1. Chapter 10
Premodern Humans

2. Chapter Outline When, Where and What
Premodern Humans of the Middle Pleistocene
A Review of Middle Pleistocene Evolution
Middle Pleistocene Culture

3. Chapter Outline Neandertals: Premodern Humans of the Upper Pleistocene
Culture of Neandertals
Genetic Evidence
Trends in Human Evolution: Understanding Premodern Humans

4. The Pleistocene
The Pleistocene, often called the Ice Age, was marked by advances and retreats of massive continental glaciations.
At least 15 major and 50 minor glacial advances have been documented in Europe.
Hominids were impacted as the climate, flora, and animal life shifted.
Middle Pleistocene (780,000– 25,000 y.a.)
Upper Pleistocene (125,000–10,000 y.a.)

5. Changing Pleistocene Environments in Africa

6. Changing Pleistocene Environments in Eurasia
Green areas show regions of likely hominid occupation. Blue areas are major glaciers. Arrows indicate likely migration routes.

7. Key Middle Pleistocene Premodern Human (H
Key Middle Pleistocene Premodern Human (H. heidelbergensis) Fossils from Africa
Site
Dates (y.a.)
Human Remains
Bodo
(Ethiopia)
Middle Pleistocene
(600,000)
Incomplete skull, part of braincase
Broken Hill
(Kabwe)
(Zambia)
Late Middle Pleistocene;
(130,000 or older)
Nearly complete cranium, cranial fragments of
second individual, miscellaneous postcranial bones

8. Minimum of 28 individuals, including some nearly complete crania
Key Middle Pleistocene Premodern Human (H. heidelbergensis) Fossils from Europe
Site
Dates (y.a.)
Human Remains
Arago
(Tautavel, France)
400,000– 300,000; date uncertain
Face; parietal perhaps from same person; many cranial fragments; up to 23 individuals represented
Atapuerca
(Sima de los Huesos,
northern Spain)
320,000– 190,000, probably 300,000
Minimum of 28 individuals, including some nearly complete crania

9. Key Middle Pleistocene Premodern Human (H
Key Middle Pleistocene Premodern Human (H. heidelbergensis) Fossils from Europe
Site
Dates (y.a.)
Human Remains
Steinheim (Germany)
300,000– 250,000; date uncertain
Nearly complete skull, lacking mandible
Swanscombe
(England)
300,000– 250,000; date uncertain
Occipital and parietals

10. Key Middle Pleistocene Premodern Human (H
Key Middle Pleistocene Premodern Human (H. heidelbergensis) Fossils from Asia
Site
Dates (y.a.)
Human Remains
Dali
(China)
Late Middle Pleistocene
(230,000– 180,000)
Nearly complete skull, lacking mandible. Nearly complete skull
Jinniushan
(200,000)
Partial skeleton, including a cranium

11. Time line of Middle Pleistocene hominids.

12. Review of Middle Pleistocene Evolution (400,000-125,000 y.a.)
Like the erects/sapiens mix in Africa and China, fossils from Europe exhibit traits from both species.
Fossils from each continent differ, but the physical differences are not extraordinary.
There is a definite increase in brain size and a change in the shape of the skull.

13. Middle Pleistocene Tools
African and European archaics invented the Levallois technique for tool making.
Acheulian tools are associated with hand axes.
Different tool traditions coexist in some areas.

14. The Levallois Technique

15. Culture of Neandertals
Neandertals, who lived in the cultural period known as the Middle Paleolithic, are almost always associated with the Mousterian industry.
In the early part of the last glacial period, Mousterian culture extended across Europe and North Africa into the former Soviet Union, Israel, Iran, and as far east as Uzbekistan and perhaps even China.

16. Culture of Neandertals
Neandertals improved on previous prepared-core techniques by inventing a new variation.
They trimmed a flint nodule around the edges to form a disk-shaped core.
Each time they struck the edge, they produced a flake, continuing this way until the core became too small and was discarded.
They then trimmed the flakes into various forms, such as scrapers, points, and knives.

