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Chapter 13. Premodern Humans. The Pleistocene. The Pleistocene, often called the Ice Age, was marked by advances and retreats of massive continental glaciations. Middle Pleistocene (780,000– 25,000 y.a.) Upper Pleistocene (125,000–10,000 y.a.). Changing Pleistocene Environments in Africa.
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Chapter 13 Premodern Humans
The Pleistocene • The Pleistocene, often called the Ice Age, was marked by advances and retreats of massive continental glaciations. • Middle Pleistocene (780,000– 25,000 y.a.) • Upper Pleistocene (125,000–10,000 y.a.)
Homo heidelbergensis • Europe and Africa • 800,000-300,000 YA • Regional variations • Cranial capacity 1206 cm3 • Intermediate between H. erectus and H. sapiens • Acheulean tools • China • Dali and Jinnishuan
Homo heidelbergensis skull from Zambia • The Kabwe (Broken Hill) Homo heidelbergensis skull from Zambia. • Note the very heavy supraorbital torus.
Earliest Evidence of Homo Heidelbergensis in Africa • Bodo cranium, the earliest evidence of Homo heidelbergensis in Africa.
Steinheim Cranium • Steinheim cranium, a representative of H. heidelbergensis from Germany.
Crania from China • (a) Dali skull and (b) Jinniushan skull, both from China. • These two crania are considered by some to be Asian representatives of Homo heidelbergensis.
Fossil Discoveries of Middle Pleistocene Premodern Hominids.
Fossil Discoveries of Middle Pleistocene Premodern Hominids.
Neanderthals • Europe and Southwest Asia • Late Pleistocene • 130,000 – 28,000 YA • Over 400 individuals found • Features • Larger boned, short, stocky • Bipedal • Adapted to cold climate • Occipital bun • Cranial capacity – 1200-1750 cm3 (Avg. 1450 cm3)
Krapina • (a) Lateral view showing characteristic Neandertal traits. • (b) Three quarters view.
Shanidar 1 • Among the individuals buried at Shanidar cave is the skeleton of a one-armed, partially blind, crippled man. • He could not have hunted or gathered food on his own. • Some believe his survival is proof of Neandertal compassion and humanity
Fate of the Neanderthals • Outcompeted • Hunting hypothesis • Climate hypothesis • Did they interbreed with AMH?
Culture of Neandertals • Mousterian industry • Clothing • Subsistence • Fire • Shelter • Intentional burials • Language • Social Support Networks
Three Major Evolutionary Transitions • Transition from early Homo to H. erectus. Geographically limited to Africa and occurred rapidly. • Transition of H. erectus grading into early H. sapiens. Not geographically limited, but occurred slowly and unevenly. • Transition from Archaic H. sapiens to anatomically modern H. sapiens.