ANTH 3401 is also offered in Fall 2024
ANTH 3401 is also offered in Fall 2023
ANTH 3401 is also offered in Fall 2022
ANTH 3401 is also offered in Fall 2021
Fall 2024 | ANTH 3401 Section 001: The Human Fossil Record (18718)
- Instructor(s)
- No instructor assigned
- Class Component:
- Laboratory
- Credits:
- 3 Credits
- Grading Basis:
- A-F only
- Instructor Consent:
- No Special Consent Required
- Instruction Mode:
- In Person
- Meets With:
ANTH 5401 Section 001
- Times and Locations:
Regular Academic Session
Mon,
Wed 01:00PM - 02:15PM
UMTC, West Bank
Blegen Hall 317
- Enrollment Status:
Open (19 of 25 seats filled)
- Also Offered:
- Course Catalog Description:
- Fossil evidence paleoanthropologist's use to reconstruct human evolutionary history. Taxonomy, phylogeny, behavior, ecology, tool use, land use, biogeography. Hands-on examination of fossil casts, readings from primary/secondary professional sources. prereq: ANTH 1001 or instr consent
- Class Description:
- This class will focus on the diversity of specimens and species that inform us about human evolutionary history. Knowledge about the biology, ecology, and behavior of our ancestors occurs almost entirely through the fragments of fossilized bone that are preserved over millions of years and from principles gleaned from the modern world. Indeed, while we begin to see evidence of human culture around 2.5 million years ago, it is only in the last 100,000
years that cultural artifacts transcend lithic technologies. Nevertheless, we can learn a great deal about our ancestors by studying the shapes of their bony features, the fauna and flora with which they co-existed, even the frequency and dispersal of their skeletal elements. Each datum gives us new insight into our past, our present, and what it means to be human. In this course we will explore human evolutionary history by reading some of the primary scientific articles that describe our ancestors. We will focus our seminar readings on major hypotheses about causes of changes over the course of human evolution. The detailed evidence, as expressed in fossil specimens and the paleoenvironmental and archaeological records will be covered as well in the form of individual specimen/site reports.
- Grading:
- Two exams (one in-class midterm, one take-home final), in-class participation during discussions, short active reading assignments, and a site/specimen report (3 page paper and 10 minute presentation)
- Textbooks:
- https://bookstores.umn.edu/course-lookup/18718/1249
- Instructor Supplied Information Last Updated:
- 17 July 2015
ClassInfo Links - Fall 2024 Anthropology Classes