Human Evolution

and Culture
At the end of this module, I can:
 Trace biological and cultural evolution of early to
modern humans.
 Explore the significance of human material remains
as pieces of artificial evidence in interpreting
cultural, social, political and economical processes.
 Recognize national, local and specialized museums
& archaeological & historical sites as venues to
appreciate and reflect on the complexities of
biocultural and social evolution as part of becoming
human.
 Identify form of tangible and intangible heritage,
and threats to these
Cultural Beginnings
Culture is defined as “that complex whole
which encompasses beliefs, practices, values,
attitudes, laws, norms, artifact, symbols,
knowledge, and everything that a person
learned and shared as a member of a society”.
It is a by product of the attempt of
humans to survive their environment and to
compensate for their biological characteristics
and limitations.
To understand culture you
need to know the following:

Biological capacity of humans for culture

Place of human in the animal kingdom
How humans came to develop early forms of
culture
Biological Capacity for Culture

Physical & cultural anthropologists argue

that we could trace how our culture
became possible by understanding our
biological makeup.
1. Our thinking capacity
 The developed brain is the primary biological
component of humans that allowed culture for it has
the necessary parts for facilitating pertinent skills
such as speaking, touching, feeling, seeing &
smelling.

 Chimpanzees only weigh 420 g & gorillas weigh 500

g, compared w/ other primates, humans have a larger
brain weighing 1.4 kg. Due to the size and
complexity of its parts, humans were able to create
survival skills that helped them adapt to their
environment & outlive less adaptive biological
relatives.
2. Speaking capacity
 As the brain is the primary source of humans’
capacity to comprehend sound and provide
meaning to it, the vocal tract acts as the
mechanism by which sounds are produces and
reproduced to transmit ideas and values.
 It was believed that the development of language
was 100 000 years ago, making it an exclusive trait
of modern humans. However it was argued that the
origin of language may be rooted as far back as 500
000 years ago based on a bone from an ancestor
known as Homo heildelbergensis. This fossil is a
hyoid bone w/c is ‘crucial for speaking as it
supports the root of the tongue’.
3. Our gripping capacity
Notice how our thumb relates with other
finger. This capacity to directly oppose your
tongue w/ your other finger is an exclusive
trait of humans. Allowing us to have a finer
grip, thus having the capability to craft
materials with precision
Human hands have finger that are straight
and our thumbs are proportionately longer
than those of other primates, these
characteristics allow our hands for two
types of grips: power and precision
3. Our gripping capacity
Power grip- enables humans to wrap fingers
& thumb around an object
Allowing us to hold tools firmly for hunting, etc
Precision grip- enabled humans to hold and
pick objects steadily w/ our fingers
Crucial for tool making activities
4. Our walking/standing capacity
Primates two forms of locomotion: bipedalism
& quadropedalism

