Transcript document

What Do Anthros Do?
One way to describe anthropology is to
describe some things anthropologists do.
Traditionally, the things they do have been
divided into:
PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
and
CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
Physical
Anthropometry
Osteology
Primatology
Human Genetics
Anthropometry
One of the earliest specialties
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, anthropometry was a
It awas
during thiscalled
period
that many anthropologists were interested in
In
pseudoscience
phrenology,
pseudoscience
used mainly
to classify potential criminals by facial
populations
such
as
the
native
Tasmanians….They were interested in
Concerned
empirical
Franz-Joseph
Gall (1758 with
-1828) and
characteristics.
For
example,
the
work of Eugene Vidocq, which
his
followers what
identified
mental and to be “living fossils”.
measuring
they37considered
description
of many aspects
identifies
criminals
by
facial
characteristics,
is still used nearly a
moral faculties
which
they
thought
were represented
in the exterior in France.
century
after itsof
introduction
the human physical
surface
the skull.
The
main of
result
of Gall's theory
Thea most
infamous
useskull,
of anthropometry was by the Nazis, whose
was
kind of
chart of the
These faculties were divided into
which
mapped
the regions where
Bureau
for Enlightenment
on Population Policy and Racial Welfare
several spheres: intellectual,
the
bumps and depressions
related of Aryans and non-Aryans on the basis
recommended
classification
perceptiveness,the
mental
energy, moral
to the 37 faculties could be
faculties,
love, etc. of
Most
the and other physical features. Craniometric
of
measurements
theofskull
Today,
anthropometry
has
limned human physical variation,
palpated,
measured
and diagnosed.
faculties
dealt
with
abstract
and
hard-The Nazis set up certification
certification
was benign
required
by law.
This
washas
a marvelous
device
for
and
many
practical
to-define personality traits, such as applications. For example, it
practicioners,
and
was their
widelyracial
used. policies. Not measuring up meant denial
institutes
to assess
further
is used to
nutritional
status, to monitor the growth of
firmness,
approbativeness,
of
permission
to
marryhuman
or work,
and forand
many
it meant
the of
death
cautiousness,
children,
to marvelousness,
identify
remains,
forms
the basis
eventuality, spirituality, veneration,
camps.
ergonomics.
amativeness. etc.
condition…..
Never a good source of theory…has
height;
weight;
skin pigmentation; skull
been
mainly
descriptive…important
shape;
girth; ratios
part
of modern
scienceofofmeasurements,
ergonomics.
i.e. the Cephalic Index.
Osteology
Why study bones?
Long
such isas
the
Oftenbones
the question
asked
"Why study
bones?" A few of the
more
Study
of
bone….in
anthropology
with
Now
recognized
in prevention
of to
osteoporosis
tibia
grow
the(shinbone)
way
a tree
obvious
reasons
are
listed
below.
Tibia
provides
a
model
illustrate
emphasis
onknowledge
primates of osteology
Until
recently
our
has
grows…thatThey
isthe
from
the
and
in identification
human
constitute
theof
evidence
for
theof
study
of fossilremains.
man.
process
bone
development:
relatively ignored
ends. UsingThey
databeen
from
(i.e.
Clyde
and classification
Forensic Anthropology)
are the basisSnow
of racial
in prehistory.
various bones, it is possible
They
are theof
means
of biological
comparison
of prehistoric
Bones
are
the
framework
the
vertebrate
body
and
thus
contain
much
to determinepeoples
with some
with
the
present
living
descendents.
information
about man'ssuch
adaptive mechanisms to his environment. The
degree
of confidence
study of evolution
essentially
would
be
impossible
if
bones
were
They
bear
witness
toof
burial
and
thus
give
evidence
At
birth,
human
skeleton
ispatterns
very
small
and
only
There
are
two
kinds
bone
cells….essentially
hard,
things
as
the
approximate
eliminated
as for
a source
of data.
Inworld
summary,
answer
isbones
that bones
the calcified….the
culture
and
view the
of
the
people
studied.
partially
skull
and
other
such
as
outer
bone
cells
that
overlap
one
another,
and
a
soft,
age,
sex,
population
group,
often survive the process of decay and provide the main evidence for the
They
form
the bone
major
source of
information
onalong
ancient
the
tibia
consist
of
a
cartilaginous
model,
and
proceed
spongy
interior
whose
cells
develop
represented.
