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Biostratigraphy and dating of the petralona human skull
696
ABSTRACTS
particular note is given to the advantages (in terms of increased reproductive fitness) to subadult and post-reproductive individuals as investors of alloparental care. In short, the family is discussed as an adaptive unit by taking a close look at it as a system derived from conditions existing at the early differentiation of the hominids and composed of several different but interdependent subsystems (individuals). The family is viewed from the perspective of each of these subsystems as selfish gene theory suggests is necessary--and discuss the advantages of family co-operation to each participant in terms of relative reproductive fitness, but without resorting to kin selection theory which is seen by the authors as too general to be useful in this connection.
How Can We Trace the Origin of Speech?, by J a n Wind (Institute of H u m a n Genetics, Free University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands) Traditionally, it is assumed that one of the most diagnostic properties of Homo sapiens sapiens is the possession of language. Consequently, the question of its evolutionary origins has frequently been addressed. Until recently, however, the discussions were based on speculations rather than on facts. Fortunately, when focusing on the most common appearance of language, i.e. speech, in the latter decades, increasing opportunities to adduce circumstantial evidence that provides the outlines of a crude reconstruction of its evolutionary origins became available. Speech having a less metaphysical character than language, this became possible by the recent development of various sciences. These i n c l u d e - a p a r t from the traditionally used linguistics--evolutionary biology, palaeontology, comparative ethology, morphology, archaeology, dating methods, microscopics, radiology, biochemistry, and others. All of these assist palaeoanthropologists reconstructing morphology and, often secondarily, behavior. Speech reconstruction than appears to have an even more derived character and, in addition, it is often hampered by semantic problems that have to be solved prior to even formulating--let alone answering--questions like when speech emerged. In this paper a number of the above development and issues are discussed.
Hominization and the Loss of the Oestrus, by D. Kourtovik The subject of this paper is the feedback-relationship between social life of Plio-Pleistocene hominids and the loss ofoestrus by females, with respect to the process ofhominisation. Older and recent views, held by several Western anthropologists, about the loss of oestrus put more emphasis on the sexual life of hominids. These views are compared with other conceptions, especially by some Soviet anthropologists, according to which the loss of oestrus has diminished the importance of sexual bonds for the social organization of humans. A synthesis of these apparently contradicting views will be sought in the life conditions of Plio-Pleistocene hominids in the light of recent findings.
Biostratigraphy and Dating of the Petralona Human Skull, by B. Kurt6n (Department of Geology, University of Helsinki) O n the basis of the fossil Carnivora in Petralona Cave, three successive local faunas can be distinguished. They are as follows. (1) The Crenian fauna, which is the oldest. It is characterized by the taxa Crocuta crocuta praespelaea Schiitt and Hyaena perrieri Croizet and Jobert, both abundant. Similar associations are found, e.g., at Mosbach and at the hominid site of Mauer, in Germany. The h u m a n skull is associated with this local fauna. (2) The Petralonian fauna. It includes Crocuta crocuta praespelaea (abundant) and Hyaena brevirostris Aymard (rare). The same association is found at numerous other sites including the Cromer Forest Bed, Strfinsk~ skfila, S6ssenborn, and Gombasz6g. No trace ofH. perrieri is found. (3) An u n n a m e d faunule found in the superficial levels of the cave. The only hyaenid present is Crocuta crocuta petralonae Kurt4n. All three faunas are found in stratigraphic superposition in the upper branch of the cave. In the lower branch, only the Crenian fauna is found. The h u m a n skull was found in the lower branch and may thus be referred to the Crenian fauna. The possibility of a later intrusion is rejected. Such an intrusion would imply a reopening of this part of the cave, and would be reflected in its faunal content.
