| Acheulean handaxe | Symmetrical stone tool of the
later Lower Paleolithic. The bifacially flaked,
teardrop-shaped, all-purpose handaxe dates to as
early as 1.4 million years ago in Africa. There, and
after about 1.0 million B.P. in Europe, the handaxe
was manufactured by members of the species
Homo erectus.
|
 |
|
|
| altricial | The condition of being born at an immature
stage of development. The term originated in
ornithology to describe bird species in which
hatchlings are entirely dependent on one or both
parents for all of their needs for an extended period.
Used here to describe a similar circumstance
in hominid species, both ancient and modern.
|
|
|
|
| cortex | The exterior surface or rind of a core, usually
removed in the process of stone-tool manufacturing.
|
|
|
|
| epiphysis | (pl., epiphyses) The long-bone endcap.
The epiphyses join at the ends of the diaphysis of
each long bone.
|
|
|
|
| foraminifera | Microscopic marine organisms whose
exoskeletons are used in the analysis of the oxygen
isotope ratio in seawater. This ratio varies in proportion
to the amount of the earth’s water that is
contained in land-based ice fields.
|
|
|
|
| glacial | Period of ice advance during the Pleistocene
epoch. Glacials generally last many thousands of
years. Cold glacials were interrupted by equally
long warmer periods called interglacials.
|
|
|
|
| glacier | A massive body of ice that, through a number
of processes, can expand and move.
|
|
|
|
| Holocene Epoch | The recent and current geological
epoch. The Holocene followed the Pleistocene and
represents a break with glacial climates.
|
|
|
|
| interglacial | A period during the Pleistocene when
glacial ice melted and temperature ameliorated. Interglacials
lasted for thousands of years and were
preceded and followed by glacials.
|
|
|
|
| interstadial | A short period during a glacial when
glacial ice melted and temperature increased.
|
|
|
|
| Movius Line | Geographic division, running through
central India, that marks the break between the
manufacture of handaxes by Homo erectus populations
to the west and less symmetrical chopping
tools to the east.
|
|
|
|
| occipital | The area at the rear of the skull. In ancient
hominids, the occipital area tends to be massive
and robust. In anatomically modern human beings,
the occipital tends to be smooth and gracile.
|
|
|
|
| Pleistocene Epoch | The geological epoch beginning
about 1.6 million years ago and ending about
10,000 years ago. It was marked by a succession of
colder periods, or glacials, interrupted by warmer
periods, or interglacials.
|
|
|
|
| preform | A partially worked core, flake, or blade. In
a preform, the first general steps have been made
in producing a tool.
|
|
|
|
| sexual dimorphism | Differences in the form and
size of the two sexes. Among most primates, the
male tends to be larger and physically more powerful
than the female.
|
|
|
|
| stadial | A short period of increased glaciation. Stadials
can occur during either glacials or interglacials
and are separated by interstadials.
|
|
|
|
| supraorbital torus | A continuous, projecting ridge
of bone above and across the eye orbits. Commonly
seen in modern apes and in ancient hominids,
it is lacking in anatomically modern
human beings, though less conspicuous brow
ridges are present in some individuals.
|
2003 McGraw-Hill Higher Education