ANT 101 Test 3
Franz Boas
"Father of American Anthropology" First to challenge the concept of race in the early 1890s
supraorbital sulcus
"valley" above and behind the eye orbits
pleistocene
2.6 mya - 11 kya colder, drier climates and opening of the African Savanna began
miocene
23-5.3 million years ago late: 7.2-5.3 million years ago
pliocene
5.3-2.6 million years ago climates were changing to be warm and moist with more wooded environments
brain endocast
A cast of the cranial cavity, showing the size and shape of the brain and usually certain details of the brain's outer surface as impressed during life onto the inner surface of the braincase. Also called endocast.
bone fusion
A surgical procedure in which bone or a device is used to unite bones, so that motion can no longer occur between them. determines age
thermoregulation
Ability to dissipate heat Overheating kills your brain
valgus knee
Adducted femur, or a permanent knock-kneed-ness Necessary to move the center of gravity below the hip to save energy while walking Leg is elongated and muscles support this
Richard Lewontin
American Geneticist Tested race concept and focused on blood groups Discovered Significantly more variation between individuals in the same "race" than there is between "races"
Johann Friedrich Blumenbach
AnatomyProfessor,FatherofPhysicalAnthropologyand Craniology, Founder of Anthropology in Germany Wrote On the Natural Variety of Mankind(1775) First used the word"race"to classify humans
Bergmann's rule
Animal size is heat-related Animal size increases in mass as you move in latitude to a colder climate Heat-adapted mammals have smaller bodies while cold- adapted mammals have larger bodies
stable isotopes: Carbon site:
Bonecollagenstoresisotopes C3 plants (temperate climates, trees) • C4 plants (arid climates, grasses) diet of C4 plants concentrates 13Carbon relative to 12Carbon • corn is a C4 plant (hence, can "see" agricultural diets)
u shaped dental arcade
Chimpanzees have
burial populations
Comprised of multiple individuals Restricted in time and space (e.g. cemetery) Useful for reconstructing past societies and lifestyles
site: Stillwater Marsh
Disease, Trauma, Malnutrition Large number of "unknowns" died < 5 years Increase in death of women after 21 years Men lived longer than women 50 years was considered "old age"
Pierre Paul Broca
Founder of French Anthropology Instigated the study of Craniometry
Allen's rule
Heat-adapted animals will have long limbs to maximize heat dissipation while cold-adapted animals will have short limbs to maximize heat conservation
parabolic dental arcade
Humans have
site: Cahokia
Largest Eastern North American fortified civic and ceremonial center Mound 72
cephalic index
Ratio of head length to head breadth Proved that foreign-born parents and American-born children skull shaped differently Suggesting skull shape is influenced by environmental factors NOT STATIC!
Samuel George Morton
Set out to prove that whites were naturally superior and that brain size bore a direct relation to intelligence. Measured cranial capacity (volume of braincase) to assess differential worth.
melanin
Skin color is due primarily to the presence of a pigment acts as a protective biological shield against ultraviolet radiation; protecting against sun burn and skin cancer
genetic adaptation
The alteration or adjustment in structure or habits, often occurring through natural selection, by which a species or individual becomes better able to function in its environment.
ontogenetic adaptation
The origin and development of an individual organism from embryo to adult of or relating to the origin and development of individual organisms
paleodemography
The study of ancient demographic patterns and trends
paleopathology
The study of ancient patterns of disease and disorders
epiphyseal fusion
Where the top or bottom of the bone fuses to the shaft of the bone.
sagittal crest
a bony ridge on the top of the skull to which the jaw muscles are attached. loss of this
adaptation
a change or the process of change by which an organism or species becomes better suited to its environment
osteoarthritis
a disorder in which the cartilage between joints wears away. Visible via eburnation and osteophytes
australopithecus
a fossil bipedal primate with both apelike and human characteristics, found in Pliocene and lower Pleistocene deposits ( circa 4 million to 1 million years old) in Africa.
piltdown man
a fraudulent fossil composed of a human cranium and an ape jaw, allegedly discovered in England and presented in 1912 as a genuine hominid of the early Pleistocene, but shown to be a hoax in 1953.
cline
a gradual change of a character or feature (phenotype) in a species over a geographical area, often as a result of environmental heterogeneity.
preauricular surface
a groove on the pelvic surface of the ilium just lateral to the auricular surface; it is more pronounced in the female.
folate
a salt or ester of folic acid.
trepanation
a surgical intervention in which a hole is drilled or scraped into the human
melanoma
a tumor of melanin-forming cells, typically a malignant tumor associated with skin cancer.
grave goods
a type of votive deposit. Mostly recovered by archaeologists consist of inorganic objects such as pottery and stone and metal tools but there is evidence that organic objects that have since decayed were also placed in ancient tombs.
movius line
acheulian complex throughout africa and western europe, oldowan technology and other chopping tools found in asia
postmortem
after death
obturator externes groove
along neck of femur suggests bipedalism
sagittal keel
an angle formed between the left and right parietal bones in the sagittal plane (looks similar to the keel of a boat)
Venus statuettes
an umbrella term for a number of prehistoric statuettes of women portrayed with similar physical attributes. These figurines were carved from soft stone (such as steatite, calcite or limestone), bone or ivory, or formed with clay and fired.
