The rise of man:
Archeology is the study of ancient cultures by examination of artefacts and remains.
Anthropology is the study of humankind, especially human developments and culture.
Paleontology is the study of fossils.
Paleoanthropology is the study of humankind through fossils.
Humans belong to the order of mammals called Primates, which include animals such as monkeys, apes and
humans. Apes and humans are also placed in a group called the Hominoids, which include three major groups:
1. The great apes – chimpanzees, gorillas, and the orangutan.
2. The lesser apes – Gibbons and siamangs.
3. Hominids – Humans and their fossil ancestors.
Characteristics that we share with the chimpanzee:
1. Opposable thumb (ours is fully opposable)
2. Bare fingertips
3. Rotating arms
4. Long arms
5. Stereoscopic vision
6. Eyes with cones and rods (can see colour)
7. Reduced sense of smell
8. Large brain compared to body mass
9. 4 incisors in each jaw
10.
11. 85% of the DNA is the same
Differences between apes and humans:
Humans: Apes:
Bipedal (walks upright) Quadrapedal (walks using all 4 limbs)
Legs are much longer than arms All 4 limbs are almost the same size
Feet are different from hands Hands and feet are similar in structure
S-shaped vertebra C-shaped vertebra
Neck vertebra are parallel to face Neck vertebra are at right angle to face
Pelvic girdle is bowel shaped (short and narrow) Pelvic girdle is elongated (long and narrow)
Larger brain (1800ml) means bigger skull case Smaller brain (300ml) means smaller skull case
Foramen magnum is directly underneath the skull Foramen magnum is at the back of the skull
Jaws relatively small because teeth are smaller Jaws bigger to fit in big canines and cheek teeth
No snout (no prognathous) Snout caused big bigger jaw (prognathous)
No diastema Diastema (gap) between incisors and canine teeth
The arch of the teeth (dental arcade) is rounded The arch of the teeth (dental arcade) is parallel
Thumb is opposable - gives high degree of manipulation Thumb is not fully opposable
Straight fingers Curved fingers
No grasping big toe Grasping big toe
No brow ridge Brow ridge
Chimpanzees are arboreal (they live in trees). They are climbers and can swing themselves from branch to
branch in a method of movement called brachiation. Gorilla skull has a sagittal crest on the back of the skull,
which is used for attaching muscles for chewing.
Advantages of being bipedal were:
The hands are freed up so that they could use tools.
The sex of the individual is immediately obvious.
The animal could see further forwards, so they could detect enemies and predators better.
The animals are cooler as a greater surface area is exposed.
What did having a bigger brain mean to the hominid?
They could use tools and weapons.
They could communicated and develop language allowing them to have complex.
Archeology is the study of ancient cultures by examination of artefacts and remains.
Anthropology is the study of humankind, especially human developments and culture.
Paleontology is the study of fossils.
Paleoanthropology is the study of humankind through fossils.
Humans belong to the order of mammals called Primates, which include animals such as monkeys, apes and
humans. Apes and humans are also placed in a group called the Hominoids, which include three major groups:
1. The great apes – chimpanzees, gorillas, and the orangutan.
2. The lesser apes – Gibbons and siamangs.
3. Hominids – Humans and their fossil ancestors.
Characteristics that we share with the chimpanzee:
1. Opposable thumb (ours is fully opposable)
2. Bare fingertips
3. Rotating arms
4. Long arms
5. Stereoscopic vision
6. Eyes with cones and rods (can see colour)
7. Reduced sense of smell
8. Large brain compared to body mass
9. 4 incisors in each jaw
10.
11. 85% of the DNA is the same
Differences between apes and humans:
Humans: Apes:
Bipedal (walks upright) Quadrapedal (walks using all 4 limbs)
Legs are much longer than arms All 4 limbs are almost the same size
Feet are different from hands Hands and feet are similar in structure
S-shaped vertebra C-shaped vertebra
Neck vertebra are parallel to face Neck vertebra are at right angle to face
Pelvic girdle is bowel shaped (short and narrow) Pelvic girdle is elongated (long and narrow)
Larger brain (1800ml) means bigger skull case Smaller brain (300ml) means smaller skull case
Foramen magnum is directly underneath the skull Foramen magnum is at the back of the skull
Jaws relatively small because teeth are smaller Jaws bigger to fit in big canines and cheek teeth
No snout (no prognathous) Snout caused big bigger jaw (prognathous)
No diastema Diastema (gap) between incisors and canine teeth
The arch of the teeth (dental arcade) is rounded The arch of the teeth (dental arcade) is parallel
Thumb is opposable - gives high degree of manipulation Thumb is not fully opposable
Straight fingers Curved fingers
No grasping big toe Grasping big toe
No brow ridge Brow ridge
Chimpanzees are arboreal (they live in trees). They are climbers and can swing themselves from branch to
branch in a method of movement called brachiation. Gorilla skull has a sagittal crest on the back of the skull,
which is used for attaching muscles for chewing.
Advantages of being bipedal were:
The hands are freed up so that they could use tools.
The sex of the individual is immediately obvious.
The animal could see further forwards, so they could detect enemies and predators better.
The animals are cooler as a greater surface area is exposed.
What did having a bigger brain mean to the hominid?
They could use tools and weapons.
They could communicated and develop language allowing them to have complex.
