Key Trends in Hominid evolution

Bipedalism is walking on two legs.

First observed in Australopithecines

Adaptations of the human body for bipedal locomotion and upright stance include:

Skull - is smaller, with foramen magnum centrally located at its base, with flatter, less prognathic face and smaller jaws (less top heavy)

Spine - is ‘S’-shaped - due to extra lumbar curvePelvis – is broader and bowl shaped, with wide ileum for gluteal

attachment. The wider hips give greater stability Legs - are longer, have a carrying angle at head of femur legs angled to

bring feet under body, have larger gluteal muscles and a larger, more rigid knee structure

Feet – are less prehensile, have a larger heel, two arches instead of just one, the toes are parallel, and the first digit on foot is non-opposable and larger than the other toes

Key physical trends

Key physical trendsChanges in dentitionSmaller teeth and jaw (as discussed above)

associated with a change in diet (increase in meat) and changes in skull structures associated with bipedalism. Loss of prominent canine and diastema. Change in shape from ‘U’ (rectangular) to ‘’ (parabolic or horseshoe shaped)

Changes in the braincranial capacity (size) increases number of convolutions (complexity) also increases

Key cultural advancesTools - Appearance of tool use associated with the Australopithecines

(similar to that seen in chimps) – rocks & sticks used to kill small animals or chase away scavengers, sharp rocks used to cut up scavenged carcasses. Then the manufacture of tools and increasing complexity of tools used:

• pebble tools by Homo habilis, • core tools by Homo erectus, • flake tools by Neanderthals• blade tools by Cro-Magnon, includes ivory & antler• metal tools – modern man

Key cultural advancesFire - starting with Homo erectus.Shelter - Changes in sheltering patterns from hiding in trees

(Australopithecines) to the use of caves, and the building of huts (Homo erectus, Neanderthals and Cro-Magnon). The appearance of clothing with Cro-Magnon (as opposed to wrappings/skins – eg Homo erectus, Neanderthals) as demonstrated by the finding of needles.

Art - starting with Cro-MagnonReligion - as demonstrated by burial (starting with Neanderthals) and/or artwork (starting with Cro-Magnon)

Developments in food acquisition

Changes in lifestyle from mainly herbivorous gatherers (early & robust

Australopithecines) to omnivorous gatherer/scavenger (gracile

Australopithecines, Homo habilis) to omnivorous hunter/gatherers (Homo erectus,

Neanderthals and Cro-Magnon) and then to agriculturalist (modern man), with changes in

number of individuals and complexity of groups found – the greater and more reliable the food supply, the larger and more complex the group can be.

LifestylesHerbivorous gatherers - early & robust

Australopithecines

Lifestyles

Omnivorous gatherer/scavengers - gracile Australopithecines, Homo habilis

Lifestyles

Omnivorous hunter/gatherers - Homo erectus, Neanderthals and Cro-Magnon

Lifestyles

Omnivorous agriculturalists - (farming and the domestication of plants and animals) - modern man.