1. Premodern Homo Sapiens: The rise and fall of the Neanderthals. Chapter 5 (select pages—pp. 138-158 Stop at “Anatomically Modern Homo sapiens
Fossil hominin records show that great changes in human evolution began over 500,000 years ago. The changes were characterized by the expansion of the brain and fossils looked more modern assuming the Homo Sapiens category. Homo sapiens were classified as “archaic” or “premodern”. The Neanderthal is the best-known archaic Homo sapiens. When modern human beings came to contact with premodern humans they replaced them. This was confirmed through the deductive test of evidence that used genetic evidence, skeletal, and artifacts. All human beings have equal physical and intellectual abilities even though people tend to have different artistic talents, athletic prosperities, and math and writing abilities.
The existence of premodern humans can be proved using fossil and cultural evidence. Currently, the number of specimens regarding the existence of hominin species held by paleoanthropologists is extremely small. In Europe and Asia, the extremely important specimen has been discovered in places like Steinheim, Petralona, Arago, and Jinnuishan. The specimen has common autonomic features. The cultural evidence is proved by Levallois stone-tool industry. Core tools produced during the premodern Homo-sapiens period were flakes that were redefined to make tools for specific tasks. This Levallois technique was applied in making stone tools and made it more efficient for humans to use stone tools. Stone tools that are likely hafted onto shafts dated over 500,000 years ago have been discovered in southern Africa.
The existence of Neandertals can be proved using morphological evidence. This shows Neandertals as big dump guys. Neandertals had tiny-brained cavemen and their cranial capabilities ranged between 1300cc to 1600cc. The brain of Neandertals surpasses that of modern human beings whose cranial capability is 1450cc. Neandartals were short and stocky. The remains of Neandertals are dated 80,000 to 40,000 years ago with sites in Europe and southern Asia.
2. Anatomically Modern Humans aka Homo sapiens sapiens.
Chapter 5 (select pages—pp. 158-179)
Modern Homo sapiens had variations from the premodern humans. These differences were discovered between 500,000 and 150,000 years ago. This evidence is used to describe the precise sequence of human evolution. Evolution resulted in changes in the human anatomy that ended up in the modern Homo sapiens. Evidence of the anatomical evolution of modern Homo sapiens has been discovered in Africa through fossil evidence. This fossil evidence of the evolution of modern Homo sapiens is dated about 200,000 years ago.
The evidence of the existence of modern Homo sapiens can be proved through fossils discovered in Africa like Bodo around 600,000 years ago, Ileret 300,000 years ago, and Ndutu 200,000 years ago. These tools are linked to the Homo erectus stage of human evolution. Homo erectus were primitive and had large brow ridges, a small cranium, a jut lower face, and a forehead that slopped backward. As time moved forward evidence showed changes in fossil characteristics that proved the transition from premodern to modern-looking human beings. Evidence discovered in places like Ngaloba in Tanzania, and Jebel Irhoud in Morocco proved to have greater brains, flat faces, smaller brow ridges, and round crania. The anatomy of the discovered fossils resembled modern humans.
Modern behavior is somehow linked to those of Neandetals. The Neandartals buried the dead just like the modern man. The fact that Neandartals had common practices with modern human beings’ archeological records that viewed them as unintelligent can be considered as a mischaracterization. Skeletons of an anatomically modern man have also been discovered in Israel and the remains are dated 96,000 and 119,000 years ago. Stone tools dated 123,000 years ago have features that match the anatomy of modern man. Sites, where stone tools for modern man have been discovered, are Jebel Faya in Saudi Arabia. This evidence can mean ancient Africans migrate over water to the Arabian Peninsula.