1. Human Origins and Antiquity
ANTH 1210
Section A01
Instructor: Dr. Amanda Blackburn

2. Syllabus Available on JUMP Login - Courses - ANTH 1210 – Files
- Human Origins Syllabus A01

3. Contact Info
Office Hours
Tuesday 1:00 – 2:00pm, or by appointment
448 University College

4. Topics Covered
Physical anthropology and archaeology

5. Topics Covered
Biological evolution

6. Topics Covered
Evolution and comparative behaviour of non-human primates

7. Topics Covered
Human evolution

8. Topics Covered
Emergence of human culture

9. Required Textbook Physical Anthropology and Archaeology
3rd Canadian Edition
Authors: Ember, Ember, Peregrine and Hoppa
Relevant chapters are indicated
on the class schedule
These readings are testable material

10. Class Schedule What is Anthropology? Uncovering the Past
Week
Date
Topic
Reading 1
May 5
What is Anthropology?
Chapter 1
May 6
Uncovering the Past
Watch Time Team video online:
Chapter 2
May 7
Reconstructing the Past
Chapter 3
May 8
Historical Development of Evolutionary Theory
Modern Evolutionary Theory
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
May 9
Review 2
May 12
Midterm #1 (Chapters 1-5)
The Living Primates
Chapter 6
May 13
Primate Evolution
Chapter 7
May 14
Early Hominins
Chapter 8
May 15
Homo erectus and Archaic Homo sapiens
Video – Becoming Human(Part I)
Chapter 9
May 16
Neandertals/ Midterm Review 3
May 19
** NO CLASS – Victoria Day **
May 20
Video – Becoming Human(Part II and III)
No class – watch online here:
May 21
Midterm #2 (Chapters 6-9)
Modern Homo Sapiens
Chapter 10
May 22
May 23
Human Variation
Chapter 11 4
May 26
Origins of Food Production/ Video: Stories from the Stone Age
Chapter 12
May 27
Cities and States
Chapter 13
May 28
Applied Anthropology
Chapter 14
May 31
FINAL EXAM (Chapters 1 – 14) – 9:00-11: Isbister

11. Powerpoint
Check JUMP for lecture outlines…if you’re reading this you already have 

12. Exams Two 50 minute midterm exams during regular class time
May 12th (25%)
May 21st (25%)
Final exam, May 31st 9:00-11:00am
- 235 Isbister
- (50%) – cumulative
Format is multiple choice for midterms and exam

13. Testable Material Powerpoint notes Lecture material
Assigned readings from chapters
Any videos watched in class or assigned on the syllabus

14. Midterm Results
Results will be available via the course site on Desire2Learn (D2L)
DO NOT contact me using the function on D2L – use my regular address
Tests will not be returned. If you wish to view your test, please make an appointment with the instructor.

15. Voluntary Withdrawal
May 22th – last day to withdraw without academic penalty
You will receive 25% of your final grade by that date

16. How to do well in this class
Show up
Pay attention
Take lecture notes
Read the textbook
Academic Learning Center

17. As a Courtesy to Other Students in this Class
Please do not use your cellphones during class
Please only use laptops to take notes (not to check Facebook, Tweet how bored you are, etc)
Please try not to arrive late or leave early as it is distracting to everyone

18. Anthropology
The study of humankind, viewed from a perspective of all people and all times
“Anthropos” and “Logos”

19. Franz Boas (1858-1942) Father of North American Anthropology
Understating populations from different perspectives (biological and cultural)
1883 expedition to Baffin Island
Holistic approach
→ 4 fields of anthropology

20. Franz Boas’ Baffin Island Expedition

21. 4 Fields of Anthropology
Cultural Anthropology
Linguistic Anthropology
Physical/
Biological Anthropology
Archaeology

22. Linguistic Anthropology
The study of the construction and use of language by human societies
What is language?
→ set of written or spoken symbols that
refer to things (people, places,
concepts)
→ transfer of knowledge
Sociolinguistics

23. Cultural Anthropology
The study of present day peoples
and their culture
What is Culture?
→ learned behaviour
that is transmitted from
person to person
Margaret Mead ( )

24. “Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

25. Archaeology
The study of past human societies, focusing specifically on material remains
Artifacts and settlements
Plant and animal remains
Behaviours
Cultural anthropologists of the past

26. Archaeology
“Back From Yet Another Globetrotting Adventure, Indiana Jones Checks His Mail And Discovers That His Bid For Tenure Has Been Denied”

27. Physical/Biological Anthropology
The study of all aspects of past and present human biology
Human evolution and variation among living and past humans and their ancestors
Skeletal studies, primatology, forensics, genetics, palaeoanthropology

28. Physical/Biological Anthropology
"I am a primate; nothing about primates is irrelevant to me."
~ John Russell Napier ( )

29. Physical/Biological Anthropology
The study of all aspects of past and present human biology
Human evolution and variation among living and past humans and their ancestors
Skeletal studies, primatology, forensics, genetics, palaeoanthropology

30. Biocultural Approach

31. More Specifically...
The study of human biological variation AND the study of human biocultural variation
Product of evolutionary history
Product of individual life history

32. Primate social behaviour
So What?
Molecular studies
Infectious diseases
Genetic history
Origins of language
Who are we as a species? What does it mean to be human? Where did we come from?
Bioarchaeology
Primate social behaviour
Blood types

33. What Makes Us Different?
Part of the animal kingdom NOT removed!
6 key attributes that make us unique

34. 1. Bipedalism Upright walking on 2 feet Most profound difference
Benefits?
Drawbacks?

35. 2. Nonhoning Chewing
Loss of large canine, primates usually have this to shred their food
Ability to make and use tools led to its loss in human ancestors

36. 3. Culture
Facilitates our survival by enabling us to adapt to different settings
Could we live without technology?

37. Culture in Other Primates

38. 4. Hunting Social behaviour Organization that uses tools
Origins approximately 1 million years ago

39. 5. Speech Only animal to communicate by talking
Difficult to track history
Must rely on skeletal changes
Hyoid

40. 6. Domestication of Food 10,000 – 11,000 years before present
Plants and animals
Uniquely human
Profound effect on human biology and behaviour

41. Review What is anthropology? What is physical anthropology?
What is the biocultural approach?
What are the 6 attributes that make humans unique?