1. Chapter 13
Premodern Humans

2. Chapter Outline When, Where and What
Premodern Humans of the Middle Pleistocene
A Review of Middle Pleistocene Evolution
Middle Pleistocene Culture

3. The Pleistocene
The Pleistocene, often called the Ice Age, was marked by advances and retreats of massive continental glaciations.
At least 15 major and 50 minor glacial advances have been documented in Europe.
Hominids were impacted as the climate, flora, and animal life shifted.
Middle Pleistocene (780,000– 125,000 y.a.)
Upper Pleistocene (125,000–10,000 y.a.)

4. Interglacials
Climatic intervals when continental ice sheets are retreating, eventually becoming much reduced in size.
Interglacials in northern latitudes are associated with warmer temperatures, while in southern latitudes the climate becomes wetter.

5. Glaciations
Climatic intervals when continental ice sheets cover much of the northern continents.
Glaciations are associated with colder temperatures in northern latitudes and more arid conditions in southern latitudes, most notably in Africa.

6. Changing Pleistocene Environments in Africa

7. Changing Pleistocene Environments in Eurasia

8. Homo heidelbergensis skull from Zambia
The Kabwe (Broken Hill) Homo heidelbergensis skull from Zambia.
Note the very heavy supraorbital torus.

9. Earliest Evidence of Homo Heidelbergensis in Africa
Bodo cranium, the earliest evidence of Homo heidelbergensis in Africa.

10. Minimum of 28 individuals, including some nearly complete crania
Key Middle Pleistocene Premodern Human (H. heidelbergensis) Fossils from Europe
Site
Dates (y.a.)
Human Remains
Arago
(Tautavel, France)
400,000– 300,000; date uncertain
Face; parietal perhaps from same person; many cranial fragments; up to 23 individuals represented
Atapuerca
(Sima de los Huesos,
northern Spain)
320,000– 190,000, probably 300,000
Minimum of 28 individuals, including some nearly complete crania

11. Fossil Discoveries of Middle Pleistocene Premodern Hominids.

12. Crania from China
(a) Dali skull and (b) Jinniushan skull, both from China.
These two crania are considered by some to be Asian representatives of Homo heidelbergensis.

13. Time line of Middle Pleistocene hominids.

14. Review of Middle Pleistocene Evolution (400,000-125,000 y.a.)
Like the erects/sapiens mix in Africa and China, fossils from Europe exhibit traits from both species.
Fossils from each continent differ, but the physical differences are not extraordinary.
There is a definite increase in brain size and a change in the shape of the skull.

15. Middle Pleistocene Tools
African and European archaics invented the Levallois technique for tool making.
Acheulian tools are associated with hand axes.
Different tool traditions coexist in some areas.

16. The Levallois Technique

17. Culture of Neandertals
Neandertals, who lived in the cultural period known as the Middle Paleolithic, are almost always associated with the Mousterian industry.
In the early part of the last glacial period, Mousterian culture extended across Europe and North Africa into the former Soviet Union, Israel, Iran, and as far east as Uzbekistan and perhaps even China.

18. Culture of Neandertals
Neandertals improved on previous prepared-core techniques by inventing a new variation.
They trimmed a flint nodule around the edges to form a disk-shaped core.
Each time they struck the edge, they produced a flake, continuing this way until the core became too small and was discarded.
They then trimmed the flakes into various forms, such as scrapers, points, and knives.

19. Morphology and Variation in Neandertal Crania

20. Fossil Discoveries of Neandertals

21. Mousterian Tools

22. Settlements
People of the Mousterian culture lived in open sites, caves, and rock shelters.
Windbreaks of poles and skin were placed at the cave opening for protection against severe weather.
Fire was used for cooking, warmth, light, and keeping predators at bay.

23. Excavation of the Tabun Cave, Mt. Carmel, Israel

24. Shanidar 1
Among the individuals buried at Shanidar cave is the skeleton of a one-armed, partially blind, crippled man.
He could not have hunted or gathered food on his own.
Some believe his survival is proof of Neandertal compassion and humanity

25. Subsistence
Remains of animal bones demonstrate that Neandertals were successful hunters.
Used close-proximity spears for hunting (spear thrower and bow and arrow weren’t invented until the Upper Paleolithic).
Patterns of trauma in Neandertal remains match those of contemporary rodeo performers, indicating close proximity to prey.

26. Symbolic Behavior
Prevailing consensus has been that Neandertals were capable of articulate speech.
Even if Neandertals did speak, they did not have the same language capabilities of modern Homo sapiens.

27. Burials Neanderthals buried their dead.
Their burials included grave goods like animal bones and stone tools.
They placed the bodies of their dead in a flexed position.

28. Key Neandertal Fossil Discoveries
Site
Dates (y.a.)
Human Remains
Vindija (Croatia)
42,000– 28,000
35 specimens; cranial fragments
La Chapelle (France)
50,000
Nearly complete male skeleton
Shanidar (Iraq)
70,000– 60,000
9 partial skeletons
Tabun (Israel)
110,000 date uncertain
2 or 3 individuals, almost complete female skeleton
Krapina (Croatia)
125,000 –120,000
Up to 40 individuals, fragmentary

29. Cultural Contrasts: Neandertals and Upper Paleolithic Modern Humans
Tool Technology
Numerous flake tools; few, however, apparently for highly specialized functions; use of bone, antler, or ivory very rare; relatively few tools with more than one or two parts
Many more varieties of stone tools; many apparently for specialized functions; frequent use of bone, antler, and ivory; many more tools comprised of two or more component parts

30. Cultural Contrasts: Neandertals and Upper Paleolithic Modern Humans
Hunting Efficiency and Weapons
No long-distance hunting weapons; close-proximity weapons used (more likelihood of injury)
Use of spear-thrower and bow and arrow; wider range of social contacts, permitting more organized hunting parties
Stone Material Transport
Stone materials transported only short distances
Stone tool raw materials transported over longer distances, implies wider social networks and trade

31. Cultural Contrasts: Neandertals and Upper Paleolithic Modern Humans
Art
Artwork uncommon; small; mostly of a personal nature; some items misinterpreted as “art”; others may be intrusive from overlying Upper Paleolithic contexts; cave art absent
Artwork much more common, including transportable objects as well as elaborate cave art; well executed,using a variety of materials and techniques; stylistic sophistication

32. Cultural Contrasts: Neandertals and Upper Paleolithic Modern Humans
Burial
Deliberate burial at several sites; graves unelaborated; graves frequently lack artifacts
Burials much more complex, frequently including both tools and remains of animals

33. Phylogeny of genus Homo

34. Phylogeny of genus Homo

35. Three Major Evolutionary Transitions
Transition from early Homo to H. erectus. Geographically limited to Africa and occurred rapidly.
Transition of H. erectus grading into early H. sapiens. Not geographically limited, but occurred slowly and unevenly.
Transition from Archaic H. sapiens to anatomically modern H. sapiens.