202(502): Anthropology Introduction to Archaeology (Lecture # 10, October 5, 2010) I. Pleistoceneca. 1.8 m.y.a. until 11,000 radiocarbon years agoecological contexts A Lower Pleistocene: 1.6 million to 730,000 years B.P Homo erectus 1 Glaciations at 2.5 mya, but geomagnetic reversal marks beginning at 1.6 mya, followed by periods of change (warmer, then cooler, then warmer) 2 Other species change too: especially notable is the "appearance" of wild forms of horses, cattle, and camels, as well as elephants 3. Earth's magnetic fields last shift back to "normal:" Matuyama/Brunhes boundary @ ca. 780,000 years ago; more climatic fluctuations Middle Pleistocene: 730,000 to 128,000 years ago; Homo erectus, Neanderthal, and archaic Homo sapiens Climate change: glacial and interglacial periods; human settlement of temperate zone during interglacial periods Speciation of African monkeys correlates with habitat changes The Pleistocene, or Ice Age--a geological era 1.8 mya rs ago until 11,000 year ago; context in which Homo erectus spread and Neanderthals evolved 1. Oxygen Isotope Curve for the last 800,000 years exemplifies the Pleistocene as periods of significant buildup of ice sheets, or glacial eras, 2. Separated by periods when the ice sheets retreated, or interglacial eras
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Pre-Neanderthal Technology, Etc.
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Eurpope: Atapuerca (Homo antecessor ) and Isernia la Pineta (Homo ?): 800,000, 700,000, respectively; cores and flakesno handaxes Eurasian Acheulian out of Africa and to ChinaBose siteby 800,000 yrs. ago Very little Acheulian east of India; may indicate use of bamboo in place of many types of stone tools Clactonian flake-tool industy in England; 350,000 + B.P.; edged/sharpened flakes of many shapes and sizes Sparse evidence of either artwork or ritual behavior in Lower Paleolithic contexts with two exceptions: 1. Small pebble of volcanic rock with evidence of human work on it found at Berekhat Ram, Golan Heights; 230,000 yrs old; possible human female figure 2. Possible mass-funerary ritual27 (MNI) archaic Homo sapiens; 300,000 yrs oldfrom upper deposit at Atapureca
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Neanderthals: Who were they and where do the fit into humanitys past? A. Chronology: possibly 200,000-250,000 (Germany) but well accepted earliest fossil (France) dates to ca. 175,000 with demise by 40,000 and most recent age
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(E. Europe) of 30,000 years ago B. Ecology/Distribution: Found across Western Europe and Central Asia, down into the Middle Eastnone in East Asia or Africa 1. Neanderthals lived in a wide range of ecological zonesincluding temperate grasslands and Mediterranean woodlands 2. Neanderthals lived through two complete glacial cycles Morphology: at once similar to modern humans and highly distinctive; 1. Some argue theyre so similar that Neanderthals are just a subspecies: Homo sapiens neanderthalensis 2. Some argue that theyre distinct enough to be their own species: Homo neanderthalensis 3. The similarities between modern humans and Neanderthals are rooted in their shared ancestry Major scenarios for the evolution of Neanderthals 1. Neanderthals and modern humans evolved separately from populations of Homo erectus, possibly through local intermediate species 2. The common ancestor of modern humans and Neanderthals was a distinct species that itself evolved from Homo erectus and lived 700,000-300,000 years ago 3. Neanderthals and modern humans did not evolve in isolation; rather there was a constant gene flow between the two populations Neanderthal Genetics 1. Sequences of Neanderthal DNA that have been recovered are significantly different from the DNA sequence of living humans 2. Indicates that the Neanderthal and human lineages diverged somewhere between 740,000 and 320,000 years ago 3. Genetic evidence suggests that Neanderthals evolved separately from modern humans for a considerable period of time Neanderthal technology: tool Middle Paleolithic Stone Tools (Mousterian) 1. Prepared-core technology was used to create the flakes; Levallois core/flake industry: carefully shaping the core to control the form of the flakes produced 2. Tools by retouching the edges of flakes 3. They rarely made handaxes and did not fashion bifacial tools on cobbles or very large flakes as did earlier hominins Neanderthal hunting technology; Archaeological evidence shows Neanderthals were capable of hunting large game: 1. At La Cotte de St. Brelade site, at least 20 mammoths and 5 woolly rhinos were deliberately stampeded off a cliff then butchered by Neanderthals 2. At Umm el Tlel, a fragment of a Levallois point was found embedded in a vertebra of a wild ass 3. Bone chemistry studies show that Neanderthals were essentially meat eatersone individuals diet appears to have been 97% meat Neanderthal site organization and fire usage 1. Neanderthals had base camps where resources were brought back for
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consumption a. Many Neanderthal base camp sites are located in caves b. Many of these sites show evidence of intensive occupation and deep accumulation of archaeological layers c. Much of the sediments at these sites are products of human activitiescharcoal, bone fragments, stone tool fragments Neanderthal cave sites are spatially organized a. Main living surface was relatively clean, while the sides of the cave were refuse areas b. In the central living areas were hearthsnot a defined fireplace, just many fires over time
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Neanderthal treatment of the dead 1. Neanderthals sometimes buried their dead in small pits, sometimes with grave goods a. At Kebara Cave, the outline of the burial pit can be traced stratigraphically b. 2. At Amud Cave, an infant was found in a natural niche in the side of the cave with the upper jaw of a red deer Neanderthal remains from sites in France and Croatia show evidence of cannibalism a. Some of these Neanderthal bones show evidence of butchery in the form of cut marks from defleshing and percussion marks from smashing the bones to obtain marrow b. Meaning/purpose of said cannibalism remains unclear
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What Is a Modern Human? Decidedly African in Origin A. Modern human refers to all members of the species Homo sapiens this includes all living humans; their common traits are: 1. Globular braincase 2. Vertical forehead 3. Reduced brow ridges 4. Pronounced chin 5. Reduced body mass 6. Narrow trunk 7. Unique pelvic shape 8. Reduced tooth size The earliest modern humans hail from Africa, beginning 200- 100,000 years ago 1. Oldest known early modern human fossils are from Ethiopia, ca. 160,000 to 154,000 years old 2, Other South African sites have yielded Homo sapiens fossils that date to between 120,000 and 70,000 years ago Middle Stone Age replaced Acheulian industries in Africa 300-200,000 years ago 1. The archaeological context for the earliest modern humans 2. Includes a number of distinct industries including the Aterian, the Sangoan/Lupemban, and Howiesons Poort 3. Includes a number of distinct industries including the Aterian, the Sangoan/Lupemban, and Howiesons Poort
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Middle Stone Age of archaic H. s. in Africa versus Middle Paleolithic of Neanderthals in Europe
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Similarities: 1. Stone tools were made by using a prepared core technology 2. There is variability between stone tool industries, and 3. Evidence supports both hunting and the intensive use of fire Differences: 1. Greater variability is found in Middle Stone Age stone tool industries 2. In the Middle Stone Age there are elaborate bone tools, not in Middle Paleolithic 3. Clear evidence of fishing/collecting shellfish for the Middle Stone Age 4. Artwork is present in Middle Stone Age, absent in Middle Paleolithic
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Next Lecture: Thursday, October 07, 2010; Assignment: World Prehistory (Chazan) pp. 122-151 and Atlas (Fagan) pp. 18-19
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