Human Origins and Antiquity
ANTH 1210
Section A01
Instructor: Dr. Amanda Blackburn
Syllabus
• Available on JUMP
• Login - Courses - ANTH 1210 – Files
- Human Origins Syllabus A01
Contact Info
• Office Hours
Tuesday 1:00 – 2:00pm, or by appointment
448 University College
• Email: Amanda.Blackburn@umanitoba.ca
Topics Covered
• Physical anthropology and archaeology
Topics Covered
• Biological evolution
Topics Covered
• Evolution and comparative behaviour of nonhuman primates
Topics Covered
• Human evolution
Topics Covered
• Emergence of human culture
Required Textbook
• Physical Anthropology and Archaeology
3rd Canadian Edition
Authors: Ember, Ember, Peregrine and Hoppa
• Relevant chapters are indicated
on the class schedule
• These readings are testable material
Week
1
Date
May 5
May 6
May 7
May 8
2
May 9
May 12
May 13
May 14
May 15
3
May 16
May 19
May 20
Topic
Class Schedule
What is Anthropology?
Uncovering the Past
Watch Time Team video online: http://tvo.org/video/200943/time-team-sewardsley
Reconstructing the Past
Historical Development of Evolutionary Theory
Modern Evolutionary Theory
Review
Midterm #1 (Chapters 1-5)
The Living Primates
Primate Evolution
Early Hominins
Homo erectus and Archaic Homo sapiens
Video – Becoming Human(Part I)
Neandertals/ Midterm Review
** NO CLASS – Victoria Day **
Video – Becoming Human(Part II and III)
No class – watch online here:
Reading
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 9
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/evolution/becoming-human.html
May 21
4
Midterm #2 (Chapters 6-9)
Modern Homo Sapiens
Chapter 10
May 22
May 23
May 26
May 27
May 28
Human Variation
Origins of Food Production/ Video: Stories from the Stone Age
Cities and States
Applied Anthropology
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
May 31
FINAL EXAM (Chapters 1 – 14) – 9:00-11:00 - 235 Isbister
Powerpoint
• Check JUMP for lecture outlines…if you’re
reading this you already have 
Exams
• Two 50 minute midterm exams during regular class
time
May 12th (25%)
May 21st (25%)
• Final exam, May 31st 9:00-11:00am
- 235 Isbister
- (50%) – cumulative
• Format is multiple choice for midterms and exam
Testable Material
• Powerpoint notes
• Lecture material
• Assigned readings from chapters
• Any videos watched in class or assigned on the syllabus
Midterm Results
• Results will be available via the course site on
Desire2Learn (D2L)
• DO NOT contact me using the email function
on D2L – use my regular email address
• Tests will not be returned. If you wish to view
your test, please make an appointment with
the instructor.
Voluntary Withdrawal
• May 22th – last day to withdraw without
academic penalty
• You will receive 25% of your final grade by
that date
How to do well in this class
•
•
•
•
Show up
Pay attention
Take lecture notes
Read the textbook
• Academic Learning Center
As a Courtesy to Other Students in this
Class
• Please do not use your cellphones during class
• Please only use laptops to take notes (not to
check Facebook, Tweet how bored you are, etc)
• Please try not to arrive late or leave early as it is
distracting to everyone
Anthropology
The study of humankind, viewed from a
perspective of all people and all times
• “Anthropos” and “Logos”
Franz Boas
(1858-1942)
• Father of North American
Anthropology
• Understating populations from different
perspectives (biological and cultural)
• 1883 expedition to Baffin Island
• Holistic approach
→ 4 fields of anthropology
Franz Boas’ Baffin Island Expedition
4 Fields of Anthropology
Cultural
Anthropology
Physical/
Biological
Anthropology
Linguistic
Anthropology
Archaeology
Linguistic Anthropology
The study of the construction and use of
language by human societies
• What is language?
→ set of written or spoken symbols that
refer to things (people, places,
concepts)
→ transfer of knowledge
• Sociolinguistics
Cultural Anthropology
The study of present day peoples
and their culture
• What is Culture?
→ learned behaviour
that is transmitted from
person to person
• Margaret Mead
(1901-1978)
“Never doubt that a small group of committed
people can change the world. Indeed, it is the
only thing that ever has.”
Archaeology
The study of past human societies,
focusing specifically on material remains
• Artifacts and settlements
• Plant and animal remains
• Behaviours
• Cultural anthropologists
of the past
Archaeology
“Back From Yet Another Globetrotting
Adventure, Indiana Jones Checks His Mail
And Discovers That His Bid For Tenure Has
Been Denied”
http://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/back-from-yet-another-globetrotting-adventure-indiana-jones-checks-his-mail-and-discovers-thathis-bid-for-tenure-has-been-denied
Physical/Biological Anthropology
The study of all aspects of past and
present human biology
• Human evolution and variation among
living and past humans and their
ancestors
• Skeletal studies, primatology, forensics,
genetics, palaeoanthropology
Physical/Biological Anthropology
• "I am a primate; nothing about primates is
irrelevant to me."
~ John Russell Napier (1917-1987)
Physical/Biological Anthropology
The study of all aspects of past and
present human biology
• Human evolution and variation among
living and past humans and their
ancestors
• Skeletal studies, primatology, forensics,
genetics, palaeoanthropology
Biocultural Approach
More Specifically...
The study of human biological variation
AND the study of human biocultural
variation
1. Product of evolutionary history
2. Product of individual life history
So What?
Molecular
studies
Infectious
diseases
Genetic
history
Origins of
language
Who are we as a species?
What does it mean to be human?
Where did we come from?
Bioarchaeology
Primate social
behaviour
Blood types
What Makes Us Different?
• Part of the animal kingdom NOT
removed!
• 6 key attributes that
make us unique
1. Bipedalism
• Upright walking on 2 feet
• Most profound difference
• Benefits?
• Drawbacks?
2. Nonhoning Chewing
• Loss of large canine, primates usually
have this to shred their food
• Ability to make and use tools led to its
loss in human ancestors
3. Culture
• Facilitates our survival by enabling us
to adapt to different settings
• Could we live without technology?
Culture in Other Primates
4. Hunting
• Social behaviour
• Organization that uses tools
• Origins approximately 1 million years
ago
5. Speech
• Only animal to communicate by
talking
• Difficult to track history
• Must rely on skeletal changes
• Hyoid
6. Domestication of Food
• 10,000 – 11,000 years before present
• Plants and animals
• Uniquely human
• Profound effect on human biology
and behaviour
Review
• What is anthropology?
• What is physical anthropology?
• What is the biocultural approach?
• What are the 6 attributes that make
humans unique?