Human Origins and Antiquity

ANTH 1210Section A01

Instructor: Dr. Amanda Blackburn

Syllabus

• Available on JUMP

• Login - Courses - ANTH 1210 – Files - Human Origins Syllabus A01

Contact Info

• Office Hours Tuesday 1:00 – 2:00pm, or by appointment 448 University College

• Email: Amanda.Blackburn@umanitoba.ca

Topics Covered

• Physical anthropology and archaeology

Topics Covered

• Biological evolution

Topics Covered

• Evolution and comparative behaviour of non-human primates

Topics Covered

• Human evolution

Topics Covered

• Emergence of human culture

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

Class ScheduleWeek Date Topic Reading1 May 5 What is Anthropology? Chapter 1

May 6 Uncovering the PastWatch Time Team video online: http://tvo.org/video/200943/time-team-sewardsley

Chapter 2

May 7 Reconstructing the Past Chapter 3May 8 Historical Development of Evolutionary Theory

Modern Evolutionary TheoryChapter 4Chapter 5

May 9 Review2 May 12 Midterm #1 (Chapters 1-5)

The Living Primates Chapter 6

May 13 Primate Evolution Chapter 7May 14 Early Hominins Chapter 8May 15 Homo erectus and Archaic Homo sapiens

Video – Becoming Human(Part I)Chapter 9

May 16 Neandertals/ Midterm Review Chapter 93 May 19 ** NO CLASS – Victoria Day **

May 20 Video – Becoming Human(Part II and III)No class – watch online here:http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/evolution/becoming-human.html

May 21

Midterm #2 (Chapters 6-9)Modern Homo Sapiens

Chapter 10

May 22May 23 Human Variation Chapter 11

4 May 26 Origins of Food Production/ Video: Stories from the Stone Age Chapter 12May 27 Cities and States Chapter 13May 28 Applied Anthropology Chapter 14

May 31 FINAL EXAM (Chapters 1 – 14) – 9:00-11:00 - 235 Isbister

Powerpoint

• Check JUMP for lecture outlines…if you’re reading this you already have

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

Testable Material

• Powerpoint notes

• Lecture material

• Assigned readings from chapters

• Any videos watched in class or assigned on the syllabus

Midterm Results

• Results will be available via the course site on Desire2Learn (D2L)

• DO NOT contact me using the email function on D2L – use my regular email address

• Tests will not be returned. If you wish to view your test, please make an appointment with the instructor.

Voluntary Withdrawal

• May 22th – last day to withdraw without academic penalty

• You will receive 25% of your final grade by that date

How to do well in this class

• Show up• Pay attention• Take lecture notes • Read the textbook

• Academic Learning Center

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

Anthropology

• “Anthropos” and “Logos”

The study of humankind, viewed from a perspective of all people

and all times

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

Franz Boas’ Baffin Island Expedition

4 Fields of AnthropologyCultural

Anthropology

Physical/Biological

Anthropology

Archaeology

Linguistic Anthropology

Linguistic Anthropology

• What is language? → set of written or spoken symbols that refer to things (people, places, concepts)

→ transfer of knowledge

• Sociolinguistics

The study of the construction and use of language by human societies

Cultural Anthropology

• What is Culture? → learned behaviour that is transmitted from person to person

• Margaret Mead (1901-1978)

The study of present day peoples and their culture

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

Archaeology

• Artifacts and settlements

• Plant and animal remains

• Behaviours

• Cultural anthropologists of the past

The study of past human societies, focusing specifically on material

remains

Archaeology“Back From Yet Another Globetrotting Adventure, Indiana Jones Checks His Mail And Discovers That His Bid For Tenure Has Been Denied”http://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/back-from-yet-another-globetrotting-adventure-indiana-jones-checks-his-mail-and-discovers-that-his-bid-for-tenure-has-been-denied

Physical/Biological Anthropology

• Human evolution and variation among living and past humans and their ancestors

• Skeletal studies, primatology, forensics, genetics, palaeoanthropology

The study of all aspects of past and present human biology

• "I am a primate; nothing about primates is irrelevant to me."

~ John Russell Napier (1917-1987)

Physical/Biological Anthropology

Physical/Biological Anthropology

• Human evolution and variation among living and past humans and their ancestors

• Skeletal studies, primatology, forensics, genetics, palaeoanthropology

The study of all aspects of past and present human biology

Biocultural Approach

More Specifically...The study of human biological variation AND the study of human biocultural variation

1. Product of evolutionary history2. Product of individual life history

So What?

Who are we as a species?What does it mean to be human?

Where did we come from?

Molecular studies

Infectious diseases

Genetic history

Origins of language

Primate social

behaviour

Bioarchaeology

Blood types

What Makes Us Different?

• Part of the animal kingdom NOT removed!

• 6 key attributes that make us unique

1. Bipedalism

• Upright walking on 2 feet

• Most profound difference

• Benefits?

• Drawbacks?

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

3. Culture• Facilitates our survival by enabling us

to adapt to different settings

• Could we live without technology?

Culture in Other Primates

4. Hunting• Social behaviour

• Organization that uses tools

• Origins approximately 1 million years ago

5. Speech• Only animal to communicate by

talking

• Difficult to track history

• Must rely on skeletal changes

• Hyoid

6. Domestication of Food

• 10,000 – 11,000 years before present

• Plants and animals

• Uniquely human

• Profound effect on human biology and behaviour

Review

• What is anthropology?

• What is physical anthropology?

• What is the biocultural approach?

• What are the 6 attributes that make humans unique?