Prehistoric Cultures -- University of Minnesota Duluth

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Week 04 Day 07

Tuesday 29 September 2009

Contemporary Primates Chart

Announcements

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PCforum: Topic 1 -- What do you Make of Prehistoric DNA Studies?

The Structure of part of a DNA double helix.
Wikipedia

Anthropology in the News this week reported two studies "using DNA from Stone Age remains" . . .

Scandinavians Are Descended from Stone Age Immigrants, Ancient DNA Reveals
-- ScienceDaily (25 September 2009)

DNA points to India's two-pronged ancestry
-- Science News (23 September 2009)

Just a couple of weeks ago researchers reported on the first European Farmers using DNA analysis . . .

Europe's First Farmers Were Immigrants:
Replaced Their Stone Age Hunter-gatherer Forerunners
-- ScienceDaily (4 September 2009)

We will be looking at related topics towards the end of the semester and considering related materials in

Ch. 13 "Early Holocene Hunters and Gatherers,"

Ch. 14 "Food Production," and

Ch. 15 "The First Civilizations."

And, of course, we just had a look at the National Geographic Genographic project in class.

The new reports on prehistoric Scandinavians and on the prehistoric central and eastern European farmers show that older interpretations may actually the opposite of what had been believed.

On the other hand, the report on prehistoric India suggests that basic biological divisions go deep into prehistoric times: "Members of one ancient population share DNA patterns with modern Middle Easterners, central Asians and Europeans . . . [and] . . . the other population shows no strong connection to any modern mainland group," a division which some interpret as a prehistoric origin of "current caste and ethnic divisions" which predate the founding populations.

Have a look at the three short articles mentioned above.

If you want, also have a look at the materials on the class Scandinavia and India pages.

Questions:

What do you think about prehistorians drawing those sorts of conclusions from fossil and DNA evidence?

Why?

PCforum
<http://www.d.umn.edu/~troufs/PCforum/>

Be sure to set your "Folder Selector"
in the main window
to the current topic
[use the “Reload/Main button" to get to the main window]

Set Folder Selector to Topic 1

REM: If you have any questions, you can post them on the PCforum
or bring them up in class.

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Features of the Day

(to Old Business)

A Note on Returned Case Studies

eGradebook
<http://www.d.umn.edu/egradebook>

RIP Kirby Puckett (~~1961~~ 1960 - 2006)

Grading
—		criteria for grading written works
—		"The Strike Zone"
—		"The Curve"
—		UMD Grading Policies

"The Curve" . . .

A = 93.0% A- = 90.0%

B+ = 87.0% B = 83.0% B- = 80.0%

C+ = 77.0% C = 73.0% C- = 70.0%

D+ = 67.0% D = 63.0% F = below 60.0%

Brief review of optional extra credit paper

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The Development of Prehistoric Cultures:
History of Thought and the Emergence of Key Concepts

Week CEE	Day	Slides
02	04 / 06	Lucretius to Perthes (slides 04) Acheulian Tool
	06 / 07	Darwin and Wallace (slides 05)
	07 / 08	Mendel (slides 06A)
		Other Early Studies and Events

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Conceptual Changes 19th to 20th Century
(introduction, time permitting)

Conceptual Changes . . . (slides 06B)

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Major Characteristics of Modern Physical Anthropology
(introduction/orientation only, time permitting)

Weeks

07 - 08
et pasim Genetics, Primatology, Physical Anthropology
     Characteristics #1 - #6 (slides 07A)

Culture and Human Breeding Patterns
     Characteristic #7 (slides 07B)

Population Studies
     Characteristic #8 (slides 07C)

Biocultural Evolution and Sociobiology
     Characteristics #9 - #10 (slides 08)

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Old Business

Thursday 24 September 2009: Finished Journey of Man video and Genographic Project (slides: Genographic_Roufs.pptx); only introduced The Development of Prehistoric Cultures: History of Thought and the Emergence of Key Concepts Lucretius to Perthes (slides 04). Begin with History of Thought next time.

return to scheduled features of the day

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Assignments

Read:	Ch. 4, "Modern Human Variation and Adaptation," pp. 71-98
Read:	Ch. 5, "Macroevolution: Processes of Vertebrate and Mammalian Evolution," pp. 99 -116 read and study for basic concepts and definitions the main concepts and definitions will be reviewed in class do not worry too much about the biochemistry and biostatistics
Page through:	"Appendix C: Population Genetics," pp. 438-440
Post:	PCforum

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Notes

Thursday 24 September 2009: Finished Journey of Man video and Genographic Project (slides: Genographic_Roufs.pptx); only introduced The Development of Prehistoric Cultures: History of Thought and the Emergence of Key Concepts Lucretius to Perthes (slides 04). Begin with History of Thought next time.
Tuesday 29 September 2009: Did The Development of Prehistoric Cultures: History of Thought and the Emergence of Key Concepts Lucretius to Perthes (slides 04) to Isaac La Peyrère.

