Course objectives:
Introduction to the basic principles and mechanisms of hominid evolution. Review of the main areas and placement of hominid evolution in modern science. Awareness of the position and time frame of hominids on the evolutionary scale. To differ the terms hominoids, hominids and hominins. Understanding the position and emergence of modern humans on the evolutionary scale and effective communication on the given topics. To analyze the ecological terms and the change of life terms during the hominid evolution. To enable a direct and practical approach to the given topics and to bring the argumented conclusions.
Course content:
1. Lectures: Basic terms of biological evolution.
Seminar: Evolution as a scietific discipline and its historical context.
2. Lectures: Paleoanthropological evidences of evolution. The best known hominid fossils.
Seminar: Scientists and discoverers of hominid fossils.
3. Lectures: Chronology in hominid evolution.
Seminar: Databases and literature reserach.
4. Lectures: Hominoids, hominids, hominins. Parameters in hominization.
Seminar: Modern methods in hominid fossils reserach.
5. Lectures: Sahelanthropus tchadensis, Orrorin tugenensis, Ardipithecus ramidus ramidus, Ardipithecus ramidus kadabba.
Seminar: Hominids and the environment.
6. Lectures: Australopithecus anamensis, Australopithecus afarensis, Australopithecus africanus, Australopithecus bahr el ghazali, Australpithecus platyops.
Seminar: Mechanisms of bipendalism development.
7. Lectures: Australopithecus robustus, Australopithecus aethiopicus, Australopithecus garhi, Australopithecus boisei, Australopithecus sediba.
Seminar: Bipedalism, advantages and disadvantages.
8. Lectures: Gracile and robust autralopithecines.
Seminar: Video material, australopithecines.
9. Lectures: Emergence and development of genus Homo.
Seminar: Scientific literature from the field of hominid evolution.
10. Lectures: Homo rudolfensis, Homo habilis, Homo ergaster, Homo erectus, Oldowan and Achuelan cultures. First tools and weapons.
Seminar: Homind fossile sites worldwide.
11. Lectures: The first Europeans. Homo heidelbergensis, Homo antecessor.
Seminar: Croatian fossile sites.
12. Lectures: Homo neanderthalensis. Mousterian culture.
Seminar: Neanderthal sites (worldwide).
13. Lectures: Krapina neanderthals. Vindija neanderthals. Dragutin Gorjanović Kramberger. Mirko Malez.
Seminar: Croatian neanderthal sites.
14. Lectures: Homo sapiens, Homo sapiens sapiens. Hominid migrations.
Seminar: Video material, neanderthals.
15. Lectures: Cave art, figurines art. Prehistoric cultures worldwide. Prehistoric cultures in Croatia.
Seminar: Inventions in hominid evolution.
Possible visits: Institute for Quaternary Paleontology and Geology (HAZU), Archaeological museum
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