Thomas Huxley
argued neandertals an ancient species and after numerous skulls were found it was determined the had to be a separate species
Lascaux Cave
art in the deepest parts of the cave system art at the bottom of a shaft where co2 builds up (rope) art atop 5-6 foot high ledges (scaffolding)
perimortem
at or near time of death
antemortem
before time of death
Great Rift Valley
better preservation here where most fossils are found
acheulian tools
bi-faced tool (flakes on both sides) that are more complex to make and allow more kinds of manipulation than the earlier types
Hominin
bipedal ape Humans and their ancestors Span the last 6 -7 million years Have characteristics shared by all living humans and their ancestors, but not shared with apes: - Bipedalism - Non-honing chewing complex
Dolni Vistonice
bones of over 100 mammoths were found in this area that measured 40 by 140 feet rows of mammoth tucks formed a fence around the site several houses central fire hearth
supraorbital torus
bony ridge over the eye sockets (orbits). a heavy, projecting "brow ridge"
stable isotopes nitrogen site:
carnivores concentrate 15Nitrogen relative to 14Nitrogen 
Shanidar
cave/burial site in Iraq established that teeth were used as part of their toolkit
achieved status
concept developed by the anthropologist Ralph Linton denoting a social position that a person can acquire on the basis of merit; it is a position that is earned or chosen. It is the opposite of ascribed status. It reflects personal skills, abilities, and efforts.
mortality profile
created by counting the frequency of male and female animals, and the age of animals when they died How did they die? What was their health like? Did they have normal growth and development? Why were certain age-groups dying?
osteodontokeratic culture
culture in which tools were made from osteo-bone donto-teeth keratic-horns how human violence began
laetoli footprints
dated to the Plio-Pleistocene and famous for its hominin footprints, preserved in volcanic ash. The site of the Laetoli footprints is located 45 km south of Olduvai gorge.
caries
decay and crumbling of a tooth or bone.
hypoxia
deficiency in the amount of oxygen reaching the tissues.
nuchal crest
descends to the foramen magnum, and affords attachment to the ligamentum nuchæ. Running from the middle of this line is the inferior nuchal line. loss of this
pubic arch
determines if the person has given birth, different shapes shows different types of movement helps determine sex
parietal bossing
development of an unusually pronounced forehead which may also be associated with a heavier than normal brow ridge. It is caused by enlargement of the frontal bone, often in conjunction with abnormal enlargement of other facial bones, the skull, the mandible and bones in the hands and feet.
Stephen Jay Gould
discovered that Morton's racist bias had prevented identification of what were clearly overlapping measurements among the racial skull samples he used. desire to prove Morton wrong demonstrated the opposite bias and discovered that the skulls of black people were actually larger.
splitters
divide species up into numerous categories based on small, minor differences
Cro-Magnon
earliest modern humans (typically european)
greater sciatic notch
females: wider helps determine sex
quadrupedalism
form of terrestrial locomotion in animals using four limbs or legs. An animal or machine that usually moves in a quadrupedal manner is known as a quadruped, meaning "four feet" (from the Latin quad for "four" and ped for "foot").
bipedalism
form of terrestrial locomotion where an organism moves by means of its two rear limbs or legs.
prognathism
forward placement/projection of the face jutting out of face
megadontia
great enlargement of the molars and premolars which is found in early hominid ancestors such as Paranthropus aethiopicus. It is considered to show a largely vegetarian diet, as the robust size would result from the eating of tough, hard shelled food such as seeds and nuts.
polygenism
idea that each human race came from a different ancestral lineage
auricular surface
ileum fuzes to sacrum helps determine age
Krapina
in Croatia exhibit cannibalism or mortuary de-fleshing (excarnation)
zhoukoudian
in china first evidence of "controlled fire" charred food remains burned stone tools, plants, egg shells to keep warm numerous fossil specimen from cave
biological profile
includes estimates of age, sex, stature, and ancestry. It may also include personally identifying characteristics like healed fractures, diseases or medical interventions that can be linked to an individual's specific medical history.
