3 Flashcards
(354 cards)
Sivapithecus, Discovery and Classification, Who discovered broken teeth and jaw parts in the Shiwalik hills of India, naming them Ramapithecus?
“Lewis found broken teeth and jaw parts in the Shiwalik hills of India
Sivapithecus, Discovery and Classification, What did Lewis later suggest about Ramapithecus and Sivapithecus?
“They are the same genus
Sivapithecus, Fossil Age and Distribution, When do fossils of Sivapithecus date back to?
“14-12 million years ago”
Sivapithecus, Fossil Age and Distribution, Where were fossils of Sivapithecus found?
“Shiwalik Hills (India)
Sivapithecus, Physical Features, What similarities does Sivapithecus share with Proconsul and Dryopithecus?
“Arboreal with vertically clinging feet. Arboreal lifestyle reflected in hand anatomy suggesting suspensory behavior.”
Sivapithecus, Physical Features, What is unique about the dental and cranial morphology of Sivapithecus?
(i) Molars were relatively large with low cusps and thick enamel.
(ii) The incisors and canines are vertically implanted than in modern apes.
Gii) They had thick enamelled teeth- Adapted to hard and tough food items as a result the
relative width of the jaw between the canines is less than modern apes resulting in
more V-shaped dental arcade.
(iv) First lower premolar is quite variable in size and shape.
(v) Diet- fruit eater
(vi) Face: shorter than earlier apes
Sivapithecus, Physical Features, How does Sivapithecus differ from orangutans in facial anatomy?
“Shorter face
Sivapithecus, Phylogenetic Status, What is the proposed phylogenetic status of Sivapithecus?
“Probable ancestor to the orangutan.”
Sivapithecus, Phylogenetic Status, What theory suggests parallel evolution with African hominids for Sivapithecus?
“Parallel Evolution Theory”
Sivapithecus, Phylogenetic Status, Why did Sivapithecus disappear by the end of Miocene?
“Possibly due to changing climate leading to the replacement of evergreen forests by wooded grasslands.”
Narmada Man, Discovery and Characteristics, Who discovered the broken skull with the upper jaw in the middle of Narmada valley?
“Dr. Arun Sonakia”
Narmada Man, Discovery and Characteristics, Where was Narmada man discovered, and when?
Broken skull specimen with upper jaw of Homo erectus discovered by
Dr.Arun Sonakia in the middle of Narmada valley in Hathnora, Madhya Pradesh in 1982.
Narmada Man, Physical Features, What are the physical features of Narmada man’s cranium?
“Cranium ascribed to a 30-year-old female with a jaw skeleton of 7.9x13.4 cm and cranial capacity of 1200 cc. Exhibits cultural features similar to Homo erectus.”
Narmada Man, Phylogenetic Status and Controversy, How was Narmada man initially classified, and what was the controversy?
In 1987, Sankhyan discovered a collar bone from same.site and in 1991 Sankhyan, Kennedy
et al gave the hypothesis that Narmada man represented the earliest Homo sapiens.
® They also proposed that Narmada man was different from extinct African Homo erectus
and European Neanderthal and Western Archaic Homo sapiens.
The Unique Academy
Chinese erectus into Indian Territory.
This opened up new possibilities for human evolution giving credence to theory of
parallel evolution.
Sankhyan proposed that modern man originated and migrated from Narmada valley and
disputed earlier belief that Neanderthal man was origin of Narmada man saying that
Narmada hominid characterises archaic, robust and stocky hominid in sharp contrast to tall
and well built African or western Homo sapiens.
Later disputing separate evolutional claims of Chinese scholars, Sankhyan put forward two
evolutions- one in Africa and another in Asia (Narmada valley).
But claims of Sankhyan, Kennedy et al as Narmada man to be archaic Homo sapience was
rejected in 2004 at a seminar in Delhi. It was concluded that Narmada man was an erectus
with cranial capacity 1200 cc and age 0.7 Mya.
According to some scientists, this line (Narmada man) indicates incursion of African
Narmada Man, Phylogenetic Status and Controversy, Why were claims of Narmada man as an archaic Homo sapiens rejected?
“Rejected in 2004. Conclusion: Narmada man was Homo erectus with cranial capacity 1200 cc and age of 0.7 million years.”
Narmada Man, Contribution to Human Evolution Theory, How did the controversy around Narmada man contribute to human evolution theory?
“Opened possibilities for discussions on parallel evolution theories. Speculations on incursion of Chinese erectus into Indian territory
Ethno-Archaeology, Definition and Purpose, What is the definition of Ethno-Archaeology?
Ethnoarcheology is ethnographic study of people for archeological reasons,usually
focussing on material remains of society rather than culture.
It is a combination of archaeology and ethnography. .
It is also defined as the study of contemporary ‘cultures and behaviour and practices of
living people with a view in understanding the behavioural relationships and practices
which underlie the production of material culture in past.
Ethno-Archaeology, Study of Contemporary Cultures, What does Ethno-Archaeology focus on in the study of present-day cultures?
]It is also defined as the study of contemporary ‘cultures and behaviour and practices of
living people with a view in understanding the behavioural relationships and practices
which underlie the production of material culture in past.
Ethno-Archaeology, Methods and Components, What methods are used in Ethno-Archaeology?
(1) Logical positivism : It is an idea that all aspects of culture are accessible through the
material records.
(2) Use of quantitative data.
(3) Hypothetico- deductive model
(4) Interpretative analysis.
Ethno-Archaeology, Methods and Components, What are the components of Ethno-Archaeology?
(1) Study of present day use and significance of artefacts, buildings and structures within
_ the living societies in question.
(2) Study of the way the material things become incorporated into the archeological
record.
Ethno-Archaeology, Significance and Caution, Why is Ethno-Archaeology significant?
(A) It sheds light on 2 questions regarding the use of technology
(1) At general level : Abundance of a type of tool in archeological records is not a
guide to its importance in the culture. The tool frequently used may have been
quickly made and discarded immediately after the use, while the rare implements
were kept and reused several times before eventually being thrown away.
(2) At specific level : It helps in identifying the specific use of a particular artifact.
(B) It can provide insight to archeologists into how people in the past may have lived,
especially with regard to their social structure, religious beliefs etc.
(C) Itcan contribute towards filling gaps in history. For example it has helped archeologists
make inferences about women’s role in subsistence and craft related activities in early
times.
Ethno-Archaeology, Significance and Caution, What caution should be exercised in Ethno-Archaeology?
Identification of tool forms through ethnographic analogy should be limited to cases where
there is demonstrable continuity between archeological cultures with modern society.
Thus in the form of ethnoarcheology, old archaeology which was purely descriptive in
nature gave way to emergence of new archaeology by incorporating three perspectives
called general systems approach, interpretative analysis and logico-deductive reasoning
into its theory and practice.
Conclusion, Summary of Contributions, What valuable insights do Sivapithecus, Narmada Man, and Ethno-Archaeology contribute?
“To the understanding of human evolution
Who discovered broken teeth and jaw parts in the Shiwalik hills of India, naming them Ramapithecus?
Lewis