The Rise of Humans The Scientific Account of Human Origins from 4 Million B.C. to 8000 B.C.

Scientific search for human origins *Two big questions: Who are we? How did we originate? *Many scientists believe that humans evolved from earlier hominid forms of life over several million years *archaeologists excavate sites that provide physical evidence of early human life, including artifacts and fossils *anthropologists study artifacts to determine culture – the way people lived *paleontologists study fossil remains to determine the physical characteristics of early humans and animals

The First Hominids In 1974, an American team discovered “Lucy” at Hadar in Ethiopia In 1978, Mary Leakey discovered evidence of early hominid life in Eastern Africa at Laetoli This was the first evidence of australopithecines, who emerged as early as 4 million B.C. Based on the following film clip: 1.What made australopithecines so unique? 2.Why was the discovery of “Lucy” so significant? Lucy’s skeletal remains Footprints at Laetoli

PALEOLITHIC HOMINIDS THE OLD STONE AGE OR PALEOLITHIC AGE LASTED FROM ABOUT 2.5 MILLION B.C. TO 8000 B.C. AND WAS CHARACTERIZED BY THE FIRST USE OF STONE TOOLS HOMO HABILIS (“HANDY MAN”), ALSO DISCOVERED BY THE LEAKEYS IN EAST AFRICA, WAS THE FIRST HOMINID TO USE STONE TOOLS FOR CUTTING MEAT & BONES ( MILLION B.C.) HOMO ERECTUS (“UPRIGHT MAN”) DEVELOPED MORE SOPHISITICATED TOOLS, USED FIRE, AND MIGRATED OUT OF AFRICA TO EUROPE AND ASIA (1.6 MILLION-30,000 B.C.)

The “out of africa” theory The theory asserts that homo erectus and later hominids originated in africa and then migrated to other parts of the world; supported by dating of artifacts and fossils at multiple excavation sites Migration pattern of homo erectus (above); facial reconstruction of homo erectus (above right); homo erectus tools (right)

The emergence of Homo sapiens “wise man” Neanderthals emerged in Europe and Asia by 200,000 B.C. Resourceful ice age hunters Wore clothing, used language, maintained religious rituals, and buried their dead Disappeared around 30,000 B.C. Cro-Magnons emerged around 40,000 years ago Superior hunters who may have used more sophisticated organization and language to drive the Neanderthals out Ancestors of modern humans Cro-Magnon tools

Neanderthals vs. Cro-Magnons