Social Scientists and Early Hominids

Another (fourth) group of hominids was discovered in 1856 by some mine workers in Germany. What was this group called?

-Homo sapiens neanderthalensis (often simply called "Neanderthal" Man)

What sets Homo erectus (Upright Man) apart from all others?

-Used fire (heat/cooking/protection from predators) -Built shelters (could survive in colder climates) -moved from place to place

Name the three types of "history detectives" that study the past.

1) Archaeologists 2) Historians 3) Geographers

What is a hominid?

A hominid is a prehistoric human (an early ancestor of humans)

What kinds of tools did Upright Man make?

Their larger brains enabled Upright Man to make more complex tools, including hand axes made of stone. They also built shelters with fires within for heat.

Louis and Mary Leakey also discovered hominid bones in Africa. However these bones were from hominids who lived 1.5 to 2 million years ago (not as old as Lucy). What did the Leakeys name their discovery and why?

-Homo habilis (HA-buh-lis) -"Handy Man" -in honor of this hominid group's ability to make tools

What was one of the greatest advantages for Upright Man?

-The ability to use FIRE! (They were meat eaters and perhaps cooked their food. Scientists are still unsure whether they were hunters or simply gatherers.)

Scientists believe that Lucy's people likely could not speak. Why?

-The study of Lucy's remains as well as the lack of any evidence (no written records, no tools) leads scientists to this belief.

Describe Homo habilis.

-a little taller than Lucy's people (a bit over 4 feet) -bipedal (walking on two feet) -ape and human features combined but slightly more human-like than Lucy -brains twice as big as those of Lucy's people -lived better and longer than Lucy's people -lived in groups

Where and when did Neanderthals live?

-after Homo erectus (Upright Man) -200,000 to 28,000 years ago -in Africa, Europe, and parts of western Asia

When a hominid is a "biped," we say that the hominid is "bipedal". What does this word mean?

-capable of walking on two feet

in 1879, and 8-year-old Spanish girl named Maria was exploring a cave with her father when she came upon a cave room filled with ancient paintings! The people who created this cave art were from the earliest members of our own group, Homo sapiens sapiens ("Doubly Wise Man"). What do we know about this group?

-first appeared about 150,000 years ago -believed to have originated in Africa -migrated to Europe, Asia, Australia, and eventually North and South America (using land bridges) -resembled modern humans -between 5 and 6 feet tall -skilled hunters -even more skilled toolmakers (spear thrower, bow and arrow, needles for sewing) -left artwork as a record of their lives -created musical instruments

Describe Australopithecus afarensis (Lucy's people).

-short (3-4 feet tall) -mix of ape and human features -long arms -feet and hands similar to modern man -large head with forehead and jaw sticking out -brain about 1/3 size of ours -bipedal

Scientists have found bones from more than one Handy Man together, signifying that Homo Habilis probably lived in groups. Why would living in groups have been helpful?

-survival (they could work together to protect themselves against animal attacks) -could have worked together to collect food over a larger area of land than just one person could cover alone

What really set Homo habilis apart and made them different from Australopithecus afarensis (Lucy's people)?

-they made and used tools (simple tools made of stone or bone) -larger brains (making even a simple tool takes thought and effort)

Describe Homo erectus ("Upright Man").

-this hominid group lived on earth a long time (from about 1.8 million B.C.E. to 200,000 B.C.E.) -believed to be the first hominids to migrate out of Africa (their remains have been found in both Europe and Asia) -larger brains -taller/thinner than earlier hominids -some as tall as modern man -strong bones -good walkers/runners -skulls looked more human (forehead round and smooth) -still had thick skull, large ridge above eyes, jaw that stuck out

Describe Neanderthal Man.

-walked upright -shorter and stockier than modern humans -very strong (stronger than modern humans) -large brains (skilled toolmakers) -lived and traveled in groups -hunted in organized groups -had a sense of community with some rituals

In 1974, an exciting discovery was made in Africa. What was discovered? By whom?

An American paleoanthropologist named Donald Johanson discovered the partial skeleton of a female hominid who had lived more than 3 million years ago! (He named her "Lucy" after the Beatles' song, "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds".) Lucy is one of the earliest hominids ever discovered.

The earliest known group of hominids has the Latin name...

Australopithecus (meaning "Southern Ape") (pronounced: aws-tray-loh-PIH-thuh-kuhs)

Lucy's group is called...

Australopithecus afarensis (the word "afarensis" refers to the Afar Triangle, the part of Africa where Lucy was found)

What clues did prehistoric humans leave about their lives?

Cave paintings

In 1891, while searching for artifacts on the island of Java (off the coast of Asia), Eugene Dubois (doo-bwah) found another type of hominid skull. Over time, they found many bones from this group. What was this group of hominids, who stood up straight, called?

Homo erectus (UH-rek-tus) (known as "Upright Man") *This discovery actually occurred earlier than the discoveries of Lucy and Handy Man!

There is a fourth type of "history detective" that specializes in the study of hominids. What is this scientist called?

Paleoanthropologist (Paleo = "ancient") (Anthropologist = one who studies human development and culture)