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Harry Harlow

Koshima monkeys

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Week 04 Day 08

Thursday 1 October 2009

nlt 4:26 Monkey, Ape and Man
(49 min., 1971, VC 802)

Contemporary Primates Chart

Humans are capable of a "precision grip."
Understanding Humans, 10^ed, p. 119

"Chimpanzees with their reduced thumbs, are also capable of a recision grip, but they frequently use a modified form."
Understanding Humans, 10^ed, p. 119

Announcements

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Features of the Day

(to Old Business)

nlt 4:26 video:

Monkey, Ape and Man
(49 min., 1971, VC 802)

This should be called Prosimians, Monkeys, Apes and Humans

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The Development of Prehistoric Cultures:
History of Thought and the Emergence of Key Concepts
(cont.)

Week CEE	Day	Slides
02	04 / 06	Lucretius to Perthes (slides 04) Acheulian Tool
	06 / 07	Darwin and Wallace (slides 05)
	07 / 08	Mendel (slides 06A)
		Other Early Studies and Events

to top of page / A-Z index

Conceptual Changes 19th to 20th Century
(time permitting)

Conceptual Changes . . . (slides 06B)

to top of page / A-Z index

Major Characteristics of Modern Physical Anthropology
(time permitting)

to top of page / A-Z index

Old Business

Tuesday 29 September 2009: Did The Development of Prehistoric Cultures: History of Thought and the Emergence of Key Concepts Lucretius to Perthes (slides 04) to Isaac La Peyrère.

return to scheduled features of the day

to top of page / A-Z index

Assignments

Read:	Ch. 4, "Modern Human Variation and Adaptation," pp. 71-98
Read:	Ch. 5, "Macroevolution: Processes of Vertebrate and Mammalian Evolution," pp. 99 -116 read and study for basic concepts and definitions the main concepts and definitions will be reviewed in class do not worry too much about the biochemistry and biostatistics
Page through:	"Appendix C: Population Genetics," pp. 438-440
Post:	PCforum

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Notes

Tuesday 29 September 2009: Did The Development of Prehistoric Cultures: History of Thought and the Emergence of Key Concepts Lucretius to Perthes (slides 04) to Isaac La Peyrère.
Thursday 1 October 2009: Did The Development of Prehistoric Cultures: History of Thought and the Emergence of Key Concepts to 10. Lyell (slides 04). Watched Monkey, Ape and Man (49 min., 1971, VC 802).

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Charles Lyell
Understanding Humans, 10^ed, p. 26

Charles Darwin

CEE Week: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

CEE Week 04

The End of History as We Know It

Introduction to Non-Human Primates

Monday 5 October 2009

nlt 7:35 video: Monkey, Ape and Man
(49 min., 1971, VC 802)

Harry Harlow

Read:	Ch. 4, "Modern Human Variation and Adaptation," pp. 71-98
Read:	Ch. 5, "Macroevolution: Processes of Vertebrate and Mammalian Evolution," pp. 99 -116 read and study for basic concepts and definitions the main concepts and definitions will be reviewed in class do not worry too much about the biochemistry and biostatistics
Page through:	"Appendix C: Population Genetics," pp. 438-440
Post:	PCforum

Text Resources

Koshima monkeys

Humans are capable of a "precision grip."
Understanding Humans, 10^ed, p. 119

"Chimpanzees with their reduced thumbs, are also capable of a recision grip, but they frequently use a modified form."
Understanding Humans, 10^ed, p. 119

last week
next week

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Announcements

CEE Case Study "What's New? Current Trends and New Discoveries" was due Monday, 28 September 2009, but the new due date is 5 October 2009

This big story this week is "Ardi"
see PCforum Topic 2 below

"Ardi" stood about 47 inches (120 centimeters) tall and weighed about 110 pounds (50 kilograms).

