Early Homo Virtual Lab
Format: In Person or Online
Figure 1: Skeleton of a young male Homo erectus known as “Nariokotome Boy
Author: Beth Shook
Modified from labs by Henry M. McHenry, University of California, Davis.
Time needed: 50 - 60 minutes
Learning Objectives
- Examine cranial and postcranial differences among Australopithecus africanus, Homo habilis, and Homo erectus
- Compare and contrast the logics of “lumping” and “splitting”
- Describe variation within Homo erectus
- Identify early Homo tool traditions
Supplies Needed
- Access to the internet to explore (provided) links to web-based 3D models of hominin fossils and tools or casts of fossil hominins
Introduction
In this lab students examine fossils of the earliest species of the genus Homo: Homo habilis and Homo erectus. Both species overlap with the end of the Australopithecines chronologically, with Homo erectus outliving any of the rest. Debate surrounds the classification of both species, primarily about whether they should be lumped into one species each, or split into two. For example, all Homo habilis could be lumped as Homo habilis, or split into Homo habilis and Homo rudolfensis.
By approximately 2.5 million years ago (mya), the earliest members of the genus Homo (Homo habilis) had developed, and by 1.6 mya Homo erectus had spread throughout Africa and Asia. To understand the big picture - the key changes with the advent and spread of early Homo - students will examine and record the differences between Australopithecus africanus, Homo habilis, and Homo erectus.
In this activity students utilize links to 3D models of several hominin species and early hominin tools (available at sketchfab.com, efossils.org, and eskeletons.org) to make observations about and compare them. Students will then complete data tables and answer questions about these models.
Steps
- Trends of the Genus Homo: Examine 3D scans of fossils from different Homo species; complete the chart and answer questions on the worksheet to identify major trends across the genus.
- Lumping and Splitting: Homo habilis v. Homo rudolfensis: Compare the type specimens for Homo habilis and (possible) Homo rudolfensis; complete the chart and answer questions.
- Homo erectus Over Space and Time: Examine Homo erectus fossils from four different sites; complete the chart and answer questions.
- Changing Postcrania: Compare postcrania features of Au. afarensis, H. habilis, H. erectus, and H. sapiens.
- Developing Tools: Record observations about Lomekwian, Oldowan, and Acheulean tool traditions.
Adapting for Online Learning
If this is an in-person lab, rank how adaptable to online learning it would be (mark in bold):
References
efossils. 2021. 3D fossils from efossils.org at the University of Texas at Austin.
eskeletons. 2021. 3D fossils. eskeletons.org at the University of Texas at Austin.
Sketch Fab. 2021. 3D fossils from sketchfab.org.
Yoshida-Levine, Bonnie. 2019. “Chapter 10: Early Homo.” In Explorations: An Open Invitation to Biological Anthropology, edited by Beth Shook, Katie Nelson, Kelsie Aguilera, and Lara Braff. Arlington, VA: American Anthropological Association. http://explorations.americananthro.org/
Image Attributions
Figure 1. KNM-WT 15000 Turkana Boy Skeleton by Smithsonian [exhibit: Human Evolution Evidence, Human Fossils, Fossils, KNM-WT 15000] is copyrighted and used for educational and non-commercial purposes as outlined by the Smithsonian.
Figure 2. Homo erectus site map original to Explorations: An Open Invitation to Biological Anthropology by Chelsea Barron at GeoPlace, California State University, Chico is under a CC BY-NC 4.0 License.
Early Homo Virtual Lab Worksheet
In the table below, each species’ name contains links to 3D scans of fossils from Sketchfab. If possible, you are encouraged to open two or more of these links at the same time (in different windows) to allow you to look at them at the same time and compare them. You can record your observations using comparative terms such as “largest”, “smallest”, “most prognathic”, in addition to specific descriptive terms like “parabolic” or “U-shaped” that were presented in the chapter.
Based on your observations, what are two major trends that continue across the genus Homo?
The genus Homo suggests reliance on tools as well as dietary and behavioral flexibility. The earliest fossils that belong to this genus appear between 2.8 and 2.5 mya, and they extend to about 1.7 mya. This fossil collection, however, does vary significantly in facial and cranial size, suggesting to some they should be “split” into two separate species. Other paleontologists prefer to “lump” similar fossils explaining the diversity as natural variation or differences between the sexes.
Compare the type specimens for Homo habilis and (possible) Homo rudolfensis. What differences do you observe? Given what you saw for species differences in previous fossil comparisons, do you think there are enough differences to consider them two different species?
Consider other features: what similarities do you see between the two fossils?
Based on your observations, do you think that H. habilis should be one species or split into two? Why or why not?
3: Homo erectus Over Space and Time
Homo erectus was the first hominin that we know left Africa. It quickly spread across Asia, reaching the island of Java by ~1.6 or 1.7 mya. The spreading population existed for over one million years, diversifying over time and space. Complete the table below comparing specific fossil examples of Homo erectus.
Map illustrating the distribution of Homo erectus (from Explorations Chapter 10).
4: Changing Postcrania
While both Australopithecines and early Homo were obligate bipeds, there are some modifications that occured over the past four million years. Compare and contrast Au. afarensis, H. habilis, H. erectus, and H. sapiens. In each cell of the table below, note any unique or changing characteristics that you observe. Note: The fossils for this comparison are from the efossils and eskeletons website.
Overall, what is one of the major trends in hominin postcrania that occurs across the genus Homo?
5: Developing Tools
Follow the links below to view 3D models of Lomekwian, Oldowan, and Acheulean tools. In the table below, describe what you observe about each tool type.
| |
Lomekwian Tool Example
(3.3 mya)
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(2.5 - 1.6 mya)
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Acheulean Tool Example
(~1.5 mya to 200 kya)
|
| Describe key distinguishing features of the three tools |
|
|
|
| Identify what these tools could have been used for |
|
|
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| The genus/species it is most often associated with |
Australopithecus |
Homo habilis |
Homo erectus |