17. Mousterian Tools

18. Settlements
People of the Mousterian culture lived in open sites, caves, and rock shelters.
Windbreaks of poles and skin were placed at the cave opening for protection against severe weather.
Fire was used for cooking, warmth, light, and keeping predators at bay.

19. Subsistence
Remains of animal bones demonstrate that Neandertals were successful hunters.
Used close-proximity spears for hunting (spear thrower and bow and arrow weren’t invented until the Upper Paleolithic).
Patterns of trauma in Neandertal remains match those of contemporary rodeo performers, indicating close proximity to prey.

20. Symbolic Behavior
Prevailing consensus has been that Neandertals were capable of articulate speech.
Even if Neandertals did speak, they did not have the same language capabilities of modern Homo sapiens.

21. Burials Neanderthals buried their dead.
Their burials included grave goods like animal bones and stone tools.
They placed the bodies of their dead in a flexed position.

22. Key Neandertal Fossil Discoveries
Site
Dates (y.a.)
Human Remains
Vindija (Croatia)
42,000– 28,000
35 specimens; cranial fragments
La Chapelle (France)
50,000
Nearly complete male skeleton
Shanidar (Iraq)
70,000– 60,000
9 partial skeletons
Tabun (Israel)
110,000 date uncertain
2 or 3 individuals, almost complete female skeleton
Krapina (Croatia)
125,000 –120,000
Up to 40 individuals, fragmentary

23. Cultural Contrasts: Neandertals and Upper Paleolithic Modern Humans
Tool Technology
Numerous flake tools; few, however, apparently for highly specialized functions; use of bone, antler, or ivory very rare; relatively few tools with more than one or two parts
Many more varieties of stone tools; many apparently for specialized functions; frequent use of bone, antler, and ivory; many more tools comprised of two or more component parts

24. Cultural Contrasts: Neandertals and Upper Paleolithic Modern Humans
Hunting Efficiency and Weapons
No long-distance hunting weapons; close-proximity weapons used (thus, more likelihood of injury)
Use of spear-thrower and bow and arrow; wider range of social contacts, perhaps permitting larger, more organized hunting parties (including game drives)
Stone Material Transport
Stone materials transported only short distances
Stone tool raw materials transported over much longer distances, implying wider social networks and perhaps trade

25. Cultural Contrasts: Neandertals and Upper Paleolithic Modern Humans
Art
Artwork uncommon; usually small; probably mostly of a personal nature; some items perhaps misinterpreted as “art”; others may be intrusive from overlying Upper Paleolithic contexts; cave art absent
Artwork much more common, including transportable objects as well as elaborate cave art; well executed,using a variety of materials and techniques; stylistic sophistication

26. Cultural Contrasts: Neandertals and Upper Paleolithic Modern Humans
Burial
Deliberate burial at several sites; graves unelaborated; graves frequently lack artifacts
Burials much more complex, frequently including both tools and remains of animals

27. 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.

28. Quick Quiz

29. 1. The evolution of the genus Homo over the last two million years
can be divided into at least three major transitions.
has been fairly steady.
has been uniform over the different geographic regions.
can be clearly interpreted unlike the evolution of the Australopithecines.

30. Answer: a
The evolution of the genus Homo over the last two million years can be divided into at least three major transitions.

31. 2. With regard to the evolution of the genus Homo, most paleoanthropologists
agree that two or three different species of archaic sapiens existed.
agree that all members of the genus should be lumped into one species.
agree that Homo erectus should also be included in the species sapiens.
have differing opinions regarding the interpretation of the fossil material.

32. Answer: d
With regard to the evolution of the genus Homo, most paleoanthropologists have differing opinions regarding the interpretation of the fossil material.

33. 3. Paleoanthropologists study the sudden expansion of modern Homo sapiens. One problem they have is explaining what happened to the _________________ .

34. Answer: Neandertals
Paleoanthropologists study the sudden expansion of modern Homo sapiens. One problem they have is explaining what happened to the Neandertals.

35. 4. Neandertals used fire routinely.
True
False

36. Answer: True
Neandertals used fire routinely.