Hominid Evolution : The Early Stages - Educational about bones of Hominids and Apes

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Hominid Evolution : The Early Stages
Educational about bones of Hominids and Apes

September 08, 2008

This video begins with a survey of anatomically important concepts and landmarks in the analysis of primate skulls and teeth so that the fossils can be discussed accurately. The discussion of fossils begins with Aegyptopithecus from the Oligocene and continues through the Miocene and Pliocene using casts for a sample of the fossil forms and some slides for the newer Ardipithecus and Australopithecus anamensis.

The video then discusses the anatomy of the femur and pelvis in terms of the development of bipedalism, using cast material from the Australopithecus afarensis called Lucy. Some time is devoted to a discussion of afarensis dentition and the development of modern dental characteristics. The differences between the gracile and robust forms of Australopithecines are then demonstrated. The presentation ends with a brief introduction of the habilis form as the next stage of development of modern Humans. All this material is shot in the setting of a university physical anthropology lab.

a video by Anne Zeller
from the Primates Series
distributed by Documentary Educational Resources


Hominid Evolution 1: The Early Stages - PREVIEW



This video picks up the account of human evolution with Homo Habilis, the earliest currently accepted member of our genus and describes the similarities and differences between this form and the Australopithecines. It then continues with a discussion and demonstration of the features of the African Homo Erectus and the Asian forms including the material from Java and from China. In terms of hominid development in Europe, maps and slides are used to discuss the possible new very early hominids from Spain at Orche and the material from Atapuerca.

Several different theoretical positions about what to call the European material are presented and the casts of several are discussed in detail. As we move on to the Neandertals, the Out-of-African and Multi-regional theories are presented with supporting data and criticisms of each. A cast of the new Solo skull from Polowayo in Java is discussed. The Near Eastern material on Neandertals and early modern Homo sapiens is covered, in addition to the spread of early moderns across Europe and Asia. The video ends, not with conclusions, but with questions about the interpretation of fossils and the differing theories about the development of modern forms.

Hominid Evolution II: The Genus Homo - PREVIEW