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1508924995 Quadrant 1
1508924995 Quadrant 1
Development Team
Dr. Vijeta
Content Writer Department of Anthropology, University of Delhi
Contents:
Introduction
Cast of fossils
Identification and Description of Fossil casts (Kenyapithecus, Dryopithecus, Sivapithecus,
Ramapithecus, Australopithecines)
History and context of the fossil discoveries
Early Humans (homo habilis, Homo erectus, Homo neanderthalensis)
Modern Humans (Cro-Magnon, Grimaldi and chancelade)
Summary
Learning Objectives:
1. To know about the cast of fossils.
2. To explain the identification and description of fossil casts.
Ramapithecus Ape
1977-present Chimpanzee
(Source: www.googleimage.com)
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Australopithecines are classed as hominids rather than pongids because, like Homo. The features
included reduced canine teeth and their limbs were substantially adapted for bipedal walking.
However, their brains-were relatively small and details of the brain fissures were different from those
of later hominids. Moreover, although australopithecine limb bones could resist the loads and stresses
of upright stance and locomotion, they did so without having the characteristic shape of the Homo
pelvis and thigh bone (femur).
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History and context of the fossil discoveries: It is not easy identifying the Features that mark the
human genus Homo, as the group contains not just all living people but our closest fossil relatives as
well. Moreover, many features that distinguish humans are behavioral, and leave no fossil evidence. It
is very difficult judging whether a particular kind of early human had developed a language, society or
art, and other features that can be recognized in fossils are usually used to infer these attributes.
Southern African australopithecines: The first australopithecine fossil was found-in southern Africa
in 1924 in a cave that was exposed at the Buxton Limeworks, which is close to Taung, hear Kimberley.
The Taung cave, like those at the other australopithecine sites in southern Africa, was formed as
expansions of water channels that ran through the limestone. Once the caves started forming, they
developed openings onto the ground surface, through which soil and debris, including bone, was
washed in.
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Homo erectus: Homo erectus was a lot larger than Homo habilis—about 1.5 meters tall. It had a large
brain, about 1000 cubic centimeters and walked erect. Its skull had prominent brow ridges and, like
modern humans, a rounded jaw.
Java man: A Dutch doctor and anatomist named Eugene Dubois unearthed a skull cap and a thighbone
in 1891. He informally called Java man, for three reasons: 1. The structure of the thigh bone clearly
indicated that the individual had long, straight legs and was an excellent walker. 2. The size of the skull
cap suggested a very large brain, about 1000 cubic centimeters. 3. Most surprisingly, the bones seemed
as much as 500,000 years old, judged by other fossils Dubois unearthed with them (Hills, 1992).
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(Source: www.mhhe.com)
Homo neanderthalensis: Neanderthals, Homo neanderthalensis, lived in Europe and the Near East
from 200,000 to 28,000 years ago. They were thick-boned with a larger brain, they buried their dead,
and they made hunting tool.
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Summary
The discovery of human remains more than 10,000 years old is always a cause for scientific
celebration. Such finds are rare and valuable, as each new sample or technique may reveal threads of
evidence in our understanding of human evolution. Consequently, there is a persistent requirement to
measure, cast and sample from existing and newly discovered human bones. Cast, the positive replica
(plaster, plastic, bronze etc.) made from the mold and mold is the material (usually a type of rubber)
that is brushed or poured over the original to make the negative. The cast may be made from the bone
or soft tissues. The fossil record shows a sequence from simple bacteria to more complicated
organisms through time and provides the most compelling evidence for evolution. There are fossil
casts from African, Asian, and European hominids to study the evolution i.e. Kenyapithecus,
Dryopithecus, Sivapithecus, Ramapithecus, Australopithecines and early humans (Homo habilis,
Homo erectus, Homo neanderthalensis & modern man are- Cro-Magnon, Grimaldi and Chancelade).
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