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Homo sapiens

Homo heidelbergensis

Homo neanderthalensis

emerged ~315,000 - 200,000 yrs ago in Africa

Homo erectus

Australopithecus

Chimps

art mainly associated with HS

migrated to WE ~400,000 - 300,000 yrs ago

Showed some symbolic/abstract behavior and cognition

Gorillas

Gorillas diverged from chimps ~8-12 mya

Chimps and human split ~6 mya base on DNA mutation rate and and fossil skull dating

Human and chimps share ~99% of DNA/chromosome # 23 vs 24 in higher apes

Ecological/environmental conditions contribute to hominin split from apes

uplift of Rift Valley in EA

new mountain chains in CA

Climate change puts selective evolutionary pressures: Eastern regions became drier, great apes retreated to lush jungles in WA (Atlantic Ocean keeps it moist)

Hominins developed in woodlands, savannahs, and grasslands

bipedal semi-arboreal with small brain size (although larger than the chimps) and small bodies - discovered in 1929 in SA

Eventually even the woodlands disappeared → start to walk on feet

4.2-1.9 mya in EA

Brain size= ~ 500 cm3

Homo habilis

~ 2.1 - 1.5 mya

Brain size= ~700 cm3

2 mya

Brain size=~1,000 cm3

left Africa/live in groups/use stone tools but no art

Brain size=~1,100 -1,400 cm3

buried with flowers/ use of ochre (reddish clay with different shades) but did not make art/ lived in social groups/ had spears to kill animals (smart and creative)/ tools from antler and bone/ probably cooked food

Making stone tools requires understanding of geometry and cognitive skills

In the Homo lineage brain size increased: food sharing would have been essential → mother take care of children/ stronger bound

Trickle of symbolism in Africa and Israel (60,000-75,000 yrs ago) associated with the Homo sapiens

expressed in several ways

use of ochre minerals

Archaeological proof for a homo base (camp sites)

Beads for body decoration, ornaments

Purposeful human burial

-mined, extracted, processed, heated

-H.S. walked great distances to obtain different pigments

-100,000 yrs old workshop in Blombo Cave (SA)

-shows intentionality

-body coloration, ornament coloration, utilitarian purpose

-symbolic thinking (315,000 yrs ago H.S. emerged but not until much later did symbolism arise)

-patches of artifacts and bones found in specific locations of camp sites, created in the same spot but not scattered all over

-shows there was spatial organization for daily activities in the site

-central base for foraging/ taking care of the young/ returning with food

-implies organized group living, a structured society

-set the stage for art

-first sign of art-related activities

-appeared 100,000 - 60,000 yrs ago in SA

-originated somewhere else and migrated to SA where there were more resources

-evidence 134,000 - 100, 000 yrs ago in Skhul Cave in Israel

-sophisticated tools and early signs of symbolic thinking appeared in Africa ~300,000 - 250,000 yrs ago

-the signs increased gradually starting ~160,000 yrs ago

-use of ochre/symbolic behavior but not consistent