Overview

The record of man's early evolution, though still fragmentary, is more complete on the African continent than anywhere else in the world. The ecological context of this evolution, however, has been studied intensively only in recent years. This pioneering volume draws together eminent specialists from many fields--physical anthropologists, zoologists, geologists, paleontologists, and prehistorians--who summarize here the results of their diverse research on Pleistocene environments and the cultural and biological evolution of man in Africa. This volume was sponsored by the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research Inc., which met at Burg Wartenstein, Austria. The editors have field experience in Africa, especially eastern and equatorial Africa. This experience is coupled with their awareness of the need to integrate results of numerous field studies bearing on the biological-behavioral evolution of higher primates with other field studies on the paleoecology and the mammalian ecology of sub-Saharan Africa. The book includes contributions on Pleistocene stratigraphy and climatic changes throughout the African continent; on the origin and evolution of the earliest man-like creatures in Africa; on the dating, distribution, and adaptation of Pleistocene hunter-gatherer peoples; and on the ecology, biology, and social behavior of African primate and human populations. The chapters reflect vividly the state of current knowledge at the time and indicate paths for future research. Over 100 maps and figures, detailed bibliographies, and a comprehensive index contribute to the importance of the volume for basic reference use.

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9780202361369

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<p> This interesting volume explores what is known of the ecological background of the origins and later evolution of early man in Africa, especially in relation to what can be inferred on present evidence about Pleistocene environments in Africa.... This is a useful book covering a wide variety of interesting topics, with a refreshingly biological approach to human prehistory. <p> --R. M. Laws, Journal of Applied Ecology <p> The greatest value of this volume is in emphasizing how hypotheses for testing against paleoanthropological evidence can be derived from viewing man as part of the ecosystem. <p> --Maxine R. Kleindienst, American Anthropologist <p> Ecologists will especially value the present volume for its deliberate focus on the interaction between related areas within biological, geological, and social sciences. <p> --Paul S. Martin, Ecology <p> [T]his volume contains a great amount of data highly important for future students of African prehistory. <p> --Alfred S. Romer, The Quarterly Review of Biology <p> [I]ndisputable usefulness as a major reference work on African prehistory. The wide variety of topics, the tables that summarize current opinions on stratigraphic chronology, the maps that outline climates, distribution of mammals, vegetation and fossil sites, the informal (and occasionally unfortunate) comments of respected field workers on the relative values of data presented, the difficulties inherent in problems yet to be solved, the obvious transition to a biological approach in human paleontological and archeological thinking and techniques--these are the things that will make this volume a sought-after reference by students of African prehistory, and of human evolution in general. <p> --Ronald Singer, Science

Author Information

F. Clark Howell is professor emeritus of paleoanthropology at the University of California, Berkeley where he is co-director of the Laboratory of Human Studies. He is also curator at The University of California Museum of Paleontology. Francois Bourliere (1913-1993) was professor of physiology at the University of Paris. He is also credited with founding the Gerontology Research Unit of Institute of Health and Medical Research and was a member of Paris hospitals.

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