Archaic Homo Sapiens

Archaic Homo Sapiens

• This species existed during the Middle Paleolithic Cultural period lasting from 300,000 to 40,000 years ago
• Climate during this time alternated between glacial (cooler and drier) and interglacial (warmer and wetter) periods
• Archaic Homo sapiens possessed a substantial cranial capacity, around 600,000 to 200,000 years ago
• They exhibit a mix of Homo erectus and Homo sapiens traits
• There is variation across the species, which may be different species
• They include similar species like H. antecessor, H. bodoensis, H. heidelbergensis, H. georgicus, H. rhodesiensis, and H. neanderthalensis
• Homo erectus existed from 1.8 million to 200,000 years ago, with a brain size of 900 cc and Long, angular skull
• Archaic Homo sapiens existed from 600,000 to 40,000 years ago, with a brain size of 1200 cc (1500 cc for Neanderthals) with an intermediate skull
• Anatomically Modern Homo sapiens existed from 315,000 years ago to today, with a brain size of 1400 cc and a short, globular skull

Neanderthals

• The first Neanderthal fossil was discovered in 1856
• This discovery predates Darwin’s "Origin of Species"
• It marked the first scientific study of hominins
• Initial interpretation in 1909 depicted a "beastial" image
• Early 20th-century views emphasized "primitive" human-like characteristics
• Modern interpretations suggest Neanderthals fall within the variation range of modern humans of European descent
• Neanderthals lived from 150,000 to 40,000 years ago
• They occupied western Europe, the Middle East, and western Asia
• They were adapted to cold weather
• Neanderthals had larger brain capacities, ranging from 1500 to 1700cc
• They had large noses
• Their bodies were robust and heavily muscled, with barrel chests and short, stocky limbs
• The Mousterian tool tradition is associated with Neanderthals
• Mousterian tools include large core tools and small flake tools
• The tools were used for scraping hides or working wood and may have been attached to handles
• Birch bark glue was also used
• Materials were sourced from approximately 100km away
• The extent of this sourcing suggests a trade network or large territory
• The Levallois technique was used by Neanderthals from ~400k to 200kya
• The Levallois technique indicates more 'thought-out' processes
• The Levallois technique produces standardized, multifunctional flakes
• Neanderthal diet included big game hunting and broad-spectrum foraging
• They hunted deer, horse, bovid, ibex, seal, rabbit, and pigeon
• Neanderthals used drives, group hunting, and close jabbing spears
• Their diet included mushrooms and pine nuts
• They used poplar and chamomile for medicine
• Tartar from their teeth reveals consumption of wheat, barley, date palms, and tubers
• These tartar sources were cooked for palatability
• Neanderthal culture included care for group members unable to contribute to the group's survival
• Skeletons found show evidence of elderly, arthritic, and infirm
• Shanidar Cave reveals evidence of a blind, paralyzed man with healed injuries
• Deliberate graves suggest burial rituals
• Rituals included offerings of artifacts and flowers
• Defleshing and reburial practices
• Neanderthals had language capabilities including a human-like hyoid bone
• They had a heavy skull, large nasal cavity, large chest, and short larynx, resulting in a high-pitched, nasal, loud resonating voice
• Neanderthals possessed cultural complexity, tool use, and community living skills reflecting intelligence
• Neanderthals had large brains, but were maybe less social and creative

Neanderthal Extinction

• Contributing factors to the Neanderthal extinction included climate change
• Limited problem-solving skills
• Fertility Issues
• Interbreeding with modern humans
• Neanderthals shared red hair and fair skin traits
• They had approximately 1%-4% shared genes with modern humans

Middle Stone Age culture

• Middle Stone Age cultures existed from 300,000 to 30,000 years ago
• The tool tradition in northern Africa was Mousterian
• The tool tradition in sub-Saharan Africa was flake tool tradition using heat treating
• There was an increase in large deliberate fires using wood
• New resources emerged, including marine resources, bone tools, hafting, shell beads, pigments (ochre), and microliths

New Homo Species

• There were many contemporaneous archaic human species or older hominin species

The Denisovans

• They occupied the Altai mountains, Siberia, and Tibetan Plateau around 160,000 years ago
• They were contemporaneous with Neanderthals and modern humans
• The Denisovans shared a common ancestor with Homo sapiens and Neanderthals
• There is evidence of a hybrid Neanderthal and Denisovan girl.

Homo floresiensis

• This species was found in Flores, Indonesia in 2003
• They date from approximately 190,000 to 50,000 years ago
• There have been 12+ individuals discovered
• They used stone tools
• They hunted pygmy elephants and large rodents, furthermore used fire
• May be related to Georgian Homo erectus, perhaps Homo habilis

Homo naledi

• This species was discovered in Rising Star Cave, South Africa, in 2013
• They date from approximately 335,000 to 236,000 years ago
• There are 1550 bones representing 15 individuals
• The chambers where they were found are hard to access
• The placement of the bones indicates there may have been accidental or deliberate placement
• Brain size was approximately 500cc
• They have a skull with a sagittal keel, large brow, and a developed frontal lobe like modern humans
• The species had arboreal adaptations in arms