Imagine you are a paleoanthropologist. You have found a fossil that dates to 45 kya in Europe, and it has a cranial capacity of 1,400 cc and a chin and is associated with Aurignacian tools. How would you classify this specimen?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The cranial capacity of 1,400 cc indicates that this specimen had a large brain, comparable to that of modern humans. The presence of a chin is also a characteristic feature of Homo sapiens. Finally, the association with Aurignacian tools suggests that this specimen was part of a population that was already exhibiting behaviors and culture that are typically associated with anatomically modern humans. Therefore, this specimen is most likely an early representative of Homo sapiens in Europe.

Imagine You Are a Paleoanthropologist