ANT203H5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Piltdown Man, Transitional Fossil, Robert Broom
Document Summary
Lecture #12: lessons from the past - the piltdown forgery. Test will cover lectures 9-12 and the last two labs. Leading hypothesis: what makes us human is our very large brain. At this time, there were very few fossils to refute or confirm this hypothesis. Hypothesis was accepted by the majority of scientists. Fossil of human ancestors found at the time: Homo neanderthalensis - first fossil hominin species named. All living things descended from a common ancestry. Scientists at the time identified these are darwin"s most audacious claims: Evidence of early humans found in spain and france. Man" in indonesia - pithecanthropus erectus (homo erectus) But, most fossils found so far did agree with "large brain ancestor" theory. Human evolution still seen as controversial but europe was considered the birthplace of humans. Supported "brain first" idea - large modern brain case and jaw of ape. Subsequent excavations revealed jaw fragments, stone tools, and extinct animals.
