2022‐10‐2
CHAPTER 10
THE EMERGENCE OF THE GENUS
HOMO
CHAPTER PREVIEW
Genus Homo
Copyright © 2015 by Nelson Education Ltd.
Anatomical characteristics
Behavioural adaptations
Dietary adaptations
Migration out of Africa
10‐2
THE GENUS HOMO Weassumeanearlyhomoderivesfromaustralopithecus
We need to understand the transition from Australopithecus to Homo cont atthesameplaceandsametime
Problems:
Getting but
better
The fossil record for early Homo is lacking stillwear
It seems there were many contemporaneous hominin species at the Plio‐
Pleistocene boundary. To which hominin group do we ascribe material
artefacts?
Many forms of early Homo not very different from Australopithecus.. Same
species? Different? Transitional?
, 2022‐10‐2
EARLY HOMO VS AUSTRALOPITHECUS: CHANGES IN TEETH,
BRAIN AND BODY Noflaredarchessmallerlessprojectingfacemolarsaregetting
Slightly La rge brain relative to
body size
teetharebiggerrelativetobackteethdietarychange
smallerfront
5 1 0 – 750 cc
limbpor humanlike
portionssnowapeand
Rounded braincase
Smaller, less projecting face features
La rge incis ors and canines
relative to premolars, small
molars
Pa ra bolic dental arca de
boise Morphologicalchanges
is olower
nape f saws
Larger bodies
Limb proportions ape‐ and
human‐like features
Few preserved postcranial
skeletons: fully bipedal w some
arboreal locomotion; 33‐48 kg;
stature estimate 118‐145 cm.
LO1 10‐4
PLIO‐PLEISTOCENE HOMININ
BEHAVIOUR (~2MYA) Aspectsofdietarehugefactors inhumanevo
More variable habitats & climate of Pliocene
and early Pleistocene likely led to new feeding Tools Rockssticks tobreak
things
habits
Gracile forms may have relied more on meat, robust
forms on nuts, seeds, etc.
Dietarychangesleadto socialorganization tobemulti
May have used primitive, impermanent tools
Scavenging vs hunting
male multifemale
Food sharing of high quality resources likely
Social organization may have been multi‐
male/multi‐female (terrestriality made them
vulnerable to predators, moderate sexual
dimorphism)
5
EARLY TOOL CULTURE n'of'mootharatists
Foundnearby skeletalremains
Earliest known stone tools
found at Olduvai, Tanzania
Mode1 simplist formoftools
and at Awash, Ethiopia,
2.5 mya
1960s used as claws and teeth forearlyhomonins
First tool industry known
as Olduwan
Mode 1 technology
6
CHAPTER 10
THE EMERGENCE OF THE GENUS
HOMO
CHAPTER PREVIEW
Genus Homo
Copyright © 2015 by Nelson Education Ltd.
Anatomical characteristics
Behavioural adaptations
Dietary adaptations
Migration out of Africa
10‐2
THE GENUS HOMO Weassumeanearlyhomoderivesfromaustralopithecus
We need to understand the transition from Australopithecus to Homo cont atthesameplaceandsametime
Problems:
Getting but
better
The fossil record for early Homo is lacking stillwear
It seems there were many contemporaneous hominin species at the Plio‐
Pleistocene boundary. To which hominin group do we ascribe material
artefacts?
Many forms of early Homo not very different from Australopithecus.. Same
species? Different? Transitional?
, 2022‐10‐2
EARLY HOMO VS AUSTRALOPITHECUS: CHANGES IN TEETH,
BRAIN AND BODY Noflaredarchessmallerlessprojectingfacemolarsaregetting
Slightly La rge brain relative to
body size
teetharebiggerrelativetobackteethdietarychange
smallerfront
5 1 0 – 750 cc
limbpor humanlike
portionssnowapeand
Rounded braincase
Smaller, less projecting face features
La rge incis ors and canines
relative to premolars, small
molars
Pa ra bolic dental arca de
boise Morphologicalchanges
is olower
nape f saws
Larger bodies
Limb proportions ape‐ and
human‐like features
Few preserved postcranial
skeletons: fully bipedal w some
arboreal locomotion; 33‐48 kg;
stature estimate 118‐145 cm.
LO1 10‐4
PLIO‐PLEISTOCENE HOMININ
BEHAVIOUR (~2MYA) Aspectsofdietarehugefactors inhumanevo
More variable habitats & climate of Pliocene
and early Pleistocene likely led to new feeding Tools Rockssticks tobreak
things
habits
Gracile forms may have relied more on meat, robust
forms on nuts, seeds, etc.
Dietarychangesleadto socialorganization tobemulti
May have used primitive, impermanent tools
Scavenging vs hunting
male multifemale
Food sharing of high quality resources likely
Social organization may have been multi‐
male/multi‐female (terrestriality made them
vulnerable to predators, moderate sexual
dimorphism)
5
EARLY TOOL CULTURE n'of'mootharatists
Foundnearby skeletalremains
Earliest known stone tools
found at Olduvai, Tanzania
Mode1 simplist formoftools
and at Awash, Ethiopia,
2.5 mya
1960s used as claws and teeth forearlyhomonins
First tool industry known
as Olduwan
Mode 1 technology
6
