Mystery Fossil Project Specifications
Anthropology 021 uses the Mystery Fossil CR-ROM to expose the student to laboratory exercises
in biological anthropology. Students must complete this exercise in groups of four. In special
cases there may be groups of three, but it is most advantageous to work with four people. This
project is due on Thursday August 6, 2009.
Semester Timeline and Project Details
Group Assigning:
 At the end of class on Tuesday July 14, 2009, you will divide yourselves into
groups.
 Each group will consist of four individuals.
 All groups must hand in a paper (handwritten is fine) that indicates: a) each group
member’s name, and b) a group name (have fun and be creative!).
 Groups will submit this list in person to the instructor.
 Individuals present on this day will receive 10 points. You must be present to receive
the points. Students not present can still join a group, but will receive a zero for this
portion
Individual Exercises:
 Exercises 1 – 13 on the Mystery Fossil CD provide a virtual laboratory for the
student to learn and use basic methods in biological anthropology to identify fossil
species.
 Note: In groups of four, there will be one exercise that is not covered. In groups
of three, there will be four exercises not covered.
 The group must divide these exercises up among the individual group members. Each
member will be responsible for completing 3 exercises (no more, no less).
 Each student is now responsible for completing these exercises. The group will
not be penalized if any individual member fails to complete their assigned
exercises.
 Each of these exercises must be printed in their entirety (not necessary to print in
color). This includes all charts, graphs, and response questions. Please write your
name on each of your exercises. You will lose 20% on each individual exercise on
which you fail to write your name.
 Only one group member may choose two exercises from exercise 6 – 11. This group
member will also be responsible for exercise 5. All other group members must be
assigned only one exercise from 6 – 11.
 The group must submit a list of each member and which exercises they will be
responsible for completing. This list is worth 10 points for each group member, and
is due on Thursday July 16, 2009.
Group Exercise:
 The group will complete exercise 14 together.
 Work on this together - DO NOT DIVIDE THIS UP AND WORK SEPARATELY.
 This exercise is to be submitted with the final project, which is detailed below.
Final Project:
 Each group must submit all completed exercises together by the due date on
Thursday August 6, 2009. Please submit these in a PLAIN MANILLA folder or
envelope.

The final project must include a cover page that indicates the group name, the names
of each group member, and the date of submission. Keep the cover page simple.
Please no graphics, bold print, or super-sized font. Times New Roman in 12 point
font is desirable.
 Groups that do not submit a cover page will lose 20% from their exercise 14
grade.
 It is the group’s decision whom to include on the cover sheet.
 If a member of the group did not contribute to exercise 14, do not
include their name on the cover sheet.
 Only people whose names that appear on the cover sheet will be
given a grade for exercise 14. People whose names do not appear
will be given a 0 out of 50.
 Individual exercises will each be graded out of a possible 10 points. Grading
emphasizes both completeness and accuracy.
 The group exercise will be graded out of a possible 50 points. Exercise 14 is quite a
detailed assignment. The instructions for this exercise on the actual CD can be quite
confusing, so I recommend using my instructions contained in this document. Be sure
to follow each step that I outline, and please submit all your work.
Grading:
Individual points –
Group Assignment Day – 7/14/09 (10 points)
Individual Exercises – 8/6/09 (10 points each/30 total)
Group points –
Individual Exercises List – 7/16/09 (10 points)
+
Exercise 14 – 8/6/09 (50 points)
=
Overall project grade (100 possible points)
Exercise Descriptions
Exercise 1 – Basic skeletal and dental anatomy
 This exercise requires that you identify specific bones based on the exercise descriptions.
 Use the “Anatomy” and “Glossary” sections in addition to your textbook to assist you.
 Hand in the PDF answer sheet.
Exercise 2 – Dating methods
 This exercise requires you to analyze 5 different dating methods. Use
 What you need to identify:
 How far back in time each method is useful (this includes both years and epochs)?
 Is the technique is relative or absolute?
 Then, you will need to go through EVERY fossil on the CD and identify which
fossils were dated with each method. You will find this information in each fossil
description.
 Hand in the PDF answer sheet (including both chart and essay) and the two dating methods
graphs.
Exercise 3 – Distinguishing Hominins
 In this exercise, you will compare the cranial and dental features of humans, chimpanzees
and Australopithecus afarensis.
 Pictures of all three can be found on the CD.
 For each you will need to describe the specific feature (if you do not know the
feature, use the CD glossary or your book to define the term).

