A 140 – WRITING ASSIGNMENT – THE EVOLUTION OF US NAME
Complete all three sections, save as a PDF or or Word file, and upload through Assignment by
11:59pm on Friday, 12/10/21
1. Develop illustrated reports summarizing what is known of each of the following forms. For each fossil species that you select, tell in what geographic area or areas the fossil evidence for each form has been found, give the approximate age of the fossils, tell what dating techniques were used to date them. and what scientists think the areas were like when the fossil forms lived there. For extant primates, describe what scientists have discovered about the biological, ecological, and behavioral adaptations of the species. For both fossil and extant forms, describe and illustrate what is known of the skull, (the brain, the sensory systems, the masticatory apparatus {jaws, jaw muscles, dentition}, and post-cranial skeletal structure (thorax, shoulders, arms, and hands, hips, legs, and feet}. Also, provide labelled illustrations of a whole skeleton reconstruction, as well as a full body restoration, illustration, or photograph of an adult of the species. For species that show notable differences between males and females (sexual dimorphism, dichromatism, etc.) provide a {color?} illustration of a typical adult male and female of the species, if available. Finally, describe the observed or inferred preferred habitat(s), locomotor pattern(s), diet, and life ways of each form.
Aegyptopithecus zeuxis ≈30 million year old fossil form from the Jebel Qatrani Formation in Egypt
Earlier Miocene monkey-like ape Proconsul heseloni
Afropithecus turkanensis
Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus)
Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes)
Bonobo (Pan paniscus)
Ardipithecus ramidus 4.4 million year old hominin from Aramis, Ethiopia
Australopithecus afarensis
Homo habilis (includes forms like Homo rudolfensis) associated technology: Oldowan Industry
African Homo erectus (also referred to as Homo ergaster) associated technology: Acheulean Industry
Homo heidelbergensis (African forms referred to Homo rhodesiensis): associated lithic technologies: Developed Acheulean and Prepared Core technology plus controlled use of fire by 780,000 ybp
Denisovans (interbreeding contemporaries of both Neanderthals and early modern humans known primarily from very fragmentary fossil bones and teeth from which was recovered fossil DNA)
2. Illuminate (investigate, illustrate {draw, diagram, print}, describe, and explain) what scientists have discovered or inferred regarding the biological and cultural patterns characteristic of Neanderthals and the biological and cultural patterns characteristic of early modern Homo sapiens about 45,000 years ago when early modern humans spread across a Europe already occupied by Neanderthals for thousands of years.
Be sure to include illustrations and information illustrating the rather simple and monotonous Mousterian toolkits (occasional bifaces, prepared core scrapers, crude points, possible stabbing spears) made by Neanderthals as well as the much more sophisticated and varied Upper Paleolithic tool kits made by early modern humans. Upper Paleolithic industries are all characterized by long thin stone blades retouched for many different purposes, carved and polished bone and ivory implements, carved figurines and other art objects, jewelry, cave paintings, decorative art, musical instruments, projectile technologies with beautiful stone and bone spear points, elaborately carved spear throwers and harpoons, as well as an amazing variety of other indicators that the early modern humans of the Upper Paleolithic possessed full cultural capacity, symbolic consciousness including spoken language, a propensity for cultural innovation and change, and what Joseph Campbell referred to as a mythic imagination in full career.
Neanderthals (Associated material culture: Middle Paleolithic/ Mousterian Industry)
Early Modern Homo sapiens (Associated material culture: various Upper Paleolithic Industries)
3. Taking into account what you have learned about human evolutionary patterns, develop a list of specific ways that we (modern humans living in the 21st Century) can adjust our own personal behavioral patterns and lifeways (diet, exercise, sleep, social activities, leisure time pursuits, etc.) to put our bodies and minds in better accord with what evolutionary anthropologists have discovered regarding our deep evolutionary heritage. Use the Doc Talks, course handouts, and the Youtube videos: “Your Inner Fish” series, “Hominid Paleobiology” by Dr. Tim White, HHMI lecture, “The History of Naked, Sweaty, Colorful Skin in the Human Lineage” by Nina Jablonski, “Why Exercise Really is the Best Medicine” by Dan Leiberman, as well as other suitable text and video online resources.
DIET
SLEEP
EXERCISE
LIESURE-TIME ACTIVITIES: READING, MUSIC, DANCE, COMMON INTEREST ASSOCIATIONS, ETC.
MENTAL AND/OR PHYSICAL “WELLNESS” STRATEGIES – MEDITATION, ART, CRAFTS, MARTIAL ARTS, PLAYING AN INSTRUMENT, ETC.