Biological

and
Cultural Evolution
ANTHROPOLOGY is the study of
humanity, including its prehistoric
origins and contemporary human
diversity.

-the study of human societies and

cultures and their development
FIELDS OF ANTHROPOLOGY

1. Biological anthropology
the study of humans as biological
organisms, including evolution and
contemporary variation.
Biological anthropology
encompasses
three subfields:
a. Primatology
Biological anthropology
encompasses three subfields:

a. Primatology is the study of the

nonhuman members of the order of
mammals called primates, which
includes a wide range of animals
from very small, nocturnal creatures
to gorillas, the largest members.
Primatologists study
nonhuman primates in
the wild and in
captivity. They record
and analyze how the
animals spend their
time, collect and share
food, form social
groups, rear offspring,
develop leadership
patterns, and
experience and resolve
conflicts.
b. Paleoanthropology
b. Paleoanthropology is the study
of human evolution on the basis of
the fossil record.

Paleoanthropologists search for

fossils to increase the amount of
evidence related to the way human
evolution occurred.
Fossil record refers to the number
of fossils that have been discovered.
Paleontology is the study of fossils.
c. Contemporary
c. Contemporary human biological
variation. Anthropologists working in
this area seek to explain differences in
the biological makeup and behavior of
contemporary humans.
c. Contemporary
c. Contemporary
They study such biological factors as DNA within
and across populations, body size and shape,
human nutrition and disease, and human growth
and development.
 Biological
and
Cultural Evolution
 Biological Evolution
• It refers to the changes,
modifications, and
variations in the genetics
and inherited traits of
biological populations
from one generation to
another.
• Scientists study the
changes in the physical
body of humans, the
changes in the shape and
size of their bones.
 Cultural Evolution
It refers to the changes or
development in cultures
from a simple form to a
more complex form of
human culture.
Scientist study the cultural
evolution of humans by
analyzing the changes in
the latter’s way of life.
 Socio-cultural evolution
happens as a result of
human adaptation to
different factors like
climatic changes and
population increase.
Ex. Different tools and
other human-made
objects that people have
used.
Biological evolution
It is based on the theory of evolution
that was introduced by the famous
English naturalist and geologist Charles
Darwin in his work On the Origins of
Species by Means of Natural Selection.

He hypothesized that evolution of

species happens through the process of
natural selection.
• The reason for occurrence of evolution.
• The outcome processes that affect the
frequencies of traits in a particular
environment. Traits that enhance survival
and reproductive success increase in
frequency over time.
 Variations
• Every species is made up of a variety
of individuals wherein some are
adopted to their environments
compared to others
 Heritability
• Organisms produce progeny with
different sets of traits that can inherited
(Progeny -a descendant or the descendants of a person, animal, or plant;
offspring.)

Differential reproductive success

• Organisms that have traits most
suitable to their environment will
survive and transfer these variations to
their offspring in subsequent
generations
From Homonids to Homo Sapiens
Sapiens:

The Biological and Cultural

Evolution of Modern Humans
Archaeology
the study of past human cultures
through their artifacts and material
remains. Archaeology encompasses two
major areas:
Prehistoric archaeology, which concerns
the human past before written records.
Historical archaeology, which deals with
the human past in societies that have
written documents.
 HOMINIDS
• The general term used to categorize the
group of early humans and other
humanlike creatures that can walk
erect during the prehistoric period.
 Four Categories of Hominids
1. Sahelanthropus 3. Australopithecus

2. Ardipithecus

4. HOMO
 1. Sahelanthropus tchadensis
6-7 million years ago
• It had both apelike and
humanlike characteristics:
1. A skull similar to
Australopithecus and modern
human.
2. Height almost similar with the
chimpanzee
3. Brain size: 320-380 cc
4. Small teeth
5. Had the ability to walk upright
Orrorin tugenensis Ardipithecus
5.7 million years ago 5.6 million years ago
Ardipithecus “ape on the ground”

Ardipithecus Ardipithecus
Kadabba Ramidus
• 1. height about 4 feet
• 2. weight about 120 pounds
• 3. skull size similar to an ape
• 4. Small brain
• 5. Biped
• 6. lived in jungles and forests like chimpanzees
3.Australopithecus
(5 million- 1million
years ago)

“the Southern Ape”

 Characteristics
1. Brain size: 500 cc or almost 1/3 size of the
modern human brain
2. Upright
3. Biped
4. Tool users not tool makers
5. Food scavengers
• There are 6 species of the Australopithecus
and they are divided into two major
categories:
Gracile Australophitecus
Australophitecus afarensis
Australophitecus anamensis
-Australophitecus africanus
Australopithecus
Afarensis

Considered as one of modern human’s earliest ancestors and

remains as the most famous hominid fossil discovered
Robust Australophitecus
Australophitecus aethiopicus
Australophitecus robustus
Australophitecus boisei
 HOMO
• They are classified as humans and not
humanlike creatures because they had bigger
brains and were bipedal
 Lucy
LUCY was old Australopithecus
aferensis fossil which was one
of the modern human’s earliest
ancestors and remains as the
most famous hominid fossil
discovered. It was discovered in
Hadar, Ethiopia by
paleoanthropologists by Dr.
Donald Johanson.
HOMO HABILIS
• 3-4 FEET
• Brain size: 700 cc

Homo Habilis- handy

man. They made
tools called Oldowan-
Tanzania place.
Height 3-4 feet
HOMO ERECTUS
• Large Brain size:
1,000cc
• Lived in shelters
• Food gatherers
• Crafted materials
 HOMO ERECTUS
• Homo Erectus- upright man. Skillful
hunters. First to use spoken language.
First to leave Africa to go into other
continents. First fossil was found in
China. Another fossil was excavated
in Java, Indonesia by Eugene Dubois
and known it as Java Man. Another
Homo erectus skull excavated in a
cave in China and known it as the
Peking Man who discovered the fire.
Height 5 feet
Peking Man
 HOMO SAPIENS
• .Homo sapiens • Cro - Magnon
Neanderthalensis
 HOMO SAPIENS
•

Homo Sapiens- thinking man. Has large size

brain, lived in shelter, food gatherers, crafted
metals, cook shellfish. Discover fish hooks,
bow and arrows, sewing needle, etc.
 HOMO SAPIENS
•
Homo Sapiens Sapiens-
wise man. CRO MAGNON is
the first fossil skeleton to be
considered as a species of
the Homo Sapiens, also
called Homo sapiens
sapiens, excavated in
France.