ANT 395 Practice Quiz PDF

1.​ Why are most prehistoric sites discovered in the Great East African Rift Valley? Give examples. a.​ The Great East African Rift Valley is an abundant site for discovering early human evidence. The reason for this has a lot to do with the most agreeable climatic c...

1.​ Why are most prehistoric sites discovered in the Great East African Rift Valley? Give examples. a.​ The Great East African Rift Valley is an abundant site for discovering early human evidence. The reason for this has a lot to do with the most agreeable climatic conditions, geographical location, and geological features. The Great East African Rift Valley volcanic activity produces volcanic ash and sediment, which is excellent for preserving ancient fossils. The region's climatic stability and water sources made living conditions favorable for early humans. Sites such as Hadar, Ethiopia, where Lucy an Australopithecus (Afarensis) was discovered, as well as Olduvai, Tanzania, where Homo habilis and early stone tools were uncovered. 2.​ Africa's contribution to human biological and cultural evolutions is significant. Explain by giving examples. a.​ Africa is an excellent location for many reasons. One reason is that it is the birthplace of all modern humans; for example, the oldest known hominin was discovered in Chad, known as Sahelanthropus tchadesis, dating back 6.8 million years ago to the genus Homo including habilis, erectus, and sapiens. This evidence of hominins living and beginning in Africa provided archaeologists with information regarding the biological evolution of bipedalism. From studying in Africa, archaeologists uncovered stone tools in areas such as Tanzania and Kenya known as the Lomekwi tools dated about 3.3 m.y.a, and Oldowan tools dated about 2.6 m.y.a these provided crucial evidence of cultural and biological evolution. Archaeologists discovered that early human groups were hunter-gatherers through archaic stone tools. Theories such as the Out of Africa theories also provide information about early human cultural history. 3.​ List the reasons why we have to study African archaeology by giving examples. a.​ Studying African Archaeology is essential to learning about our ancestors biologically and culturally. Africa's geographic location at the center of the globe is one of the many reasons that studying there is important, as well as volcanoes throughout the eastern regions providing layers of volcanic ash that serve as a great preserving cushion. All five genera that comprise human evolution were discovered in the Great Rift Valley of Africa, including Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa. Another reason it is crucial to study in Africa is because of the dry climate in many regions, which slows decomposition and keeps evidence preserved for long periods, providing information on how the artifacts and past human populations adapted to climate changes. 5. Immediately before the Holocene epoch, planet Earth experienced much colder climatic conditions. What was the effect of the environmental conditions on hunting-gathering communities? A historical event known as the Last Glacial Maximum occurred about 23,000 to 19,000 years before the Holocene epoch. This dry glacial climate was classified by ice sheets, temperatures of about 10 degrees Fahrenheit, and sea levels that dropped to an average of 400 feet. Due to this environment, animals and plants had little interaction and were forced to move closer to the equator. During this time, hominin groups were foraging and living in areas with little food; this significantly impacted them, and they, too, were forced to move and follow their food. They hunted larger game and gathered few plants.