Descriptions need not be complex. Keep them short and based on your personal
observations.
 You will then use this information to answer 3 questions.
 You will hand in the PDF answer sheet that includes the feature chart and 3 questions.
Exercise 4 – Evolutionary trends in cranial capacity
 This exercise requires you to use the cranial capacity data and age of each fossil to discern
trends in our evolutionary history.
 Fill in the table for each fossil with both the cranial capacity (CC) and age (in
MYR – million years).
 Note: Some fossils will not be more than one million years old. In this case you
will need to enter a decimal – 200,000 years = .2 million years. If the species is
currently living (humans or chimps) enter 0.
 Once all data is entered, you will produce a graph that will enable you to answer
the 3 questions. Please be specific in your answers.
 You will hand in the PDF answer sheet and the graph.
Exercise 5 – Evolution of the Hominin face and skull
 For this exercise, you will need to use the CD’s measuring feature to measure specific
features of each skull.
 Measure each as describe by the exercise and enter the data in the corresponding
table (there are 5 different tables).
 Since you cannot save this data on a hard drive, you will want to backup your data
on a sheet of paper or in an Excel document.
 Once all data is entered, you will produce 3 graphs. You will then use this
information to answer 6 questions. Please be specific in your answers.
 You will hand in the PDF answer sheet, the 5 tables, and the 3 graphs.
Exercises 6 – 11 – Identifying the Mystery Fossils
 This set of exercises requires you to use some of the skills highlighted in the first five
exercises to identify the genus and species of each mystery fossil.
 Be forewarned that this identification process is not an easy on by any means, and
will require you to provide several pieces of evidence to support your argument.
 The goal here is to display a basic understanding of the process of identifying
genus and species when presented with only fossil remains.
 To begin, identify what genus and species (ex. – Homo sapiens) to which you
assign the fossil.
 Note: The archaeological site name is not the genus and species. For
example, Herto is a site name. Homo sapiens is the species found at the
Herto site
 Be sure to compare the mystery fossil data found on the CD to data for the species
found in Essentials of Physical Anthropology. Some areas to focus in on are:
 Dating – What is the date of your mystery fossil? How was the date
established? What is the range of dates in which the species (not the
mystery fossil) lived, according to Essentials of Physical Anthropology?
Does the date of your mystery fossil fit within this range?
 Geographic area – Was your mystery fossil found in a geographic area
where the species has been know to have lived?
 Morphological features – Does your mystery fossil share cranial, dental or
post-cranial features with the species? What specific features do they
share? Please describe the similarities

The important thing for this exercise is to be as specific as possible. Be sure to
point out how the data for the mystery fossil corresponds to the data for the species.
 You will want to provide a well informed, convincing argument that could be understood
by someone without a degree in biological anthropology.
 This means that you will want to put your description in language that you can
understand.
 Avoid using terms that you do not understand.
 Any time you use terminology, please bold the term and provide a clear
definition. Failure to do so will result in a loss of points.
 Type your answer in Microsoft Word.
 At the top of the document, please indicate your name and the exercise number.
 Your answer must be double spaced in 12-point Times New Roman font.
 Answers must be at least one full page and cannot exceed two full pages.
 Please cite all sources within the body of your answer.
 You will hand in a printed copy of this document.
Exercise 12 – Lumping and Splitting
 Are you a lumper or a splitter?
 This exercise requires you to fill out a table will data from 5 fossils that can be
found on the CD.
 You will then use the table to the 3 questions. Please be specific in your answers.
 You will hand in the PDF answer sheet including both the table and the questions.
Exercise 13 – The Paranthropus question
 In this exercise, you will decide whether or not to create a new genus – Paranthropus.
 Use the data from the CD to answer the questions. Please be specific in your
answers
 You will hand in the PDF answer sheet.
Exercise 14 – Creating a phylogeny
 This exercise asks you to produce a phylogeny (family tree) for all of the fossils found on
the CD. Before you begin, take some time to review the given phylogenies found on the
CD. This will help you by provide a model for your work.
 Before you begin, you will need to purchase a silver marker. You will need this to
write on your charts, as they will print out with a black background. You can find
these at any office supply store or Walmart.
 This exercise is an extensive and detailed assignment that will require contributions from
all members. You will be most successful working together as a group.
 By all means, DO NOT divide up this exercise and work separately.
 Working separately ensures that your final product will have no coherency, and is
certain to receive a poor grade.
 The instructions found on the CD are quite confusing. Instead of driving yourselves nuts
trying to decode what is being asked of you, follow these simple steps:
 Step One
 Arrange all of the fossils on the basis of time.
 Your time scale will go from left to right, starting at 4 million years and
ending at the present.
 You do not need to consider any relationships between the species in
portion of the exercise. Simply arrange on the basis of time.
o Use the data on the CD for each fossil to find the date.

