Overview

On his death, Arthur Boucot (1924–2017) left an unfinished manuscript in which he surveyed the skeletal, behavioural, and cultural changes that have characterized Homo from its first recognition in the Late Pliocene to the present. The subjects he treated were as varied as the preparation of food for infants, the length of intestines, hafting, plastering, use of flint and metals, the domestication of grains and animals, and the prevalence of parasitic diseases. His text repeatedly notes the difficulties imposed by the enormous gaps in both fossil and archaeological records. Boucot deduced a continuity in basic human behaviours from the Oldowan and Acheulian into modern forms, and made a point of including Neandertals and Denisovans. But he also pointed out that morphological changes in successive species of Homo do not coincide in time with major changes in lithic technologies. Boucot concluded that a quantum evolutionary gap separates hominins from the great apes: that members of our line were sapient and had been using language long before they became sapiens. In his text he also indicates his concern for changes to the environment wrought by human activities. The results of this late-life effort, edited after his death, provide a heavily referenced sourcebook for future workers in diverse fields.

Full Product Details

Author:   Arthur J. Boucot ,  John M. Saul ,  John B. Southard
Publisher:   Archaeopress
Imprint:   Archaeopress
Weight:   0.629kg
ISBN:  

9781789699036

ISBN 10:   1789699037
Pages:   252
Publication Date:   20 May 2021
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

Preface ; Introduction ; Thesis ; First Appearance of ‘New’ Behaviors or New Technologies? ; Taxonomy ; Quantum Evolution ; Data ; Summary ; Skeletal Features ; Soft-Tissue Evidence with Some Skeletal Basis ; Soft-Tissue Evidence Supported by Molecular Information ; Soft Tissue Variables with No Skeletal Evidence ; Behavioral Features ; Physiological Features ; Food Processing ; Sources of Food ; Evidence for Cultivation ; Cooking ; Gathering and Processing Fruits, Seeds, and other Edible Plant Parts ; Hunting and Fishing ; Farming ; Water Resources ; Human-Waste Disposal, Rubbish Disposal, Baths, and Drainage ; Behavioral–Technological Innovations ; Tools and Materials ; Warfare and Interpersonal Violence ; Textiles, Clothing, Basketry, Matting, Wooden Containers ; Property ; Trading and Transport of Materials ; Transportation ; Fire ; Architecture ; Measurements and Numbers ; Scales, Balances, Weights ; Religion ; Care of the Handicapped ; Communication ; Art ; Conclusions ; Bibliography

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Author Information

Arthur James Boucot (1924-2017) was an internationally renowned paleontologist, a former President of the Paleontological Society (1980-1981), and the recipient of numerous awards and medals. His seven-decade career involved fieldwork that covered all continents, including Antarctica, resulting in over 500 peer-reviewed publications and books.

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