Archaic Homo Sapiens Traits

Archaic Homo Sapiens

• Middle Paleolithic Cultural period spanned from 300,000 to 40,000 years ago.
• During this period, climate alternated between glacial and interglacial periods.
• Glacial periods were cooler and drier.
• Interglacial periods were warmer and wetter.
• Archaic Homo sapiens had a substantial cranial capacity.
• Their existence is dated from approximately 600,000 to 200,000 years ago.
• They possessed a mix of Homo erectus and Homo sapiens traits.
• There is variation across archaic Homo sapiens species.
• They may have been related to similar species like Homo antecessor, bodoensis, heidelbergensis, georgicus, rhodesiensis and neanderthalensis.

Key Trait Differences

• Compared to Homo erectus, archaic Homo sapiens existed more recently, had larger brains, and a skull shape described as intermediate rather than long, low, and angular.
• Archaic Homo sapiens also had an emerging forehead, wider nasal aperture, and some midfacial prognathism.
• Unlike Homo erectus, archaic Homo sapiens lacked a chin.
• Other facial features were intermediate.
• Their other skull features included a projecting occipital bone, and intermediate thickness of the cranial bone, contrasting with Homo erectus's nuchal torus, sagittal keel, and thick cranial bone.
• Dentition was distinguished by slightly smaller teeth.
• Postcranial features included robust bones of skeleton.
• Compared to archaic Homo sapiens, anatomically modern Homo sapiens existed more recently, had larger brains, and a skull shape described as short and high and globular.
• Anatomically modern Homo sapiens also had a present forehead, narrower nasal aperture, and no midfacial prognathism.
• Unlike archaic Homo sapiens, anatomically modern Homo sapiens have a present chin.
• Other facial features show a small brow ridge and retracted face.
• Their other skull features included small bump on the rear of the skull and thin cranial bone, contrasting with archaic Homo sapiens's projecting occipital bone and intermediate cranial bone thickness.
• Dentition was distinguished by smaller teeth.
• Postcranial features included more gracile bones of skeleton.

Neanderthals

• The first Neanderthal fossil was discovered in 1856.
• The discovery predates Darwin's "Origin of Species."
• The Neanderthal was the first hominin to have a scientific study.
• Neanderthals existed from 150,000 to 40,000 years ago.
• They inhabited western Europe, the Middle East, and western Asia.
• They had specific adaptations to cold weather.
• Neanderthals had larger brain capacities, ranging from 1500-1700cc.
• They possessed large noses and robust, heavily muscled bodies, barrel chests, and short, stocky limbs.
• An early 20th-century interpretation emphasized 'primitive’ human-like characteristics.
• Modern interpretation suggests Neanderthals fall within the variation range of modern humans of European descent.

Mousterian Tool Tradition

• Mousterian tools include: large core tools, small flake tools
• Tools were utilized to scrape hides or working wood.
• Some tools may have been attached to handles.
• Birch bark glue was used in tool creation.
• Materials were sourced from within approximately 100km.
• The creation of tools indicates either a trade network or that the Neanderthals had a large territory.
• The Mousterian tool tradition involved, Levallois technique.
• The Levallois technique was used between approximately 400,000 to 200,000 years ago.
• The process indicates 'thought-out processes'.
• Tools created are standardized and multifunctional flakes.

Diet and Subsistence

• Neanderthals practiced big game hunting and broad-spectrum foraging.
• Their prey included deer, horse, bovid, ibex, seal, rabbit, and pigeon.
• They employed drives, group hunting, and close jabbing spears.
• From plants: food like mushrooms and pine nuts were consumed.
• Used poplar and chamomile for medicine.
• Tartar from teeth showed consumption of wheat, barley, date palms, and tubers.
• They cooked food to make it palatable.

Community and Culture

• Neanderthals cared for group members unable to contribute to survival.
• Skeletons found show elderly, arthritic, and infirm individuals.
• Shanidar Cave is the site of blind and paralyzed man with healed injuries.
• Burial rituals indicate the belief that Neanderthals had deliberate graves with offerings.
• Offerings found in graves are artifacts and flowers.
• Defleshing and reburial practices indicate social rituals.

Language and Intelligence

• Neanderthals possessed language capabilities.
• They had a human-like hyoid bone.
• The heavy skull, large nasal cavity, large chest, and short larynx resulted in high-pitched, nasal, and loud resonating voices.
• They showed intelligence in cultural complexity, tool use, and community living.
• Had a large brain, and perhaps less social and creative abilities.

Possible Extinction

• Climate change may be a factor in Neanderthal extinction.
• Limited problem-solving skills and fertility issues may be other factors.
• Neanderthals and modern humans interbred.
• Shared traits include red hair and fair skin.
• Approximately 1%-4% shared genes with modern humans.

Middle Stone Age Cultures

• Middle Stone Age cultures existed from 300,000 to 30,000 years ago.
• Tool tradition in northern Africa was Mousterian.
• Tool tradition in sub-Sahara involves the flake tool tradition using heat treating.
• Increased use of large deliberate fires using wood.
• Employed new resources like marine, bone tools, hafting, shell beads, pigments (ochre), and microliths.

New Human Species

• There are many contemporaneous archaic human species or older hominin species.
• Altai mountains, Siberia, and Tibetan Plateau are the location of Denisovan remains.
• Denisovans were a species who lived simultaneously with Neandertals and modern humans.
• Denisovans shared a common ancestor with Homo sapiens and Neanderthals.

Homo Floresiensis

• Flores, Indonesia, contained Homo Floresiensis fossils.
• Homo Floresiensis existed from around 190,000 to 50,000 years ago.
• Over 12 individuals were found.
• They had stone tool use.
• Homo Floresiensis hunted pygmy elephants and large rodents with fire.
• Possibly related to Georgian Homo erectus, possibly Homo habilis.

Homo Naledi

• Homo Naledi fossils were found in Rising Star Cave, South Africa, in 2013.
• Species existed from ~335,000 to 236,000 years ago.
• 1550 bones of 15 individuals were found.
• The chambers where bones were found are hard to access.
• Bones were either accidentally or deliberately placed.
• Species had ~500cc; skull with sagittal keel, large brow, developed frontal lobe like modern humans.
• Arboreal adaptations in arms were present.