Bi8610 Palaeoanthropology

Faculty of Science
Spring 2015
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 2 credit(s) (plus extra credits for completion). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
prof. PhDr. Jiří Svoboda, DrSc. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Jaroslav Malina, DrSc.
Department of Anthropology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: prof. PhDr. Jiří Svoboda, DrSc.
Supplier department: Department of Anthropology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Timetable
Mon 12:00–13:50 Bp1
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 10 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The course is based on actual principles of hominine phylogenesis and taxonomy; it focuses on the process of anthropogenesis in changing environmental and social contexts. At the end of course the student is expected to: explain hominine anatomic evolution; interpret territorial expansions of human populations in time and space; explain the process of adaptation to the newly settled environments. Specifically, the student should be able to describe morphology and behavior of the individual hominine taxons and name the key paleoanthropological sites in the world and in Czech Republic.
Syllabus
  • 1. Principles of hominine phylogeny and taxonomy; evolutionary tree and cladogramme; the role of paleogenetics. 2. The process of anthropogenesis; bipedal locomotion as the key factor; the complex of related changes in the individual parts of the skeleton.
  • 3. Origin and adaptation of hominins in Africa (Sahelanthropus tchadensis, Orrorin tugenensis, Ardipithecus ramidus). 4. Archaic, robust, and "transitional" Australopithecinae, their morphology, environment, and behavior. 5. Early Homo representatives in Africa (Homo rudolfensis, H. habilis)
  • 6. Colonisation of Eurasia (Homo ergaster, H. erectus, H. antecessor) 7. Variability of the Old World population (Homo heidelbergensis, H. rhodesiensis; problematics of H. denisoviensis and H. floresiensis).
  • 8. The Neanderthals and their variability in the Eurasian zone.
  • 9. Modern humans I: origin of a new population in Africa and its expansion by the "southern way" (adaptation in tropical zone of the Old World).
  • 10. Modern humans II: expansion by the "northern way" (adaptation and behavior in periglacial Eurasia and occupation of the Americas).
Literature
    required literature
  • Svoboda, J. (Ed.): Evoluce člověka. Praha, Academia, v tisku.
  • Šmahel, Z. 2005: Příběh lidského rodu. Brno, MZM.
  • Vančata, V. 2012: Paleoantropologie a evoluční antropologie. Praha, Pedagogická fakulta UK.
  • Wolpoff, M. 1999: Paleoanthropology. Boston, McGraw-Hill.
    recommended literature
  • Fridrich, J. 2005: Ecce Homo: Svět dávných lovců a sběračů. Praha, Krigl.
  • Mellars, P. et al. 2007: Rethinking the human revolution. Cambridge, McDonald Institute Monographs.
  • Stringer, Ch., Gamble, C. 1993: In search of the Neanderthals. London, Thames and Hudson.
  • Teschler-Nicola, M. (Ed.) 2006: Early modern humans at the Moravian Gate. The Mladeč caves and their remains. Wien, New York, Springer.
  • Henke, W., Tatterstall, I. (Eds.) 2007: Handbook of paleoanthropology. Berlin, Sprager Verlag.
  • Trinkaus, E., Svoboda, J., (Eds.) 2006: Early modern human evolution in Central Europe. The people of Dolní Věstonice and Pavlov. Oxford, Oxford University Press.
  • Velemínská, J., Brůžek, J., (Eds.) 2008: Early modern humans from Předmostí. Praha, Academia.
  • Vlček, E. 1969: Neandertaler der Tschechoslowakei. Praha, Academia.
Teaching methods
Theoretical preparation in form of lectures complemented with class discussion.
Assessment methods
The course is concluded with an oral exam. To pass the exam successfully the student must prove good knowledge of the issues discussed during lectures and in the required reading.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2008 - for the purpose of the accreditation, Spring 2011 - only for the accreditation, Spring 2003, Spring 2004, Spring 2005, Spring 2006, Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, spring 2012 - acreditation, Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2016, Spring 2017, spring 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Spring 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2015, recent)
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