Anthropology 367
Paleoanthropology

Hour Exam I - February 17, 1999

I. Hominid Taxonomy (Answer This Question) (30 points)

Provide in outline form a taxonomy of the Hominidae. By each species, provide:
1) approximate beginning and ending dates for the distribution in time of the species (I will keep
in mind the modest differences between the two texts and the lecture notes).
2) the general geographical range of the species (e.g., southern Africa, non-arctic Old World,
etc.)
Where a species is considered valid for some human paleontologists but considered to be
subsumed within another by other human paleontologists, indicate that in your answer.

II. Identifications/Significance (Identify, Define and/or State the Major Aspects of Four [4]
of the Following, and Briefly State the Significance of Each with Respect to
Paleoanthropology)
(5 points each, for 20 points total)

1. Pre-Sapiens Approach to Paleoanthropology

2. Femoral Robusticity

3. Nude Human ("Venus") Figurines

4. Variation in early Homo (Homo habilis and friends)

5. Dental Enamel Hypoplasias

6. Cladistic Approach to Phylogeny and Taxonomy

7. Evolutionary Synthesis of the 1940s

III. Short Essay (Answer This Question) (30 points)
(can be written in semi-outline form)

Three Late Pleistocene groups of early modern humans have been discussed,
1) the Middle Paleolithic associated African/Near Eastern early modern humans
2) the earlier Upper Paleolithic (>18,000 BP) early modern humans
3) the later Upper Paleolithic (10,000 - 18,000 BP) modern humans
Briefly describe (or diagram) the major behavioral / adaptive shifts that took place between each of these stages of early modern human evolution, drawing on both the human paleontological and archeological records.

Anthropology 367
Paleoanthropology

Hour Exam II - March 26, 1999

I. Identifications/Significance (Identify, Define and/or State the Major Aspects of Five [5] of
the Following, and Briefly State the Significance of Each with Respect to:
Archaic Homo evolution and/or the emergence of early modern humans)
(5 points each, for 25 points total)

II. Essay (Answer One of the Following Questions) (75 points)
(can be written in semi-outline form)
(if you provide information in Part I that relates to your answer in Part II, you need only
refer back to the Part I answer (i.e., "see answer to I/##")

1. The Neandertals (or late archaic Homo generally) have been described as having had a significantly less efficient cultural adaptation then early modern humans, and having had to compensate (from the perspective of modern humans) biologically for these inefficiencies.
A. What kinds of "cultural inefficiencies" are associated with the Neandertals?
B. What kinds of biological responses to these "cultural inefficiencies" are seen in the fossil remains of the Neandertals?
C. How does this help us to understand why Neandertals and other late archaic Homo were replaced by Upper Paleolithic early modern humans relatively rapidly between 40,000 and 30,000 years B.P.?

2. Human cultural and biological evolution during the Middle Pleistocene (700,000 to 130,000 years ago) was once described as "the muddle in the middle." However, in recent years it has become apparent that a number of highly significant changes took place in human cultural and biological evolution during this time period.
A. List and briefly describe the important changes in human biology and behavior that took place during the Middle Pleistocene.
B. How do these changes help us to understand what is:
1. special (uniquely derived) for the Neandertals?
2. generally derived for Late Pleistocene archaic Homo?
3. ancestral for all of them?

Anthropology 367
Paleoanthropology
Final Exam - May 3, 1999

Part I: Early Hominid Hour Exam

I. Identifications/Significance
Identify, Define and/or State the Major Aspects of Five [5] of the Following
Briefly State the Significance of Each with Respect to:
Homo habilis and friends and/or Australopithecus evolution)
(8 points each, for 40 points total)

II. Essay (Answer One (1) of the Following Questions) (60 points)
(can be written in semi-outline form)
(if you provide information in Part I that relates to your answer in Part II, you need only
refer back to the Part I answer (i.e., "see answer to I/##")

1. There were multiple species of early humans in eastern and southern Africa between about
2.2 million and 1.6 million years ago.
A. Who were they?
B. In what ways did they differ from each other anatomically in three main features?
C. Which one(s) of them is(are) likely to have made the Oldowan industry?

2. Members of the genus Australopithecus have been described as having "postcanine
megadontia" (big cheek teeth).
A. Describe the evolutionary trends through time in Austrapithecus in the absolute and
relative sizes of their cheek teeth.
B. What does this tell us about the adaptive patterns of the Australopithecus lineage.

3. The first convincng technological complex of the Hominidae is the Oldowan.
A. When and where is it found?
B. What does it look like?
C. What technological innovations (relative to what chimpanzees do in the wild) were
involved?
D. Who is likely to have made it?

Part II: Comprehensive Exam

Answer Two (2) of the Following Essay Questions
(can be written in semi-outline form)
(50 points each)

Question 1. A major increase in relative brain size has long been seen as a hallmark of human evolution. Yet, the earliest humans (early Australopithecus) had brains absolutely little larger than those of modern chimpanzees.

In light of this:

A. Describe the trajectory of hominid brain size (both absolute size and relative size) from early
Australopithecus to late Upper Paleolithic Homo sapiens.

B. To what extent do evolutionary periods of stasis (little change) in relative brain size
correspond to evolutionary periods of little adpative/cultural evolution?

C. To what extent do evolutionary periods of directional change in relative brain size correspond
to evolutionary periods of major adaptive advancement?

For each, be sure to include examples of what changed or stayed the same.

Question 2. In the evaluations of Pliocene and Pleistocene hominid fossil remains, skeletal samples of modern humans from 20th century industrial societies are frequently used as a baseline for comparison.

In what ways is it appropriate to use such modern human samples to evaluate the biology and behavior of prehistoric human groups?

In what ways is it not appropriate to use such modern human samples to evaluate the biology and behavior of prehistoric human groups?
Be sure to give specific examples for each.

Question 3. The development, elaboration and dependence upon tool use has long been (since Darwin) as a distinctive hominid trait.

Discuss the prehistoric evidence for the emergence and elaboration of a dependence upon tool use, as opposed use of the human body, for acquiring and processing food and for protecting oneself from predators through hominid evolution.

Be sure to include information from ALL relevant aspects of:
1. human anatomy as documented in the human fossil record
2. human technology as documented in the Paleolithic archeological record.

Question 4. Habitual bipedal posture and locomotion is a truly distinctive hominid characteristic, and is documented as being present since at least the 4.2 million year old Australopithecus anamensis fossil remains. Yet, it has been repeatedly argued that the nature of hominid bipalism evolved significantly during the past 4 million years.

In light of this:

A. Outline the nature of human bipedalism (how people walked) in each of the relevant phases of hominid evolution (Australopithecus, archaic Homo, modern Homo).

B. For each phase, describe at least three anatomical features that support your description in section A.

C. For each phase, indicate the behavioral/adaptive implications of your description in section A.