Archaic Archaic Homo sapiensHomo sapiens

Homo antecessorHomo antecessor

Homo heidelbergensisHomo heidelbergensis

Homo neandertalensisHomo neandertalensis

Archaic Archaic HomoHomo

For many years, scientists placed any For many years, scientists placed any problematic specimens displaying mixtures of problematic specimens displaying mixtures of "erectus-like" and "modern" traits into a "erectus-like" and "modern" traits into a confusing category: confusing category: "Archaic" "Archaic" Homo Homo sapienssapiens (basically meaning any (basically meaning any Homo Homo sapiens sapiens that didn't look quite modern). that didn't look quite modern).

Recently, it has been proposed to separate Recently, it has been proposed to separate these individuals into a distinct species. For these individuals into a distinct species. For this purpose, the names this purpose, the names Homo antecessor &Homo antecessor & Homo heidelbergensisHomo heidelbergensis have been assigned. have been assigned.

Homo antecessorHomo antecessor

The species The species Homo antecessorHomo antecessor is another very is another very controversial species designation. The species controversial species designation. The species was designated by J.L. Arsuaga et al. to the was designated by J.L. Arsuaga et al. to the remains of several individuals found at the remains of several individuals found at the GranGran DolinaDolina site, Spain. site, Spain.

The discovery was significant because the The discovery was significant because the remains have been securely dated at over 780 remains have been securely dated at over 780 kyr. This makes the material the earliest known kyr. This makes the material the earliest known European specimens. European specimens.

The find breathed new life into the argument for The find breathed new life into the argument for the validity of the validity of H. heidelbergensisH. heidelbergensis, as well as , as well as creating a whole new species: creating a whole new species: H. antecessorH. antecessor..

Homo antecessor Homo antecessor traitstraits

Has a marked double-arched browridge (like Has a marked double-arched browridge (like later Neanderthals and Chinese erectus). later Neanderthals and Chinese erectus).

An approximate brain size of 1000 cc. An approximate brain size of 1000 cc. Reduced mandibular thickness when Reduced mandibular thickness when

compared to compared to ergasterergaster or early or early erectuserectus. . Has small postcanines that resemble those Has small postcanines that resemble those

of the habilines (of the habilines (habilishabilis and and rudolfensisrudolfensis), but ), but they are still within the they are still within the ergasterergaster//erectuserectus range. range.

Shovel-shaped maxillary incisors (ancestral Shovel-shaped maxillary incisors (ancestral condition). condition).

Gran Dolina Site, SpainGran Dolina Site, Spain The most complete specimen The most complete specimen

is Hominid 3, which is also the is Hominid 3, which is also the type specimen for type specimen for antecessorantecessor. .

This is unusual because This is unusual because Hominid 3 is a 10-year old, Hominid 3 is a 10-year old, and therefore has not fully and therefore has not fully developed its skeletal developed its skeletal characteristics. characteristics.

The specimen was chosen The specimen was chosen because it highlighted all the because it highlighted all the features that the researchers features that the researchers were attempting to describe were attempting to describe as typic of the species. as typic of the species.

However, these features are However, these features are all variable (even within the all variable (even within the small sample from Gran small sample from Gran Dolina itself. Dolina itself.

Few researchers accept the Few researchers accept the antecessorantecessor taxon, instead taxon, instead considering the material considering the material heidelbergensisheidelbergensis. .

Gran Dolina site, SpainGran Dolina site, Spain

Homo heidelbergensisHomo heidelbergensis

Homo heidelbergensisHomo heidelbergensis is the species name now given to is the species name now given to a range of specimens from about 800,000 years ago to a range of specimens from about 800,000 years ago to the appearance of anatomically modern the appearance of anatomically modern Homo sapiensHomo sapiens (the species to which we belong). (the species to which we belong).

The species name was originally proposed for the fossil The species name was originally proposed for the fossil mandible discovered at Mauer, a town near Heidelberg, mandible discovered at Mauer, a town near Heidelberg, Germany. It is a nearly complete early human mandible Germany. It is a nearly complete early human mandible that is very robustly built, but lacks a chin. that is very robustly built, but lacks a chin.

Additional finds of early humans with morphological Additional finds of early humans with morphological attributes of both modern humans and attributes of both modern humans and Homo erectusHomo erectus have shown that the transition from early and middle have shown that the transition from early and middle Pleistocene forms and the morphology of modern Pleistocene forms and the morphology of modern humankind was not a neat transition that could be easily humankind was not a neat transition that could be easily explained.explained.

Species:Species: Homo Homo heidelbergensisheidelbergensis

Age:Age: Middle PleistoceneMiddle Pleistocene

Date of Date of Discovery:Discovery: October 21, 1907October 21, 1907

Location:Location: Mauer, GermanyMauer, Germany

Discovered Discovered by:by:

An anonymous An anonymous workmanworkman

This mandible was found by a workman in the Rösch sandpit just north of the village of Mauer near Heidelberg, Germany, in 1907. The workman showed the find to the anatomist O. Schoentensack, who provided the initial description of the specimen. The mandible is complete with only the premolars and first two molars on the left side missing. The molars were recovered separately, although the premolars were lost.

