered and preserved the footprints. This has been dated back 3.6 million years ago. |
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Chronometric dating |
Based upon radioactive decay and provides a date estimate in number of years |
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what is a humans superfamily? |
hominoidae (with all apes) |
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family? |
hominidae (with great apes) |
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subfamily? |
homininae (with chimps) |
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tribe |
hominin (human line) |
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hominin traits |
1. unique dentition 2. encephalization, larger brain 3. Bipedalism 4. stone tool making behavior |
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what are the five traits for unique dentition for humans? |
1. Reduced canines 2. Absence of diastema 3. smaller teeth 4. dental arcade is parabolic 5. thicker enamel cap in teeth |
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encephalization |
scientists use volume as measurement for the brain- the amount of space a brain takes up inside |
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what is a humans average cranial capacity? |
1350 cc |
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how do physical anthropologists/ paleoanthropologist measure the cranial capacity? |
By centimeters cubed, or cc |
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what is the only way anthropologists can definitively say that a species exhibited stone tool making behavior? |
if they find the tools alongside the fossilized remains |
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where is the foramen magnum located the human and the ape? |
Human: Centrally located Ape: located towards the rear |
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Bipedalism |
1. less consumption of energy- efficient long distance travel 2. increases view of area- early predator detection 3. frees hands to carry items and make tools 4. enabled less of the body to be exposed to direct sunlight |
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mosaic evolution |
rate of evolution in one organ system varies from the rates in other organ systems, not all traits develop simultaneously |
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Sahelanthropus tchadensis |
first possibly hominin He was found in toros-menalla, chad, central Africa in 2001 by Michael Brunet Dates back 6-7 million years ago Ape like: Small brain, sagittal crest, back of cranium is rough, large supraorbital ridge Human: small face, no prognathism, reduced canines, intermediate foramen magnum |
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what is prognathism? |
the positional relationship of the mandible and/or maxilla to the skeletal base where either of the jaws protrudes beyond a predetermined imaginary line in the coronal plane of the skull. |
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Orrorin Tugenensis |
Collection of skeletal fragments from 5 individuals, thirteen pieces in total They were found in the tugen hills, Kenya, East Africa, and they date back to 6 mya Ape like: long, curved finger bones Hominin like: thick enamel, femur was capable of bipedalism It was found in 2000 by Brigitte Senut and Martin Pickford |
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Ardipithecus Ramidus |
She was a female, 50% complete, and dates back 4.4 mya She was found in Aramis, Ethiopia, and is nicknamed Ardi Her remains were found in 1994, but were not release by Tim white until 2009 She could walk bipedal, and was arboreal |
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Genus Australopithecus |
There are 6-8 species, and date from 4.1- 1mya They are found all across Africa, and are the most studied and understood collection. They are bipedal, have thick enamel, and larger teeth |
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Australopithecus Afarensis |
Have 60+ specimens Found in Laetoli, Tanzania, and Hadar, Ethiopia, East Africa |
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Lucy |
Found in 1974 by Don Johnson's team Dates to 3.9-3 mya, and is 40% complete, and was found in Hadar Ethiopia |
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Dikika Baby |
3 years old, found in dikika, Ethiopia dates back 3.3 mya, and it is a well preserved complete skull with both dentitions |
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Australopithecus Africanus |
found in Taung, south Africa in 1924 by Raymond Dart, the corpse was 3-4 years old before death, and dates back 3-2.3 mya. Its first permanent molar was erupting |
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Genus Paranthropus |
Found in East and South Africa, they date from 2.50 1.2 mya. Robust features of the skull and face, had a sagittal crest, broad face, large jaw and molars Ate a hard diet Had a small cranial capacity, from 510-430 cc Indicate a degree of sexual dimorphism Omnivorous |
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African Hominin |
By 2.5 mya, two lines split from one another, one leading to later australopiths, the other to the homo genus All Australopiths were extinct by 1 mya according to current |
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Homo Habilis |
Lived from 2.4-1.8 mya, had a larger brain size of 630 cc Large front teeth, narrow premolars, made round stone tools, Oldewan First stone tool maker |
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Oldowan |
the archaeological term used to refer to the earliest stone tool archaeological industry in prehistory. Oldowan tools were used during the Lower Paleolithic period, 2.6 million years ago up until 1.7 million years ago, by ancient hominins across much of Africa, South Asia, the Middle East and Europe. This technological industry was followed by the more sophisticated Acheulean industry. |
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when's the first hominin dispersal out of Africa? |
1.5-2 mya |
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What might have influenced hominin migration? |
climate change, access to resources, |
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Homo Erectus |
lived during the pleistocene age (ice age, 1.8- 10kya) Earliest forms of homo eructs are from Kenya |