Based
on
human form after
death.
Skeletal evidence also has the potential tostress
diseases as
andcalcification
often give clues
as to the causes
of death.
to
harden
proceeds
with
age.
provide information
on prehistoric
customs
diseases.
lines andalone,
provide
housing
forand
marrow.
skeletal
material
identification often helps solve forensic cases.
positive I.D.Their
is rare.
Primatology
Study of Primates
Before the 1930’s knowledge of free ranging
primates
was riddled
with “sea stories.”
Early studies
included:
Clarence Ray Carpenter’s studies of Howler Monkeys on Barrio Colorado
Harold Bingham’s studies of the Mountain Gorilla.
island in the Panama Canal Zone.
These were essentially studies in comparative psychology
that employed anthropological field techniques….These
studies were interrupted by WWII.
Primatology
Among
After the
these
warwere:
studies of free ranging primates
were resumed with renewed vigor.
Jane Goodall’s studies among the Chimpanzees
of the Gombe Stream Preserve in NE Tanzania.
Sigourney Weaver, who played Diane Fossey in the
Dian
Fossey’s
studies
movie this
Gorillas
in thevid
Mist,
featured
an Animal
Watch
YouTube
in is
which
JaneinGoodall
addresses
ofspecial:
Mountain
Gorillas in
Planet
the
question:
“What separates us from the apes?”
Volcanic
WhenRuwanda’s
the television
special, Gorillas Revisited, was
Park.stunned when she returned to
aired,National
Weaver was
Rwanda, where she filmed GORILLAS IN THE MIST,
because the gorillas from the movie remembered who
she was.
Human Genetics
Basic Biology
Two types of cells:
body (somatic) cells
and sex cells (gametes)
Human body cells have 23 pairs of
chromosomes (diploid cells). Human sex
cells have half of each pair (haploid cells).
Human Genetics
Basic Biology
When male and female
gametes are combined, the
The term
GENOTYPE
refers to normally
the actual
result,
a zygote,
genetic composition of the person while
develops
into with
a human
the way
a person develops
interaction with the environment is called
being
through
interaction
the PHENOTYPE.
with the environment.
Human Genetics
aka Population Genetics (Microevolution)
Species
Largest set of individuals who can mate
with one another with genetically viable
offspring as a result.
Human Genetics
aka Population Genetics (Microevolution)
Population
(Mendelian population;
breeding population)
Set of individuals who mate with one
another more often than with others.
Human Genetics
Barriers that divide species into populations:
Geographic barriers
Temporal barriers
Psychological barriers
Sociocultural barriers
Human Genetics
The total genetic material of a population is
the Gene Pool of that population.
Evolution is operationally defined as change
in the composition of a gene pool.
Human Genetics
Processes that effect changes in composition of gene pools:
Genetic Drift/Sewell Wright Effect
(founder’s principle is related)
Natural Selection
(i.e. H.B.D. Kettlewell’s pepperback moth study)
Mutation
Cross breeding
EvoDevo (Evolutionary Development
A number of problems in macroevolution that have
not been successfully addressed by microevolution are now
being addressed by molecular geneticists in the field of
evolutionary development (EvoDevo).
EvoDevo demonstrates that evolution alters
developmental
and
networks)
The field of processes
“EvoDevo”,(genes
looking
at gene
development
from
to
create
new
and
novel
structures
from
the
old
gene
an evolutionary standpoint, has provided a great deal of
networksin(such
asyears
bone particularly
structures of
jaw to
information
recent
inthe
regard
deviating to
ossicles
of structures.
the middle The
ear).discovery of a
development
of the
complex
body
set Wikipedia:
of control genes, referred to as the homeotic genes, has
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolutionary_develop
allowed
scientists to understand how complex body plans are
mental_biology
initially
laid out in embryonic stages. The homeotic genes are
a suite of genes found in animals that determine the axes of
embryos, then control how embryos are divided into
segments, and initiate the development of appropriate body
parts in each segment. This system is interesting because it
answers so many developmental questions and also because
it provides a reasonable method for development of radically
different body plans.