"'Ardi' stood about 47 inches (120 centimeters) tall and weighed about 110 pounds (50 kilograms)."
National Geographic

Key Pre-Australopith Discoveries.
Understanding Humans, 10^th Ed., p. 216

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Table 9-3 estimated Cranial Capacities in Early Hominins
with Comparable Data for Modern Great Apes and Humans.
Understanding Humans, 10^th Ed., p. 225

to top of page / A-Z index

PCforum: Topic 1 -- What do you Make of Prehistoric DNA Studies?

The Structure of part of a DNA double helix.
Wikipedia

Anthropology in the News this week reported two studies "using DNA from Stone Age remains" . . .

Scandinavians Are Descended from Stone Age Immigrants, Ancient DNA Reveals
-- ScienceDaily (25 September 2009)

DNA points to India's two-pronged ancestry
-- Science News (23 September 2009)

Just a couple of weeks ago researchers reported on the first European Farmers using DNA analysis . . .

Europe's First Farmers Were Immigrants:
Replaced Their Stone Age Hunter-gatherer Forerunners
-- ScienceDaily (4 September 2009)

We will be looking at related topics towards the end of the semester and considering related materials in

Ch. 13 "Early Holocene Hunters and Gatherers,"

Ch. 14 "Food Production," and

Ch. 15 "The First Civilizations."

And, of course, we just had a look at the National Geographic Genographic project in class.

The new reports on prehistoric Scandinavians and on the prehistoric central and eastern European farmers show that older interpretations may actually the opposite of what had been believed.

On the other hand, the report on prehistoric India suggests that basic biological divisions go deep into prehistoric times: "Members of one ancient population share DNA patterns with modern Middle Easterners, central Asians and Europeans . . . [and] . . . the other population shows no strong connection to any modern mainland group," a division which some interpret as a prehistoric origin of "current caste and ethnic divisions" which predate the founding populations.

Have a look at the three short articles mentioned above.

If you want, also have a look at the materials on the class Scandinavia and India pages.

Questions:

What do you think about prehistorians drawing those sorts of conclusions from fossil and DNA evidence?

Why?

PCforum
<http://www.d.umn.edu/~troufs/PCforum/>

Be sure to set your "Folder Selector"
in the main window
to the current topic
[use the “Reload/Main button" to get to the main window]

Set Folder Selector to Topic 1

REM: If you have any questions, you can post them on the PCforum
or bring them up in class.

to top of page / A-Z index

PCforum: Topic 2 -- Why the Big Fuss Over "Ardi"?

In one of it's biggest splashes ever,
Texas A&M's "Anthropology in the News" this week announced

"Ardi"

Ardipithecus ramidis,
a species featured in this week's Science
<http://www.sciencemag.org/ardipithecus/>

A fairly complete skeleton of Ardipithecus ramidus, which replaced Lucy as the earliest known skeleton from the human branch of the primate family tree.

"A fairly complete skeleton of Ardipithecus ramidus, which replaced Lucy as the earliest known skeleton from the human branch of the primate family tree."

"'Ardi' stood about 47 inches (120 centimeters) tall and weighed about 110 pounds (50 kilograms)."
National Geographic

More photos from The New York Times

Fossil Skeleton From Africa Predates Lucy - New York Times (2009-10-01)

1 - Ancient Skeleton May Rewrite Earliest Chapter of Human Evolution - Science (2009-10-01)

2 - Our Ancestor: Not Chimp, Not Human - Live Science (2009-10-01)

3 - Before 'Lucy,' There Was 'Ardi': First Major Analysis Of Early Hominid Published In Science - Science Daily (2009-10-01)

4 - Move Over, Lucy; Ardi May Be Oldest Human Ancestor - NPR (2009-10-01)

5 - Discovery in Ethiopia casts light on human origins - Reuters (2009-10-02)

6 - Fossils radically alter ideas about the look of man's earliest ancestors - Los Angeles Times (2009-10-01)

7 - Oldest "Human" Skeleton Found--Disproves "Missing Link" - National Geographic News (2009-10-01)

8 - PHOTOS: Oldest "Human" Skeleton Refutes "Missing Link" - National Geographic News (2009-10-01)

9 - Fossil Ardi reveals the first steps of the human race - Guardian (2009-10-01)

10 - 'Ardi:' 4.4 Million-Year-Old Fossil is Oldest Human Ancestor - ABC News (2009-10-01)

11 - Oldest hominid skeleton provides new evidence for human evolution - EurekAlert (2009-10-01)

12 - 'Ardi,' Oldest Human Ancestor, Unveiled - Discovery News (2009-10-01)

13 - Partial skeleton gives ancient hominids a new look - Science News (2009-10-01)

14 - World’s oldest human-linked skeleton found - MSNBC (2009-10-01)

