Question 1

As indicated by the East African specimens, Homo erectus was sexually

Accepted Answer

Homo erectus specimens indicate sexual dimorphism, meaning there were significant physical differences between males and females of the species, such as size or appearance.

Question 2

Sometime close to 2 mya something decisive occurred in human evolution; for the first time, h ominins expanded widely out of

Accepted Answer

Around 2 million years ago, hominins began to migrate out of Africa, marking a significant event in human evolution known as the "Out of Africa" migration.

Question 3

The Gona pelvis is very different from the Nariokotome pelvis and is unusual for its considerable

Accepted Answer

The Gona pelvis is noted for its considerable width, which is a distinguishing feature compared to the Nariokotome pelvis.

Question 4

More than 100,000 artifacts have been recovered from this vast site, which was occupied intermittently for many thousands of years.

Accepted Answer

Zhoukoudian is a significant archaeological site in China where over 100,000 artifacts have been discovered. It was intermittently occupied for thousands of years and is most famous for the discovery of Peking Man, a key example of Homo erectus.

Question 5

The Dmanisi findings suggest that the first hominins to leave Africa carried with them a typical African ____________stone culture.

Accepted Answer

The Dmanisi findings, which are archaeological sites in Georgia, suggest that the first hominins to leave Africa brought with them the Oldowan stone culture. The Oldowan is recognized as a typical African stone tool industry associated with early humans.

Question 6

The other sites from Ethiopia have yielded Homo erectus fossils, the most noteworthy coming from

Accepted Answer

Gona and Daka are significant archaeological sites in Ethiopia where Homo erectus fossils have been discovered, highlighting the importance of this region in understanding human evolution.

Question 7

Of the sites listed below, which one is the Homo erectus site that provides the longest record of habitation?

Accepted Answer

Zhoukoudian is known for providing the longest record of Homo erectus habitation, with evidence suggesting continuous or recurrent habitation over a substantial period during the Pleistocene.

Question 8

There is nearly universal agreement that the hominins found outside of Africa are all members of the genus

Accepted Answer

The hominins found outside of Africa are universally recognized as members of the genus Homo, which includes modern humans and our closest extinct relatives.

Question 9

Analysis of the stone artifacts from Zhoukoudian indicate that the tools from

Accepted Answer

The later stages of the stone artifacts from Zhoukoudian indicate that the tools are small and the tool materials are of better quality than the previous stages.

Question 10

Evidence from Zhoukoudian suggests that Homo erectus

Accepted Answer

Evidence from Zhoukoudian indicates that Homo erectus intermittently occupied the area, rather than living there continuously or engaging in settled agriculture, building wooden structures, or keeping domesticated animals.

Question 11

The discoveries of what we now refer to as Homo erectus go back to the _____ century.

Accepted Answer

The discoveries of Homo erectus, which significantly impacted our understanding of human evolution, date back to the 19th century.

Question 12

Fossil remains of 40 or more Homo erectus individuals and thousands of artifacts have been found at

Accepted Answer

Zhoukoudian is a significant archaeological site in China where numerous Homo erectus fossils, known as "Peking Man," and thousands of stone tools and other artifacts have been discovered.

Question 13

All the early hominins were restricted to

Accepted Answer

Early hominins, including species like Australopithecus, were primarily found in Africa, where much of human evolution is thought to have occurred.

Question 14

The earliest of the East African Homo erectus fossils come from

Accepted Answer

The earliest of the East African Homo erectus fossils have been found in East Turkana, which is part of the Turkana Basin in Kenya. This area is significant for paleoanthropology and has yielded numerous important fossil finds related to early human ancestors.

Question 15

The early Homo species for which we have the most evidence, both physically and culturally, is called

Accepted Answer

Homo erectus is the early Homo species for which we have the most evidence, both physically and culturally. This species is known for its use of tools and is believed to be one of the first to use fire and to have a social structure.

Question 16

All the original Homo erectus fossils discovered at Zhoukoudian during the 1920s and 1930s

Accepted Answer

The original Homo erectus fossils discovered at Zhoukoudian during the 1920s and 1930s disappeared during World War II under circumstances that remain unclear to this day.

Question 17

Homo erectus projecting nuchal torus is located directly at the back of the

Accepted Answer

The projecting nuchal torus of Homo erectus is a ridge of bone located at the back of the skull, which served as an attachment point for the neck muscles.

Question 18

Which type of tools are characterized by a large proportion of bifacial elements?

Accepted Answer

Acheulian tools are characterized by a large proportion of bifacial elements, such as hand axes and cleavers, which were worked on both sides to create a symmetrical shape. This technology represents a significant advancement in the complexity and efficiency of stone tools, dating from about 1.76 million years ago to about 130,000 years ago.

Question 19

One aspect in which Asian H. erectus differ from East African H. erectus is that fossils found in Asia have ______________ cranial bones.

Accepted Answer

Asian H. erectus fossils typically have thicker cranial bones compared to their East African counterparts. This difference is one of the notable distinctions in their physical anthropology.

Question 20

Although Homo erectus differs in several respects from both early Homo and Homo sapiens , the most obvious feature is

Accepted Answer

The most obvious feature that distinguishes Homo erectus from both early Homo species and Homo sapiens is cranial size. Homo erectus had a significantly larger brain size compared to earlier hominins, marking a key step in human evolution.

Quiz 11: The First Dispersal of the Genus Homo: Homo Erectus and Contemporaries