Transcript Document

Class Slides Set 15B
The Upper Body
brachiation
and
erect walking
resulted in a number of
postcranial changes
Skeleton of a brachiator (gibbon)
Understanding Physical Anthropology and Archaeology, 8th ed., p. 129
The upper body . . .
Continue on to Set # 16A
The Skull
Humans developed an
S-curved backbone
(rather than one with a simple curve)
Human vertebral column (lateral view).
Understanding Physical Anthropology and Archaeology, 8th ed., p. 507
Modern human skeleton
Understanding Physical Anthropology and Archaeology, 8th ed., p. 223
Human skeleton (Homo sapiens) – bipedal hominid.
Understanding Physical Anthropology and Archaeology, 8th ed., p. 507
Spine has become more
massive and rigid, with
fewer vertebrae . . .
Chest has become wider
and more barrel-like
Modern human skeleton
Understanding Physical Anthropology and Archaeology, 8th ed., p. 223
Shoulders have
broadened
Human skeleton (Homo sapiens) – bipedal hominid.
Understanding Physical Anthropology and Archaeology, 8th ed., p. 507
Relatively longer necks
have developed
Modern human skeleton
Understanding Physical Anthropology and Archaeology, 8th ed., p. 223
Humankind Emerging, 7th ed., p. 190
The arms and hands . . .
The forelimbs of apes
have become
strengthened and
elongated
(relative to the length of the body)
Homo habilis
Humankind Emerging, 7th ed., p. 240
Gorilla
Humankind Emerging, 7th ed., p. 113
Hands
become more hand-like . . .
Humankind Emerging, 7th ed., p. 174+
Power grip –
(“prehensility”)
a grip involving all fingers of the
hand equally, as in grasping a
baseball
Precision grip –
(“opposability”)
a grip that involves
opposing the tip of the
thumb to the tips of the
other fingers
Hand anatomy.
Understanding Physical Anthropology and Archaeology, 8th ed., p. 513
Primate (Macaque) hand
Understanding Physical Anthropology and Archaeology, 8th ed., p. 121
Two-year-old Baboon
The Primates, Time-Life (1974) p. 126