When you are finished, print this chart. Along the bottom line, use your
silver pen to label the tick marks for 4, 3, 2, 1 and 0 (for the present).
 Use your silver pen to label each fossil by number (1 – 24).
o In Microsoft Word, list these fossils and their corresponding
number.
o Print this document.
 Using black ink, label this printout at the top as “Step One.”
 Step Two
 Take your chart from Step One and do not change where fossils are located
from left to right. They will stay in the same time period.
 Go to each time period and being clustering fossils on the basis of
similarities.
 One of the fossils was a fake and should be set off by its self. Do you know
which one?
 One of the fossils is also not a hominid. This fossil should also be set off
from the rest.
 After you have finished clustering, print this chart.
o Again, label the tick marks with your silver pen (4, 3, 2, 1, and 0).
o Also, use your silver pen to again label each fossil by number (1 –
24). This should correspond to the list you printed out for Step
One.
 On the chart printout, use your silver pen to circle each of the clustered
groups.
o You will determine how many based on whether your group lumps
or splits (see question 4 below).
o From left to right, label each circled grouping a letter designation
(a, b, c, d, etc.).
 Using black ink, label this printout at the top as “Step Two.”
 Step Three
 Print out another copy of your Step Two chart.
o Again use your silver pen to circle and label your groupings, and to
label the tick marks (4, 3, 2, 1, 0).
o Also, use your silver pen to again label each fossil by number (1 –
26). This should correspond to the list you printed out for Step
One.
o At this point, your chart should be identical to the Step Two chart.
 Take this chart and use your silver pen to draw lines that connect your
groupings.
o These lines indicate evolutionary relationships. Carefully think out
these connections.
o Do not connect groupings that you do not believe to be related.
o Remember: Hominid evolution did not occur in a straight line. So
your phylogeny should not be one!
 Using black ink, label this printout at the top as “Step Three.”
 Congratulations! You have just produced a phylogeny.
 You will now need to use your phylogeny (the Step Three printout) to answer 4 questions.
Please answer these questions in Microsoft Word using double spacing and 12-point Times
New Roman font.
 Question 1
 Assign a genus and species to each grouping (a, b, c, d, etc.).
 Write the number of each fossil (from your Step One list) in the group.

Be sure that all members of the group can be placed within that genus and
species.
 This should be in list form.
 Question 2
 Identify the key distinguishing features (cranial, dental, temporal,
geographical) for each group.
 This should be in list form.
 Question 3
 Compare your phylogeny to the sample phylogenies found on the CD.
 Which sample phylogeny is yours most like and why? Be specific!
o To answer this question, describe the sample phylogeny. Then
describe how your phylogeny mirrors the key features of the
sample.
 Question 4
 Describe the terms “lumping” and “splitting.” You can find definitions in
Essentials of Physical Anthropology.
 Refer back to your Step Two chart when you established your groupings,
and to your answer to Question 1.
o Did you lump or split?
o Why did you approach the assignment this way?
o Again, be as specific as possible in describing your groupings.
 You will hand printouts of the Step One chart, the Step Two chart, the Step Three Chart,
the document containing the numbered species, and the document containing your answers
the four Questions.