CHAPTER III

LOOKING BACK AT THE

HUMAN BIOCULTURAL
AND SOCIAL EVOLUTION
 LESSON 1
BIOLOGICAL AND
CULTURAL EVOLUTION:
FROM AUSTRALOPITHECUS
TO HOMO SAPIENS
 BIOLOGICAL EVOLUTION
refers to the changes,
modifications, and variations in
the genetics and inherited traits
of biological populations from one
generation to another.
In studying Biological Evolution, scientists
consider the following changes:

• in physical body
• in shape and size of their bone
• in shape and size of their brain
• posture
• movement
• development of bipedalism
 CULTURAL EVOLUTION
refers to the changes or
development in cultures from a
simple form to a more complex
form of human culture.
 CHARLES DARWIN
• biological evolution
• each species was not created at
one time in a fixed form.
• On the Origins of species by
Means of Natural Selection
 NATURAL SELECTION
Outcome of processes that affect
the frequencies of traits in a
particular environment. Traits
that enhance survival and
reproductive success increase in
frequency over time.
THREE IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES

• Every species is made up of a

variety of individuals wherein
some are better adapted to
their environments compared
to others.
THREE IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES

• Organisms produce
progeny with different
sets of traits that can be
inherited.
THREE IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES
• Organisms that have traits
most suitable to their
environment survive and
transfer these variations to
the other offspring in
subsequent generations.
The Biological and
Cultural Evolution
of Modern
Humans
 FOSSILS
refer to the human, plant, and
animal remains that have been
preserved through time like
human or animal teeth, skull, and
bone fragments.
 ARTIFACTS
refer to the objects that
were made and used by
humans.
Example of artifacts:
• Stone tools
• Metal tools
• Ceramics
• Burial jars
• Ornaments
 HOMINID
general term used by scientists
to categorize the group of early
humans and other humanlike
creatures that can walk erect
during the prehistoric time.
 SAHELANTHROPUS

ARDIPITHECUS
HOMINID
AUSTRALOPITHECUS

HOMO
SAHELANTHROPUS ARDIPITHECUS

AUSTRALOPITHECUS

Combination of apelike and

humanlike characteristics
 SAHELANTHROPUS,ARDIPITHECUS,
AUSTRALOPITHECUS

• prehuman stage of evolution.

• fossils are all excavated in the
African continent.
• Sahelanthropus Tchadensis-first
hominid
• Orrorin Tugenensis-second hominid
Sahelanthropus Tchadensis
• apelike and humanlike.
• a skull similar to the Australopithecus
and modern humanlike.
• height almost similar to chimpanzee.
• brain size to 320-380 cubic cm.
• small teeth
• walk upright
 Ardipithecus Family
• it means “ape on the ground”
• height of about 4 feet
• weight of about 120 pounds
• skull size similar to an ape
• small brain
• biped
• live in jungles and forests
 Ardipithecus Family

Ardipithecus Ardipithecus
Kadabba Ramidus
(5.6 million (4.4 million
years ago) years ago)
AUSTRALOPITHECUS
• brain size of 500 cubic centimeters
• upright
• biped
• tool users only not tool makers
• used sticks and stones for digging
• lived in small social groups
• ate insects, eggs, plants, fruits and meat
AUSTRALOPITHECUS

GRACILE ROBUST
AUSTRALOPITHECUS AUSTRALOPITHECUS
ANAMENSIS AFARENSIS

AUSTRALOPITHECUS
AFRICANUS

GRACILE
AUSTRALOPITHECINE
AUSTRALOPITHECUS AUSTRALOPITHECUS
AETHIOPICUS ROBUSTUS

AUSTRALOPITHECUS
BOISEI

ROBUST
AUSTRALOPITHECINE
AUSTRALOPITHECUS AFARENSIS
• the most common ancestor.
• Lucy
- one of the modern human’s earliest
ancestors
- its remains as the most famous hominid
fossil discovered
- Discovered in Hadar, Ethiopia by Dr.
Donald Johanson
 HOMO
• are classified humans
• more intelligent book
• bigger brains
• bipedal
• lived in Africa
• 2.4 million years ago
 HOMO

Homo Homo Homo

Habilis Erectus Sapiens
(handy man) (upright (wise man)
man)
 HOMO HABILIS
• height of about 3 to 4 feet.
• brain size half the size of modern
human.
• made tools called Oldowan.
• used tools for hunting and
gathering.
 HOMO ERECTUS
• brain size of 1,000 cc.
• height of about five feet.
• walks upright.
• known for making complex tools.
• skillfull hunters.
 HOMO ERECTUS
• the first to use fire.
• the first to live in small houses
made of branches of trees.
• the first to use spoken language.
• first homo to live and survive in
Asia.
 HOMO ERECTUS
• the first Homo Erectus in Asia was
found in Longgupo Cave in China.
• another in Trinil, Java, Indonesia by
Eugene Dubois- Java Man (1811)
• in 1920, a homo erectus skull was
found in Zhououdian, China- Peking
Man
 HOMO SAPIENS

Homo Homo
Heidelbergensis Neanderthalensis
Homo Sapiens
Sapiens
 HOMO SAPIENS
• large brain size (1400 cc)
• lived in shelters
• food gatherers
• ate plants and fruits
• hunted animals
• learned to gather and cook shellfish
• used fire
• crafted metals
 HOMO SAPIENS
• made sophisticated and smoothened tools.
• first to develop oral languages.
• Cro Magnon
- first group of homo sapiens
- taken from rock shelter in France
- oldest population of Homo Sapiens in
Europe.
MUSEUM