• Bipedalism is the capacity to walk & stand on

two feet

• Quadropedalism uses all four limbs

4. Our walking/standing capacity
Humans are the only fully bipedal primates
giving us more capacity to move while
carrying objects with their free hand
This is an important trait as it gave more
productivity with their hands giving a more
efficient form of hunting and foraging.
Human Origin & Capacity for
Culture
Our evolution toward humanity as we
know it has been a long journey of survival & as
our ancestors evolved biologically in response
to the environment, they also developed
cultural technology w/c aided them obtain food
& deter predators.
Archaeologist refers to these early
traditions as stone tool industries instead of
culture, as the material products displayed
merely the methods used by early humans in
creating tools & not the modern context by w/c
we define it.
Human Origin & Capacity for
Culture
It is believed that the crudest
methods of tool making may have been
practiced by Australopithecines. These
methods may have involved the use of
wood as digging sticks or even crude
spears. These pieces of evidence are not
conclusive, current anthropological
timelines suggest that tool making started
2.6 million years ago.
The Oldowan Industry
 A stone tool industry, characterized by the use of “hard
water-worn creek cobbles made out of volcanic rock”.
These raw materials were then made into to tools through
percussion flaking, a process involving the systematic
collision of hammer stone w/ a core stone.
 Evidence were found at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, dating
2.6 mil. yrs. ago. It was known to be used by Homo
habilis.
 This technology allowed for the species to ‘butcher larger
animals’ & also improved their food gathering skills.
 From Africa spreading out to Europe & Asia during the
migration of Homo erectus, who acquired it from Homo
habilis.
The Acheulian Industry
 Homo erectus developed a more complex industry
creating hand axes that were bifacial, shaped in
both sides and w/ straighter & sharper edges.
 The label ‘ hand axes’ was generally accepted
even if has been sometimes used in a different
context.
 These artifacts were named after Saint Acheul, a
patron saint in southwest France and date back to
1.5 mil yrs. ago. It was believed that it originated
from East Africa but scholars argue homo erectus
were no longer in Africa when the industry was
invented and brought into Europe and China.
The Mousterian Industry
Developed by Homo neanderthalensis in
Europe & West China and was named after a
site in France called Le Moustier in 1960
where it was uncovered. This tool has
sharpened edges making it more efficient &
handy.
Evidence of this industry dates back 100 00
yrs was also found in N. Africa and West Asia.
Tools different in shapes and sizes, shape and
sharpened sides are primary due to shifting
need for food & security.
The Aurignacian Industry
Derived from Aurignac, an area in France
 Was mainly present in Europe & southwest
Asia from 45 000 to 35 000.
Uses flint, animal bones & antlers as raw
material and it’s methods similar to the one
used in Mousterian industry
Self-awareness was developed and was a
cultural milestone and this projected through
cave paintings and fabrication of accessories
such as figurines, bracelet and beads
The Aurignacian Industry
Archaeologist also found animal themes and
human inspired figurines.
Earliest evidence of music appreciation was
also related in this period through the
discovery of a bone flute in Hohle Fels,
Germany.
The Magdalenian Industry
End of Paleolithic period as it transformed into
Neolithic period.
Named after La Madeleine site in Dordogne,
France
Had several revolutionary advancements such
as the creation of microliths from flint, bone,
antler and ivory.
Although caves and rock shelters were still
predominant during this period, the cultural
milestone of the use of temporary manmade
shelter such as tents made from animal skin
allowed mobility.
The Magdalenian Industry
Early humans were engrossed on creating
figurines, personal adornments, and other
form of mobiliary art.
A defining method used in tool making
during this period was the application of
heat on the materials prior to flaking. This
is done by casting raw materials on fire,
w/c allowed for a more precise cut upon
flaking.
Creation of specialized weapons such as
barbed harpoons is evidence of growing
sophistication of hunting skills &
Stone Etymolo Timeline Tool- Tools Species
Tool gy making used believed
Industry process to exist
Processes of Cultural &
Sociopolitical Evolution
At this period, we must situate early humans
in terms of their physical environment. This way,
we understand the succeeding adaptations that
they made w/c revolutionized the entire way that
the human species have existed in this planet.
By the end of the Paleolithic Period, Earth is
getting warmer as the Ice Age was already at its
last stages, implying that the Earth’s surface was
changing. Sea levels rise, land surface decrease.
Allowing the blooming of new plants and
extinction of others, same this happens w/ the
animals.
The Neolithic Revolution
This period is characterized by a major
shift in economic subsistence of early humans
from foraging to agriculture. This shift
affected the other aspect of their lifestyles, as
foraging made them nomads and agriculture
encouraged permanent settlement. This shift
changes an entire array of behaviors,
attitudes, beliefs, and corresponding material
inventions.
The Neolithic Revolution
Characteris Paleolithic Neolithic
tics
Tools Small and handy for Wide array of small & big
mobile lifestyle tools due to lifestyle
Personal Limited to personal acc & Included structures
Properties small tools that can easily decorative ornaments &
be carried around large containers
Art Small/Limited to personal Creation of artworks that
ornaments. required a long time
Subsistence Foraging Agriculture

