Anth Notes 1

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Foothill College *

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Anthropology

Date

Oct 30, 2023

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pdf

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Uploaded by DrBoar3234

I. Introduction to Anthropology ● Anthropology is the study of humanity, including its origins, development, and cultural diversity. ● It is divided into subfields, including cultural anthropology, archaeology, linguistic anthropology, and biological (physical) anthropology. ● Biological anthropology explores the evolution of humans and their primate relatives. II. Primate Taxonomy and Characteristics ● Primates are a diverse order of mammals that includes lemurs, monkeys, apes, and humans. ● Key primate characteristics include forward-facing eyes, grasping hands and feet, nails instead of claws, and larger brains compared to body size. ● Humans belong to the family Hominidae, and our closest living relatives are chimpanzees and bonobos. III. Primate Evolution ● Primate evolution is traced back over 65 million years to the first primates, small mammals that lived during the Paleocene epoch. ● Adaptations for life in the trees, such as grasping hands and stereoscopic vision, are characteristic of early primates. ● The evolution of primates can be divided into two major groups: Prosimians (e.g., lemurs and tarsiers) and Anthropoids (e.g., monkeys and apes). IV. Hominin Evolution ● Hominins are a subgroup of hominids (great apes) that includes modern humans and their ancestors. ● The human lineage split from the common ancestor with chimpanzees about 6-7 million years ago. ● Ardipithecus, Australopithecus, and various species of Homo are crucial steps in human evolution. V. Key Fossils and Discoveries ● Important fossil findings include "Lucy" (Australopithecus afarensis), the Taung Child (Australopithecus africanus), and various Homo species like Homo habilis and Homo erectus. ● These fossils provide insights into bipedalism, tool use, brain expansion, and cultural development in our ancestors.

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