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Anthropolgies 4 Fields
- 1. Physical
- 2. Archaeology
- 3. Linguistics
- 4. Cultural
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Physical Anthropology
- 1. Emergence and evolution of humans as revealed by the fossil record.
- 2. Genetics
- 3. Growth Development
- 4. Biological Plasticity
- 5. Variation between modern populations.
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Basics of Anthropology
- Relatively young discipline.
- Developed in response to European exploration and
- expansion
- Europeans met people different from them
- Missionaries recorded cultural information, which was sent back to Europe
- Mid-19th century
- -Anthropology as a discipline
- -Individuals referred to as anthropologists
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History of Evolutionary Theory
- The European Middle Ages (5th to 15th centuries)
- The natural world was fixed and unchanging.
- “Fixity of species”
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The Scientific Revolution
- Old notions of how the world operated were being challenged
- The search for physical laws begins
- Telescope, barometer, microscope, navigation aids
- Exploration of the planet by Europeans begins
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Evolution
- Systematic change through time of biological organisms; change over time
- Individuals do not evolve; breeding populations evolve
- Opportunistic; always taking place
- Changes are not always noticeable to the eye
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Modern Synthetic Theory of Evolution
- 1. Natural Selection
- 2. Mutation
- 3. Gene Flow
- 4. Genetic Drift ("Founder Effect")
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Natural Selection
- Organisms vary from each other in ways that are inherited
- Differential reproductive success
- Certain inherited traits can increase survival
- Frequency of successful traits increase in subsequent generations; over long periods of time may produce new life forms
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Geographical Seperation
Divergence between subpopulations of a parent species
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Biological Taxonomic Classification of Humans
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Sub-Phylum: Vertebrata
- Class: Mammalia
- Order: Primate
- Sub-Order: Anthropoidea
- Infra-Order: Catarrhini
- Super-Family: Hominoidea
- Family: Hominidae
- Genus: Homo
- Species: Sapiens
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Classification
- Kingdom
- Phylum
- Sub-Phylum
- Class
- Order
- Sub-Order
- Infra-Order
- Super-Family
- Family
- Genus
- Species
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Basic Primate Traits (12)
- 1. Generalized dentition: heterodonty
- 2. Omnivorous diet
- 3. Inability to synthesize Vitamin C
- 4. Pentadactyly: 5 prehensile fingers & 5 toes
- 5. Dermatoglyphic pads: fingerprints
- 6. Most primates have an opposable thumb
- 7. Fingernails
- 8. Poor olfaction (sense of smell)
- 9. Well-developed stereoscopic and color vision
- 10. Most primates give birthto a single offspring
- 11. Social animals
- 12. Relatively large brains in relation to body size
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Primate Habitats
- Arboreal: The most common habitat.
- Terrestrial: Savanna.
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Primate Locomotion
- 1. Clingers and leapers: tarsiers
- 2. Arboreal Quadrupeds: lemurs
- 3. Brachiators: gibbons
- 4. Terrestrial Quadrupeds: baboons
- 5. Terrestrial Knuckle Walkers: gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees
- 6. Bipedal:Humans
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Primate Behavior
- Old School Thought
- -Human behavior was learned rational, and thoughtful
- -Other primates were reactive and instinctive
- New School Thought
- -Primates share many traits that were once thought to be uniquely human
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Human Physical Features (13)
- 1. Large number of sweat glands
- 2. Relatively hairless bodies
- 3. Short forelimbs
- 4. Acute touch
- 5. Habitual bipeds
- 6. Good distance walkers
- 7. No divergent big toe
- 8. “S”-shaped spine
- 9. Broad, flat pelvic girdle
- 10. Babies very helpless
- 11. Relatively long lifespan
- 12. Females sexually receptive year-round
- 13. Larger brains than other primates
- -Modern human brain: 1000-2000 cc; Gorillas: 500 cc; Chimpanzees: 380 cc
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Taphonomy
- The science of burial.
- The study of processes that have affected organic materials after death.
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Geologic Time (7)
- 1. Paleocene (65mya-58mya)
- 2. Eocene (58mya-34mya)
- 3. Oligocene (34mya-24mya)
- 4. Miocene (24mya-5mya)
- 5. Pliocene (5mya-2mya)
- 6. Pleistocene (2mya-10,000)
- 7. Holocene (10,000-present)
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