On the Phylogenetic Position of the Petralona Skull, by G. N. van Vark (Groningen University, Department of Anatomy and Embryology, EZ Groningen, The Netherlands) When classifying older Hominid specimens on the basis of their morphology, it is customary to rely on visual comparison or to follow an approach which makes use of mathematical methods. The advantage of a mathematlcal procedure is prlmadly that the correlations "between the var~a-bies are discarded. The advantage of
ABSTRACTS
particular note is given to the advantages (in terms of increased reproductive fitness) to subadult and post-reproductive individuals as investors of alloparental care. In short, the family is discussed as an adaptive unit by taking a close look at it as a system derived from conditions existing at the early differentiation of the hominids and composed of several different but interdependent subsystems (individuals). The family is viewed from the perspective of each of these subsystems as selfish gene theory suggests is necessary--and discuss the advantages of family co-operation to each participant in terms of relative reproductive fitness, but without resorting to kin selection theory which is seen by the authors as too general to be useful in this connection.
How Can We Trace the Origin of Speech?, by J a n Wind (Institute of H u m a n Genetics, Free University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands) Traditionally, it is assumed that one of the most diagnostic properties of Homo sapiens sapiens is the possession of language. Consequently, the question of its evolutionary origins has frequently been addressed. Until recently, however, the discussions were based on speculations rather than on facts. Fortunately, when focusing on the most common appearance of language, i.e. speech, in the latter decades, increasing opportunities to adduce circumstantial evidence that provides the outlines of a crude reconstruction of its evolutionary origins became available. Speech having a less metaphysical character than language, this became possible by the recent development of various sciences. These i n c l u d e - a p a r t from the traditionally used linguistics--evolutionary biology, palaeontology, comparative ethology, morphology, archaeology, dating methods, microscopics, radiology, biochemistry, and others. All of these assist palaeoanthropologists reconstructing morphology and, often secondarily, behavior. Speech reconstruction than appears to have an even more derived character and, in addition, it is often hampered by semantic problems that have to be solved prior to even formulating--let alone answering--questions like when speech emerged. In this paper a number of the above development and issues are discussed.
Hominization and the Loss of the Oestrus, by D. Kourtovik The subject of this paper is the feedback-relationship between social life of Plio-Pleistocene hominids and the loss ofoestrus by females, with respect to the process ofhominisation. Older and recent views, held by several Western anthropologists, about the loss of oestrus put more emphasis on the sexual life of hominids. These views are compared with other conceptions, especially by some Soviet anthropologists, according to which the loss of oestrus has diminished the importance of sexual bonds for the social organization of humans. A synthesis of these apparently contradicting views will be sought in the life conditions of Plio-Pleistocene hominids in the light of recent findings.
Biostratigraphy and Dating of the Petralona Human Skull, by B. Kurt6n (Department of Geology, University of Helsinki) O n the basis of the fossil Carnivora in Petralona Cave, three successive local faunas can be distinguished. They are as follows. (1) The Crenian fauna, which is the oldest. It is characterized by the taxa Crocuta crocuta praespelaea Schiitt and Hyaena perrieri Croizet and Jobert, both abundant. Similar associations are found, e.g., at Mosbach and at the hominid site of Mauer, in Germany. The h u m a n skull is associated with this local fauna. (2) The Petralonian fauna. It includes Crocuta crocuta praespelaea (abundant) and Hyaena brevirostris Aymard (rare). The same association is found at numerous other sites including the Cromer Forest Bed, Strfinsk~ skfila, S6ssenborn, and Gombasz6g. No trace ofH. perrieri is found. (3) An u n n a m e d faunule found in the superficial levels of the cave. The only hyaenid present is Crocuta crocuta petralonae Kurt4n. All three faunas are found in stratigraphic superposition in the upper branch of the cave. In the lower branch, only the Crenian fauna is found. The h u m a n skull was found in the lower branch and may thus be referred to the Crenian fauna. The possibility of a later intrusion is rejected. Such an intrusion would imply a reopening of this part of the cave, and would be reflected in its faunal content.
On the Phylogenetic Position of the Petralona Skull, by G. N. van Vark (Groningen University, Department of Anatomy and Embryology, EZ Groningen, The Netherlands) When classifying older Hominid specimens on the basis of their morphology, it is customary to rely on visual comparison or to follow an approach which makes use of mathematical methods. The advantage of a mathematlcal procedure is prlmadly that the correlations "between the var~a-bies are discarded. The advantage of