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what is the term for the homo erectus that is from Africa? |
homo ergaster |
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what are the characteristics of a homo erectus? |
1. encephalization (range is from 750-1250cc) 2. increased body size- robust, heavy body build; adults weighed about 100 lbs; very efficient locomotors, sexually dimorphic 3. Cranial shape- a thick, cranial bone; large supraorbital ridge, projecting occipital torus; little forehead development; subtle pentagonal shape, base of cranium is wide 4. Dentition- teeth are large, but smaller than earlier homo, some have shovel shaped incisors |
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turkana boy |
Food in1984 by Richard Leakey in Nariokotome near Lake Turkana, Kenya, East Africa He was a young adolescent, as young as 8 years old, and dates back to1.6 mya Dates to the pleistocene, or the first epoch of the Quaternary period Died of blood poisoning due to a rotten tooth |
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Persistence hunting |
Hunting prey by continuous chase, draining them of their stamina, subjecting them to heat stroke |
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Zhou koudian cave- Beijing cHINA |
Dates 780-400 kya, 100,000+ artifacts uncovered, crude tools become refined overtime, which is apparent from stratigraphy- tools on the lower levels are more cumbersome, and the tools progressively get smaller and lighter |
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Acheulean |
Is an archaeological industry of stone tool manufacture characterized by distinctive oval and pear-shaped "hand-axes" associated with early humans. Acheulean tools were produced during the Lower Palaeolithic era across Africa and much of West Asia, South Asia, and Europe, and are typically found with Homo erectus remains. It is a biface tool with a flatter, sharp edge |
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Homo erectus traits |
1. stone tool technology 2. eating meat, a sign of butchering 3. persistence hunting 4. Fire 5. Compassion |
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What was fire useful for? |
Warmth Protection Light warding off predators social gathering place |
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What ws an example of homo rectus compassion? |
The toothless male from Dmanisi, Eastern Europe, who has someone chew his food for him |
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Premodern humans |
they date to the middle of the Pleistocene- 125 kya |
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Homo heidelbergensis |
Found throughout Africa and Europe, existed from 850-200 kya, the african form was the modern human, the european form were Neandertals, they had and increased brain size. They had a globe shaped skull, they widest portions were at the ears. Large face, projecting supraorbital ridge Used Levallois tools, used fire, dwelled in caves and open air sites |
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Levallois |
is a name given by archaeologists to a distinctive type of stone knapping developed by precursors to modern humans during the Palaeolithic period. |
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Neandertals |
Late premodern human, lived from 130-29 kya, and was first discovered in Germany in 1856 in a rock quarry. Side branch of the late hominin evolution Western Europe has the most elaborate collection. |
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What is a neandertals binomial nomenclature? |
Homo Sapiens Neandertalensis |
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Neanderthal characterisitcs |
large brain- 1520 cc The cranium is large, elongated, short in height, and slightly bulging on the sides. It is bun shaped on the occipital bone protrusion, Its supraorbital ridges form arches like an M over its eyes Its face projects outwards It has a robust skeleton It has shorter, thicker limbs |
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mousterian tools |
An improvement to the Levallois technique, it produces about 5 flakes, and has versatile uses. |
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paleomagnetism |
is the study of the record of the Earth's magnetic field in rocks, sediment, or archeological materials. Certain minerals in rocks lock-in a record of the direction and intensity of the magnetic field when they form. |
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Potassium- Argon method can be used for what years? |
5-1 mya |
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Thermoluminescence |
Used to date heated inorganic material such as ceramics and flint tools |
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when and where did modern humans appear? |
around 200,000 years ago in Africa |
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African Replacement hypothesis |
It is the most plausible explanation for for origin and dispersal of modern humans. Essentially, the hypothesis is that modern humans dispersed from africa and interbred with other homo sapiens (genus species) and gradually replaced them. |
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What are the physical characteristics of a modern Human? |
Round Head; Large brain; vertical forehead; reduced supraorbital ridges; chin; canine fossa; pyramidal mastoid process; slighter skeleton- less muscular, more gracile |
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specimens of modern human fossils
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omo kibosh, ethiopia, 195 kya, fragmentary skull, considered the earliest modern human; Herto, Ethiopia, 160-154 kya, it is the best preserved and dated early modern human |
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what things did modern humans innovate? |
Rudimentary textile, atlatls, elaborate burials, and the punch blade technique |
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what are atlatls? |
They are spear throwers, they help with the stabilization of the spear and accuracy |
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What is the punch blade technique? |
chiseling of tools, to make tools with sharper, serrated edges. |
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what new materials did moderns humans begin using? |
Bone, ivory, antler |
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what tool was used as a needle from bone? |
awls |