Leadership Not rigid; based on age & Semi rigid; based on

knowledge legitimacy
Social None; communal lifestyle Elite vs. working class
Division
Population Small (30-50) Large (in thousands)
size
The Neolithic Revolution
There are generally two perspectives on the
impact to the human population
It is argued that the development agriculture & be
able to develop socio-politically and humans were
able to indulge in self actualizing activities
Opposing this point of view, the same phenomenon
of surplus production has had negative impacts
human population
Early Civilization and the Rise of
the State
Early civilizations rose by the end of
the Neolithic period as the complexities
brought by the food production demanded
a more rigid social structure that would
manage the opposing perspectives of
various sectors.
Early civilizations were characterized
by the presence of city-states, a system of
writing & ceremonial center where public
debates & decisions were made.
Early Civilization and the Rise of
the State
However, it must be noted that not all
societies during this period could be
considered as civilizations as not all
possessed a political power that could be
equated to a state.

A state is a political entity that has four

requisite elements: territory, sovereignty,
people, & government.
1. Divine theory
Rulers ascended to power convince that their
right to rule is based on filial relationship w/
supernatural entities. The concept of god-
king that was upheld.
2. Force theory
A group forces members of another group to
subject themselves to their rules

 Observed among the Mayans,

as conflict over access to river
results in the subjugation of
another group
3. Paternalistic theory
The father is essentially is the leader of the
first political unit.
 This is true for highly patriarchal, male-
dominated species
4. Social contract
The creation of a state was a mutual
agreement between the ruler and the ruled to
ensure order and security from the inside.
5. Natural theory
Humans have an innate need to be part of a
community.

 The Greek philosopher Aristotle describe

humans as “political animals”, as it is in their
nature to indulge in politics
Democratization of Early
Civilizations
Early states were governed by a limited few who
ascend to power through wealth, birth right or
religious dogma. This alienated the masses from
the daily administration of rules & regulations in
their society. As a result, the social cleavage
widened and resulted in social clashes
In city-states of ancient Greece, around 570 BCE,
there is believed to be an Athenian statesman
named Cleisthenes proposed demokratia as a
political ideology that aimed are dispersing power
the monopoly of the elites to the masses. This
allowed for the closing in of social gaps between
diverging social groups.
Democratization of Early
Civilizations
Although this narrowed the social gap between the
rich & the poor, it did not address the issues such
as gender inequality & racism. A new order
allowed for the creation of political identity &
citizenship w/c was exclusive to men who were
born on Greece w/ Greek parents. Hence women
& persons w/ multicultural background were not
given a seat in decision making activities.
A counter theory claims that the origin of the
concept of democracy was first practiced in the
Fertile Crescent region, in the sacred city Nippur.
He further argued that it can even be traced back
to Mycenaean settlements of the Peloponnese.
The Legacy of Early Humans to
Contemporary Population
Cultural heritage – is not limited to material
manifestations, such as monuments & objects
that have been preserved over time. This
notion also encompasses living expressions &
traditions that countless groups &
communities worldwide have inherited from
their ancestors & transmit to their
descendants.
The Legacy of Early Humans to
Contemporary Population
Tangible heritage can be divided into two categories:
moving & immovable w/ the primary diff. is the size of
the heritage.
 Movable tangible heritage pieces are often removed
from their sites where they were found & transferred
to museums for safe keeping & maintenance.
 Immovable tangible heritage pieces are often left to
the element of nature, w/c makes the vulnerable to
decay & corrosion.
This doesn’t mean that the conservation efforts are not
being made. However, due to constant exposure,
conservation becomes more challenging.
The Roles of Museums in
Preserving Human Heritage
Museums are the repository of archaeological finds
that allow people from the contemporary period
to reconstruct the culture & environment of their
ancestors. Movable Tangible heritage objects are
often relocated to museums that have jurisdiction
or legitimacy in housing them.
Within the museum history is encapsulated in a
venue & ordinary people get to have an access to
their ancestors’ lives & environment without the
need to travel to highly inaccessible
archaeological sites.
The Roles of Museums in
Preserving Human Heritage
In the Philippines, the key museum that
houses most of the country’s highly
valuable artifacts is the National Museum.

There are local museum in the country that

were built by the city or municipal
governments to address the need of
preserving local history & traditions.
That's all!!!
Thank you~