Southern Africa and modern human origins

Authors
Citation
Rg. Klein, Southern Africa and modern human origins, J ANTHR RES, 57(1), 2001, pp. 1-16
Citations number
60
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Sociology & Antropology
Journal title
JOURNAL OF ANTHROPOLOGICAL RESEARCH
ISSN journal
0091-7710 → ACNP
Volume
57
Issue
1
Year of publication
2001
Pages
1 - 16
Database
ISI
SICI code
0091-7710(200121)57:1<1:SAAMHO>2.0.ZU;2-O
Abstract
Together with human fossils from eastern and northern Africa, southern Afri can specimens show that anatomically modern or near-modern people were pres ent by 100,000 years ago, when only the Neandertals occupied Europe and dif ferent, equally nonmodern people lived in eastern Asia. However, the artifa cts found with early modern or near-modern African fossils imply nonmodern, Neandertal-like behavior. Artifactual markers of fully modern behavior app eared in Africa between 50,000 and 40,000 years ago, and only then M,erp mo dern Africans able to expand to Eurasia, where they swamped or replaced the Neandertals and other nonmodern humans. Archaeological food debris from th e western and southern coasts of South Africa suggest that an enhanced abil ity to hunt and gather accompanied the artifactual ah anc e after 50,000 ye ars ago.