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What Is Anthropology?
Overview
Anthropology confronts basic questions of human existence and survival.
How we originated. How we have changed. How we are changing still.
Anthropology is holistic
Interested in the whole of the human condition
Past, present, and future Biology Society Language Culture
Subfields
Cultural anthropology examines cultural diversity of the present and recent past.
Archaeology reconstructs behavior by studying material remains
General Anthropology
Sound conclusions about human nature cannot be derived from studying a single nation, society, or cultural tradition
2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Archeological Anthropology
Study of human behavior and cultural patterns and process through material remains
Artifacts (e.g., potsherds, jewelry, and tools) Garbage Burials Remains of structures
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Asian Humans
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Genetic Diversity
Humanity had a recent origin African origin Small population that rapidly expanded recently
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Mitochondrial DNA
Humanity originated less than 150,000 ya Small population of women Single location (Africa)
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Origin of Man
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Notes
Modern humans originated recently from a small population at a single geographic location Modern culture and religious expression appeared suddenly and dramatically Modern humans are not descended from Neandertals