Homo heidelbergensisHomo heidelbergensis

The mandible itself is large, and robustly built like that seen in Homo erectus, with broad ascending rami. The corpus of the mandible is deep and thicker than a modern human's. The lack of a projecting chin is another morphological difference from modern humans. Schoentensack proposed the species name Homo heidelbergensis for the Mauer specimen. This assignment has been problematic over the years. The robust morphology of the jaw shows affinities to Homo erectus populations from the same time period, yet the tooth morphology is decidedly more "modern" in appearance. Most researchers agree that the Mauer mandible is not Homo erectus. For a long time many scientists placed the mandible a rather confusing taxon: "Archaic" Homo sapiens. Recently, members of this taxon have been separated at the species level and given a separate species name: Homo heidelbergensis.

Unfortunately, there is no way to absolutely date the Mauer specimen; that is, determine exactly how old the specimen is. However, faunal correlation (comparing the animal fossils found at this site with other sites for which dates have been determined) has placed the find within the Middle Pleistocene, perhaps 500,000 years old.

Kabwe SkullKabwe Skull

• Once thought to be less than 40,000 years old, the Kabwe skull (also known as the Broken Hill skull) was used at one time to validate the supposed "primitiveness" of African peoples, demonstrating that while Europeans had evolved to the "level" of Cro-Magnon, African populations still looked essentially like Homo erectus.

• This assumption was shown to be flawed on many accounts, most crucially in that the date for this site based on the associated animal fossils found is at least 125,000 years old, and is probably significantly older.

• Some researchers have proposed that Kabwe may be a member of the African population from which all modern humans descended, although this cannot be definitively proven.

Species:Species: Homo heidelbergensisHomo heidelbergensis

Age:Age: 125,000 to 300,000 125,000 to 300,000 yearsyears

Date of Date of DiscoveryDiscovery

::June 17, 1921June 17, 1921

Location:Location: Kabwe, ZambiaKabwe, Zambia

DiscovereDiscovered by:d by: Tom ZwiglaarTom Zwiglaar

The braincase profile is low and slopes back from a large supraorbital torus reminiscent of earlier H. erectus specimens. There is also the remnant of a sagittal keel and an occipital torus at the back of the skull, also recalling H. erectus. However, the face is more modern in appearance (less prognathic, flatter) and the brain size of about 1300 cc. is larger than seen in H. erectus. Thus, this cranium preserves many traits that are reminiscent of earlier H. erectus and hints of more modern traits known later in H. sapiens.

• The cranium shows evidence of disease and wounds that occurred in the lifetime of this individual.

• Ten of the upper teeth have cavities, and dental abscesses of the upper jaw are clearly visible in the upper photograph (above the right incisor/canine) and the middle photograph (above the first molar).

• Additionally, a partially healed wound is visible in the bottom two photographs, above and anterior of the hole for the ear.

• This wound measured roughly a quarter-inch across, and was made by either a piercing instrument or the tooth of a carnivore. Exactly which is unclear

Advanced Acheulian ToolsAdvanced Acheulian Tools

Homo sapiens Homo sapiens neanderthalensisneanderthalensis

Neandertals (ca. 200-32 Neandertals (ca. 200-32 kya)kya) Species restricted to Europe, eastern Species restricted to Europe, eastern

Middle East during height of Ice AgeMiddle East during height of Ice Age Evolved to be specifically cold-adapted:Evolved to be specifically cold-adapted:

Short and stocky body typeShort and stocky body type Large nose (nasal passages for warming air)Large nose (nasal passages for warming air) Barrel chest (also for warming air)Barrel chest (also for warming air) Long, low, thick skull but with large cranial Long, low, thick skull but with large cranial

capacity (1250-1750 cc)capacity (1250-1750 cc) Heavy brow ridgeHeavy brow ridge

Homo sapiens Homo sapiens neanderthalensisneanderthalensis

Neandertals (ca. 200-32 Neandertals (ca. 200-32 kya)kya)

NeandertalNeandertal

Not the “Cave Men” they Not the “Cave Men” they were made out to be!were made out to be!

First to bury deadFirst to bury dead First to create art on rocks and boneFirst to create art on rocks and bone Elaborate Stone and Bone Tool Elaborate Stone and Bone Tool

technologytechnology Mousterian toolsMousterian tools

Some degree of altruismSome degree of altruism Old Man of La ChapelleOld Man of La Chapelle Individual from ShanidarIndividual from Shanidar

Mousterian Tools: Period of Mousterian Tools: Period of stone tools associated with stone tools associated with

NeandertalsNeandertals

Burial at Tabun, Mt. Carmel, Burial at Tabun, Mt. Carmel, IsraelIsrael

Shanidar 1: Shanidar 1: Eye Socket crushed-blinded in that Eye Socket crushed-blinded in that eyeeye

““Old Man” of La-ChapelleOld Man” of La-Chapelle

Modern vs. NeandertalModern vs. Neandertal