Summarizing modern research on early hominid evolution from the apes six million years ago to the emergence of modern humans, this book is the first to present a synthetic discussion of many aspects of early human life.
Bo Gräslund was Professor of Archeaology at Uppsala University, Sweden from 1985 - 2000.
Innehållsförteckning
Foreword. 1. The Tangible Past Time Perspectives Family Ties Biological Heritage Sociobiology 2. The Evolution of Human Social Life The Theory of Kin Selection General Critique Avoiding Inbreeding The Influence of Close Contact Infanticide Caring for the Young of Others Reproductive Altruism and Warning Cries Colony Insects Parenting Basic Human Social Structure 3. Next of Kin Present Day Apes Our Last Quadruped Ancestors 4. Traces of the Early Humans Terminology Evaluating the Sources Pre-Homo Sub-Homo From Early Homo to Homo Sapiens in Africa Developed Homo outside Africa 5. Becoming Human On Two Legs The Savannah Hypothesis The Aquatic Hypothesis The State of Research 6. Evolutionary Tools and the Path to Humanity Bipedalism Early Homo Modern Humans 7. A New Sexual Pattern When Oestrus was Lost Menstruation and Ovulation The End of Oestrus Signals The Female Orgasm The Female Genitals A New Sexual Behaviour Neotene Selection The Penis Bisexuality 8. Intellect and Language Brain and Language Modern Language Cranial Fossils and Archaeological Material Anatomical Prerequisites Apes and Tools Apes and Language Latent Linguistic Capacity at the Division of the Species When and Why did Articulated Speech Come About? Proto-language The Spread of Language 9. Ways of Life and Social Structure Diet Nutrition and Hygiene Subsistence and Settlement Population Size Social Organisation Social Norms and Morality Domination, Aggression and Violence Bibliography.
