1. Culture
Definition: Culture can be defined as means of non-biological, non-genetic human adaptation to the world. Likewise, culture is learned behaviors that have enabled us to cope with our social and physical habitat. (Price & Feinman, 2013, p 5).
Importance: The concept of culture is an important aspect of study, as it largely details how we detached from our common ancestor and advanced as a species. The development of culture provided early humans with the means of survival, as they were able to learn and adapt to a frequently changing environment. Further, cultural development enabled humans to reshaped and improve their behavior, thereby allowing them modify their actions and negate the reliance on biological evolution. This resulted …show more content…
Bipedalism
Definition: Bipedalism can be defined as the way humans move around through walking on two legs, rather than four. It is “one of the first human characteristics to distinguish the early hominins.” (Price & Feinman, 2013, p G-1).
Importance: Bipedalism is important in archaeological studies because it marks the separation of early humans from our ancestors and details one of our greatest advancements as a species. Additionally, by studying the emergence of bipedalism, archaeologists have been able to identify and date our oldest known ancestors.
Example: The footprints discovered at the site of Laetoli in Tanzania has supplied excellent evidence of bipedalism. They are the oldest known footprints of our ancestors and provide a record of behavior. The individuals that left behind these prints not only display human stride and balance but, they look human as well (Price & Feinman, 2013, p 50). Through further study, archaeologists have been able to determine the height and weight of each individual, which has assisted in understanding early hominins. Further, these prints have clearly revealed that early humans were social and traveled in …show more content…
Flintknapping
Definition: Flintknapping is the process of making stone tools by striking a stone with a soft or hard hammerstone. (Price & Feinman, 2013, p 60).
Importance: This concept is crucial in the study of archaeology and the human advancement because it illustrates how early humans began to manipulate and interact with their surroundings. The “invention” of flintknapping made tool making possible, thereby granting early humans the ability to butcher animals, more efficiently dig for roots and tubers, in addition to sawing, scraping, and slicing wood and other plant material. By examining this process and the tools produced from it, archaeologists are able to get a firm understanding of how early humans altered their environments as a means of better survival.
Example: The site at Olduvai Gorge is abundant with human manufactured stone tools in its lower layers. A number of these tools were created by intentionally bashing stones with one another, known as the process of flintknapping. These stone tools were rendered from an array of material such as basalt, quartz, and fine-grained stones, and were selected based on their properties and the intended use. (Price & Feinman, 2013, p 55).
5. Hyoid
Definition: Culture can be defined as means of non-biological, non-genetic human adaptation to the world. Likewise, culture is learned behaviors that have enabled us to cope with our social and physical habitat. (Price & Feinman, 2013, p 5).
Importance: The concept of culture is an important aspect of study, as it largely details how we detached from our common ancestor and advanced as a species. The development of culture provided early humans with the means of survival, as they were able to learn and adapt to a frequently changing environment. Further, cultural development enabled humans to reshaped and improve their behavior, thereby allowing them modify their actions and negate the reliance on biological evolution. This resulted …show more content…
Bipedalism
Definition: Bipedalism can be defined as the way humans move around through walking on two legs, rather than four. It is “one of the first human characteristics to distinguish the early hominins.” (Price & Feinman, 2013, p G-1).
Importance: Bipedalism is important in archaeological studies because it marks the separation of early humans from our ancestors and details one of our greatest advancements as a species. Additionally, by studying the emergence of bipedalism, archaeologists have been able to identify and date our oldest known ancestors.
Example: The footprints discovered at the site of Laetoli in Tanzania has supplied excellent evidence of bipedalism. They are the oldest known footprints of our ancestors and provide a record of behavior. The individuals that left behind these prints not only display human stride and balance but, they look human as well (Price & Feinman, 2013, p 50). Through further study, archaeologists have been able to determine the height and weight of each individual, which has assisted in understanding early hominins. Further, these prints have clearly revealed that early humans were social and traveled in …show more content…
Flintknapping
Definition: Flintknapping is the process of making stone tools by striking a stone with a soft or hard hammerstone. (Price & Feinman, 2013, p 60).
Importance: This concept is crucial in the study of archaeology and the human advancement because it illustrates how early humans began to manipulate and interact with their surroundings. The “invention” of flintknapping made tool making possible, thereby granting early humans the ability to butcher animals, more efficiently dig for roots and tubers, in addition to sawing, scraping, and slicing wood and other plant material. By examining this process and the tools produced from it, archaeologists are able to get a firm understanding of how early humans altered their environments as a means of better survival.
Example: The site at Olduvai Gorge is abundant with human manufactured stone tools in its lower layers. A number of these tools were created by intentionally bashing stones with one another, known as the process of flintknapping. These stone tools were rendered from an array of material such as basalt, quartz, and fine-grained stones, and were selected based on their properties and the intended use. (Price & Feinman, 2013, p 55).
5. Hyoid