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Homo erectus - Coggle Diagram
Homo erectus
Cultural Evolution
Possibly more advanced speech than
H.habilis
.
Potentially complex sound and hand movements, not necessarily words
The brain folds are more produced suggesting it's more advanced
Unable to find voice box bone thing, therefore, the mouth, tongue and larynx is making these complex sounds
Broca's region
(in the back of the brain
is more developed and is therefore more capable of symbolic language
Cooperative behaviour is required for communication
Evidence of having to split roles and division of labor
Now capable of controlling fire
Learned how to control fires and deliberately use (and reuse) it
Evidence of charcoal pits/sites in rock of same age. Charcoal can be found in a depression in the ground. The have been found after other layers wash away
Being able to control fires show that they understood the dangers of fire
These fire pits have been found in places outside Africa
Able to use fire for cooking meat/plants. This means softer foods for digestion and eating. This means there are more food choices
(and brain awards us for finding sugar/glucose sources
Therefore, smaller teeth develop
Cooking food would've killed bacteria/parasites. They would've got sick less often and lived healthier lives
Fires proved plenty of warmth a there is no use of clothing being worn/made for warmth
Predators are scared of fires, therefore, stay away
Enhances cooperative groups because fires bring a social focus
This created a home range where ideas could be shared more easily and frequently
Having a home range means:
there is a safe place away from predators, can bring meat resources back home, can share food more easily with the wider group (barter systems), can move away from this place and come back
Extended day time:
Fire allows for the day to continue after sunset. This could have allowed for the formation of teenage bonding. Therefore, friendships form and these might have became founder population that left the groups to explore
Shelter building
Evidence in France of shelter building
This shows more mental development as they could now live wherever. Find a niche and settle in it.
Huts were supported on ground by poles held in place with stones and rocks.
Materials were deliberately placed in these holes and around fire pits.
"Why move away from a spot that is safe and you can protect well
Larger brain allows for
Migration to new locations
this became more common
Explore the environment more
find out how everything works
Survival increases and lifespans are longer, therefore population sizes increase and there needs to be more food sources.
This creates pressure, especially on the teenagers because there are more mouths to feed with increasing the size of populations. Because teenagers have no status, disatisfaction occurs. This could've meant these groups leave and become the founder populations
Big brain allows for migration success as there is more ability to make clear cognitive decisions.
Lead to eventual migration to other locations around the middle east/europe and asia regions. The environment was set up for
H.erectus to migrate through
Able to exploit the environment better. Possibly to cope with harsher conditions too
There would not have been big boats built to get around. Sea levels were very low and (if any) small floaty rafts would've been used.
Cooperative hunting
potentially of small quadpeds
Lifespan not much into the 30s
Was able to bring fire into cold areas, shelter used as wind protectors. Hunting and living evolved near ice sheets and natural selection would have caused some changes in genes
General
First Hominin
'First' species identified outside of Africa.
'First' to migrate out of Africa
Found in: North China, Mongolia, Tibet, Southeast Asia, Mediterranean, Middle East, Eastern Europe, Indonesia, India, Russia, Vietnam etc.
Movement to find additional/new resources because of environmental pressures. Climate change would be the cause. This would cause bottleneck and founder effect populations to form.
Positive feedback loops forms. More food sources -> higher calorie diet -> able to power big brain -> increased "leisure time" -> more exploration and experimenting -> increased skills.
Not known where the feedback loop starts
Tools 'Acheulean'
Created more complex tools than
H.habilis
These were teardrop shaped and took a longer time to make (approx 2-3 days per tool) these were days you couldn't be out hunting. Further indicated that there was specialisation occuring. Some individuals stay and carve, others hunt and then they barter goods to meet the needs of each other
Large tools
Double edged hand axes
Eventually able to be connected to shafts for spear hands
These tools had some overlap with the
H.habilis oldowan tools, but unlike those, these would have been reused multiple times
Biological Features
Face similar to
H. habilis
Protruding jaw, no chin, thick brow ridge, long low thick skull
Smaller teeth
Brain larger 1000cm3
Taller
Hair loss at some point. Body hair was thought to prevent efficient cooling through sweating and evaporative cooling