15 - 'Ardi' May Rewrite the Story of Humans - Washington Post (2009-10-02)

16 - Oldest hominid skeleton revealed - Nature (2009-10-01)

17 - Our ancestor Ardi walked tall - New Scientist (2009-10-01)

18 - Fossil finds extend human story - BBC News (2009-10-01)

19 - Humanity Has New 4.4 Million-Year-Old Baby Mama - Wired (2009-10-01)

Have a look at two or more of the above articles,
and the course Ardipithecus ramidis page

<http://www.d.umn.edu/cla/faculty/troufs/anth1602/pcardipithecus.html#title>

Questions:

Why do you think there is this big fuss over "Ardi"?

Do you think this qualifies as "a major discovery"
talked about on the first day of class?

Why or why not?

From the text . . .

Key Pre-Australopith Discoveries.
Understanding Humans, 10^th Ed., p. 216

Table 9-3 estimated Cranial Capacities in Early Hominins
with Comparable Data for Modern Great Apes and Humans.
Understanding Humans, 10^th Ed., p. 225

Be sure to set your "Folder Selector"
in the main window
to the current topic
[use the “Reload/Main button" to get to the main window]

Set Folder Selector to Topic 2

REM: If you have any questions, you can post them on the PCforum
or bring them up in class.

to top of page / A-Z index

Features of the Day

(to Old Business)

nlt 7:35 video:

Monkey, Ape and Man
(49 min., 1971, VC 802)

This should be called Prosimians, Monkeys, Apes and Humans

Questions about Case Study results?

A Note on Returned Case Studies

eGradebook
<http://www.d.umn.edu/egradebook>

© Major League Baseball Properties, Inc.

RIP Kirby Puckett (~~1961~~ 1960 - 2006)

Grading

—
criteria for grading written works

—
"The Strike Zone"

—
"The Curve"

—
UMD Grading Policies

"The Curve" . . .

A = 93.0% A- = 90.0%

B+ = 87.0% B = 83.0% B- = 80.0%

C+ = 77.0% C = 73.0% C- = 70.0%

D+ = 67.0% D = 63.0% F = below 60.0%

Brief review of optional extra credit paper

to top of page / A-Z index

Grading
—		criteria for grading written works
—		"The Strike Zone"
—		"The Curve"
—		UMD Grading Policies

to top of page / A-Z index

The Development of Prehistoric Cultures:
History of Thought and the Emergence of Key Concepts

Week CEE	Day	Slides
02	04 / 06	Lucretius to Perthes (slides 04) Acheulian Tool
	06 / 07	Darwin and Wallace (slides 05)
	07 / 08	Mendel (slides 06A)
		Other Early Studies and Events

to top of page / A-Z index

Conceptual Changes 19th to 20th Century
(time permitting)

Conceptual Changes . . . (slides 06B)

to top of page / A-Z index

Major Characteristics of Modern Physical Anthropology

to top of page / A-Z index

Old Business

Monday 28 September 2009: Finished Genographic Project. Did not start Development of Prehistoric Cultures: History of Thought and the Emergence of Key Concepts: Lucretius to Perthes (slides 04). Begin Mondy 5 October 2009 with History . . . #1.

to top of page / A-Z index

Assignments

Read:	Ch. 4, "Modern Human Variation and Adaptation," pp. 71-98
Read:	Ch. 5, "Macroevolution: Processes of Vertebrate and Mammalian Evolution," pp. 99 -116 read and study for basic concepts and definitions the main concepts and definitions will be reviewed in class do not worry too much about the biochemistry and biostatistics
Page through:	"Appendix C: Population Genetics," pp. 438-440
Post:	PCforum
REM:	CEE Case Study "What's New? Current Trends and New Discoveries" was due Monday, 28 September 2009, but the new due date is 5 October 2009

to top of page / A-Z index

Notes

Monday 28 September 2009: Finished Genographic Project. Did not start Development of Prehistoric Cultures: History of Thought and the Emergence of Key Concepts: Lucretius to Perthes (slides 04).
Monday 5 October 2009: History of Thought and the Emergence of Key Concepts: Finished Lucretius to Perthes (slides 04), and Darwin and Wallace (slides 05) up to maps of Beagle voyage; watched Monkey, Ape and Man (49 min., 1971, VC 802)

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© 1998 - 2010 Timothy G. Roufs
Page URL: http:// www.d.umn.edu /cla/faculty/troufs/anth1602/pcweek04.html
Last Modified 05 October 2009
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