1. The Evolution of Homo sapiens
Chapter 15

2. Homo sapiens H. sapiens All contemporary hominin populations
Delicate Crania
Vertical Foreheads
Pyramidal mastoid process
Point of attachment for several muscles
Canine fossa
Depression below the orbital that allows for greater muscle control in non-verbal communication

3. Variation and distribution Homo sapiens

4. Questions About the Origin and Dispersal of Modern Humans
When (approximately) did modern humans first appear?
Where did the transition take place?
What was the pace of evolutionary change? How quickly did the transition occur?
How did the dispersal of modern humans to other areas of the Old World (outside of their area of origin) take place?

5. Homo sapiens
Most paleoanthropologists agree that fossil forms dating back as far as 100,000 ya should be included in the same fully modern group as modern humans
Models of Human Origins:
Multiregional Evolution
Two “Out-of-Africa” Models

6. Multiregional Evolution
Populations, connected by gene flow, in Europe, Asia, and Africa continued evolutionary development from archaic H. sapiens to anatomically modern humans
Associated with paleoanthropologist Milford Wolpoff of the University of Michigan

7. Complete Replacement Model
Proposes anatomically modern populations arose in Africa in the last 200,000 years
They migrated from Africa, completely replacing premodern populations in Europe and Asia
Does not account for the transition from premodern forms to H. sapiens anywhere except Africa
Developed by British paleoanthropologists Christopher Stringer and Peter Andrews

8. Partial Replacement Model
Various perspectives suggest that modern humans originated in Africa and then, when their population increased, expanded out of Africa into other areas of the Old World
This model claims that interbreeding occurred between emigrating Africans and resident premodern populations

9. The Origins of Modern Humans

10. Time Line of Modern Homo Sapiens Discoveries: What do the Data Say?

11. Early Homo sapiens Discoveries From Africa and the Near East
Dates
Site
Hominind
Evolutionary Significance
195,000 ya
Omo Ethiopia
H. sapiens
Oldest modern human; two crania found, one
more modern looking than the other
154, ,000 ya
Herto
Ethiopia
idaltu
Well-preserved cranium; best-preserved early modern human found anywhere

12. Early Homo sapiens Discoveries From Africa and the Near East
Dates
Site
Hominin
Evolutionary Significance
115,000 ya
Skhul Israel
H. sapiens
sapiens
Minimum of 10 individuals; earliest modern humans known outside of Africa
110,000 ya
Qafzeh
Israel
Large sample; modern, but some individuals fairly robust; early date

13. Herto Cranium Herto cranium from Ethiopia, dated 160,000–154,000 ya.
Adult
Mosaic of modern and premodern traits
Very large and long cranial vault
1450 cm3
Large, arching browridge and projecting occipital protuberance
H. sapiens idaltu
“idaltu” is the Afar word for “elder”

14. Specimens From Israel Skhül 5. (a) Qafzeh 6 (b) Modern traits
130, ,000 ya
Qafzeh 6 (b)
120,000-92,000 ya
Modern traits
Vault height
Forehead
Lack of prognathism
Contemporary with Neandertals in Region

15. Key Early Modern Homo sapiens from Europe and Asia
Dates
Site
Hominin
Evolutionary Significance
40,000 ya
Tianyuan Cave
Beijing, China
H. sapiens
sapiens
Partial skull and a few postcranial bones; oldest modern human find from China
40,000-45,000 ya
Niah Cave
Borneo, Indonesia
Partial skull; oldest modern human find from Asia

16. Key Early Modern Homo sapiens from Europe and Asia
Dates
Site
Hominin
Evolutionary Significance
30,000 ya
Cro-Magnon
France
H. sapiens
sapiens
Most famous early modern human find; earliest evidence of modern humans in France
24,500 ya
Abrigo do Lagar Velho
Portugal
Child’s skeleton; possible hybrid of Neandertal and modern human, it is controversial

17. Cro-Magnon I Cro-Magnon I (France) European Upper Paleolithic
Approx 40,000 ya
Modern traits are clear
Robustly built and powerful
Cranial capacity around 1,600 cc

18. Neandertal/H. sapiens Admixture
Abrigo do Lagar Velho
“hybrid” child
Recent Genetic comparisons of Neandertal DNA and contemporary humans
Populations outside of Africa typically have more Neandertal DNA
Refutes hypotheses of complete replacement of the Neanderthals by early modern humans

19. Comparing Skulls Homo Sapiens Neandertals
The next few slides could contain images of Neandertal skulls paired with the ones profiled in Chapter 11. The goal could be to get students to identify those traits that are criteria for identification as H. sapiens. Not only would this reinforce taxonomic distinctions, but would also illustrate the continuous nature of morphological variation and that lines between species, especially fossil ones are blurry.

20. Homo floresiensis Indonesian island of Flores in 2004 Taxonomy History
Originally dated to 95,000 to 13,000 years ago
New estimates until 50,000 years ago
Archaic Homo survived well into the lifespan of AMH
Taxonomy
Skull slightly smaller than chimpanzees
Stood 3 ft with big feet, stubby big toe
Probably could not run
History
H. erectus arrives in Flores 840,000 years ago
Controlled fire and used stone tools more sophisticated than H. erectus
Influenced by same evolutionary forces that led to smaller species of elephant on the island

21. Australia and the New World
50,000 ya modern humans inhabited Sahul
Area including New Guinea and Australia
Kow Swamp 14,000-9,000 ya
Fossils with archaic features
The Americas
Probably populated by Asian hunters following prey across the Bering Strait
Firmest dates in the New World are 13,500 ya
Dates of up to 27,900 ya have been suggested

22. Upper Paleolithic Technology
50,000 to 10,000 ya
Upper Paleolithic is often defined by:
High frequency of stone blades
Bone, antler, ivory, and horn tools were also made
A variety of artistic methods and styles including
Paintings
Engraving
Sculpture

23. Cave Art Dated back to 36,000 years ago
More than a hundred sites, mostly southern France
Lascaux
Limestone walls have absorbed the paintings
Paintings of prey: mammoths, wild cattle, deer, reindeer, horse
Largest animal is 18 feet long
Perhaps pre-hunt ritual
Some portrayed with spears, others pregnant or copulating
Animal fertility ritual?
Hunt history?

24. The Rise of Civilization
Increase in population
Sumer
Earliest civilization developed in the Middle East
The Bronze Age
Metallurgy was refined
Civilizations arose in other parts of the Old World and independently in parts of the New World