1. Modern Evolutionary Theory and Human Evolution James A. Van Slyke

2. Modern Synthesis Darwinian Evolution – Descent with modification from a common ancestor – Small changes gradually occur over time – Natural Selection – different traits promote survival or lead to extinction – Sexual Selection – traits that promote or diminish reproduction

3. Modern Synthesis

5. Genetic Theory – Mechanism that transfers traits to offspring – Missing piece of Darwin’s Theory Genotype – set of gene’s from individual DNA Phenotype – Observed characteristics produced by a genotype

6. Modern Synthesis Genetic Variation – Mutations – changes in DNA sequence – Gene Flow – movement of genes between populations – Sex – introduce new gene combinations Genetic Variation produces phenotypic variations Phenotypes with adaptive value increase survival and reproduction Adaptive value passed on through genotypes

7. Human Evolution Humans and chimpanzees share 98.5% of the same genes Hominid lineage split from chimpanzee about 6 million years ago Homo sapiens – 200,000 years ago from Africa Many important transitions in human behavior and cognition

8. Primate Evolutionary Tree

9. Important transitions Burial of the Dead – 95,000 years ago – Buried with beads and other symbolic objects – May have religious significance; belief in life after death – Burial site in Israel 30 buried individuals found 9 year old found with a pair of antlers

10. Important Transitions Use of pigments and coloring – 350,000 years ago – Marked persons and objects with color Cave painting and Drawing – 32,000 years ago – Early forms of symbolic thought

11. Important Transitions Cave painting and Drawing – 32,000 years ago

12. Important transitions Figurines and carvings – May have religious significance for different rituals – Early forms of symbolic thought in combining animal with human forms – May also have sexual significance in carvings of the female form

13. Lion-head figure Venus figure

14. Important transitions First religious temple – 11,000 years ago – Turkey – Rows of standing stones – Images of animals – “Gobekli Tepe”

15. Important transitions Çatalhöyük (http://www.catalhoyuk.com/) – 7500 BC – Feasts with animals – Burials of ancestors – Religion and daily life highly integrated – Religion could not be separated from other aspects of culture

16. Çatalhöyük