BIOLOGICAL AND

CULTURAL EVOLUTION
FROM HOMO HABILIS
AND HOMO SAPIENS
Raymond Drat discovered the first Australopithecus at Taung, Africa
in 1924. It was he who gave it the generic name, meaning
“southern ape”.
 Homo habilis
• the earliest known species
in the human lineage
• named in 1964 by Richard
Leakey, term “habilis”
refers to “being handy”
• Involved hunting, possessing intelligence, thus, a
larger brain would have been beneficial
• A larger brain would have allowed for better tool-
making skills, language, and cooperation with
other members of the species
• Males travel large distance seeking food to
nourish their family
• Female would stay at the home-based and rear
young
• The first human family unit formed, together with
the couple-bond and a strong association
between mothers and infants
• The most notable specimen is nearly complete
skeleton of a young boy found near Lake
Turkana, known as “Nariokotome boy”.
• Used tools of the Acheulean tools such as hand-
axe, hammer stones and cleavers
• Thought to be the first migratory Homo species
• Individuals possessed a broad nose and face, large
cranial volume
• Hunted large game animals, supported by cut marks
found on wild deer, elephants, rhino and horses
• Have dated from 23,000-29,000 years
ago
• Characterized by robust bodies, projected
noses, prominent browridges, large round
fingertips and large knee-caps
• Possedstone tools called “Mousterian tool”
• Evidences of ceremonial burials where
graves contains bison and auroch bones,
flowers and tools alongside the bodies
• May defined as “the full range of learned
human behavior patterns”
• Behavior patterns include things such as art,
literature, music, customs and religion
• One of the most-interesting aspects of culture
is Religion, which is a system of beliefs that
individuals use to give their lives meaning
• Include afterlife, supernatural beings,
reincarnation and ceremonial burials as well
other ceremonies
THANK YOU