Rudolf Virchow
initially neandertal specimens were assumed to be individuals with pathologies such as rickets or arthritis
cribra orbitoris
iron deficiency
porotic hyperostosis
iron deficiency
Fox P2 gene
is a protein that in humans is encoded by the FOXP2 gene, also known as CAGH44, SPCH1 or TNRC10, and is required for proper development of speech and language.
cultural relativism
is the principle of regarding the beliefs, values, and practices of a culture from the viewpoint of that culture itself.
robust
large, heavy boned, stout small anterior teeth, larger posterior teeth, large faces massive sagittal crest flaring zygomatic bones enormous premolars and molars bite rich in hard foods and heavy chewing
oldowan tools
modifications were made to certain types of rocks to produce sharp flakes and edged choppers
lumpers
more generalized division of species
post-orbital constriction
narrowing of the cranium behind the orbits pinching behind eyes humans don't have this
solutrean
of, relating to, or denoting an Upper Paleolithic culture of central and southwestern France and parts of Iberia. It is dated to about 21,000-18,000 years ago, following the Aurignacian and preceding the Magdalenian.
curved phalanges
oposable thumbs and toes
orthognathism
opposite of prognathism; flat face
physiological adaptation
permit the organism to perform special functions (for instance, making venom, secreting slime, phototropism); but also more general functions such as growth and development, temperature regulation, ionic balance and other aspects of homeostasis
Harris lines
physiological stress
foramen magnum
positioned centrally at the base of the skull to allow for the skull to be in the center of gravity
cultural/behavioral adaptation
process of ensuring your message, whether translated into another language or not, is presented using cultural references and role models that your intended audience will identify with.
flaring zygomatic bones
projection of the zygomatic bones out to the sides
Paranthropus
robust fossil hominids first found in South Africa in 1938.
dental arcade
rows of teeth in the maxilla/mandible
longitudinal arch
running length of foot
transverse arch
running medial to lateral
Forensic Anthropology
scientific examination of skeletons in order to identify the people whose bodies they come from
occipital torus (occipital bun)
sharply angled occipital bone
Savante Paabo
showed that we share DNA with neandertals
enamel hypoplasia
sickness or malnutrition
gravettian
site dated to 25000 years ago, overlooking the Dyej River, Czech Republic bones located over 100 mammoths were found in an area measured 40 by 140 feet
gracile
smaller, lightweight skeleton especially with reference to teeth and bones
mousterian technology
stone tool technology centered on a disk-core technique that represented a refinement of the levallois technique; it allowed tool makers to produce many good flakes and turn them into a wide variety of tools
odontology
study of dentition
bioarchaeology
study of human remains emphasizing the preservation of cultural and social processes in the skeleton
thermoregulation
the ability of an organism to keep its body temperature within certain boundaries, even when the surrounding temperature is very different.
dental eruption
the act of breaking out, appearing, or becoming visible, as eruption of the teeth. helps determine age
ethnocentrism
the belief that the moral standards, manners, and attitudes of one's own culture are superior to those of other cultures.
chain of custody
the chronological documentation or paper trail, showing the seizure, custody, control, transfer, analysis, and disposition of physical or electronic evidence.
hypothermia
the condition of having an abnormally low body temperature, typically one that is dangerously low.
vasoconstriction
the constriction of blood vessels, which increases blood pressure.
cranial capacity
the cubic capacity of the braincase estimated for the living by a formula based on head measurements and determined for the skull by filling the cranial cavity with particulate material (as mustard seed or small shot) and measuring the volume of the latter.
vasodilation
the dilatation of blood vessels, which decreases blood pressure.
monogenism
the doctrine or belief that all human races have descended from a single created pair or from a common ancestral type
aruignacian
the early stages of the Upper Paleolithic culture in Europe and the Near East. It is dated in most places to about 34,000-29,000 years ago and is associated with Cro-Magnon Man.
Magdalenian
the final Paleolithic culture in Europe, following the Solutrean and dated to about 17,000-11,500 years ago. It is characterized by a range of bone and horn tools, and by highly developed cave art.
percision grip
the position of the thumb and fingers where: The power grip is when the fingers (and sometimes palm) clamp down on an object with the thumb making counter pressure.
Pitch
the quality of a sound governed by the rate of vibrations producing it; the degree of highness or lowness of a tone.
craniometry
the scientific measurement of skulls, especially in relation to craniology.
ascribed status
the social status a person is assigned at birth or assumed involuntarily later in life. It is a position that is neither earned nor chosen but assigned.
cranial vault
the space in the skull within the neurocranium, occupied by the brain. In humans, the size and shape of the brain, may be affected by the size of the vault as shown in craniometry, but studies relating it to intelligence have found no conclusive evidence.
demography
the study of statistics such as births, deaths, income, or the incidence of disease, which illustrate the changing structure of human populations (age,sex)
biomechanics
the study of the mechanical laws relating to the movement or structure of living organisms.
osteology
the study of the structure and function of the skeleton and bony structures.
homeothermic
thermoregulation that maintains a stable internal body temperature regardless of external influence.
phenotypic characteristics
trait is an obvious and observable trait; it is the expression of genes in an observable way.
hyoid bone
useful for specific muscle attachments related to speech in modern humans
island phenomena
when mammals get smaller when isolated on an island for a long period of time
dished-face
zygomatic bones are placed forward to give the face a flat/concave appearance while viewed laterally cheeks flare forward