Hunting hypothesis
Encyclopedia
In paleoanthropology
, the hunting hypothesis is the hypothesis that human evolution
was primarily influenced by the activity of hunting
for relatively large and fast animals, and that the activity of hunting
distinguished human ancestors from other primate
s.
While it is undisputed that early humans were hunters, the importance of this fact for the final steps in the emergence of the Homo
genus out of earlier Australopithecines, with its bipedalism and production of stone tool
s (from about 2.5 million years ago), and eventually also control of fire (from about 1.5 million years ago), are emphasized in the "hunting hypothesis", and de-emphasized in scenarios that stress the omnivore
status of humans as their recipe for success, and social interaction, including mating behaviour as essential in the emergence of language and culture.
Advocates of the hunting hypothesis tend to believe that tool
use and toolmaking
essential to effective hunting were an extremely important part of human evolution, and trace the origin of language
and religion
to a hunting context.
Paleoanthropology
Paleoanthropology, which combines the disciplines of paleontology and physical anthropology, is the study of ancient humans as found in fossil hominid evidence such as petrifacted bones and footprints.-19th century:...
, the hunting hypothesis is the hypothesis that human evolution
Human evolution
Human evolution refers to the evolutionary history of the genus Homo, including the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species and as a unique category of hominids and mammals...
was primarily influenced by the activity of hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
for relatively large and fast animals, and that the activity of hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
distinguished human ancestors from other primate
Primate
A primate is a mammal of the order Primates , which contains prosimians and simians. Primates arose from ancestors that lived in the trees of tropical forests; many primate characteristics represent adaptations to life in this challenging three-dimensional environment...
s.
While it is undisputed that early humans were hunters, the importance of this fact for the final steps in the emergence of the Homo
Homo (genus)
Homo is the genus that includes modern humans and species closely related to them. The genus is estimated to be about 2.3 to 2.4 million years old, evolving from australopithecine ancestors with the appearance of Homo habilis....
genus out of earlier Australopithecines, with its bipedalism and production of stone tool
Stone tool
A stone tool is, in the most general sense, any tool made either partially or entirely out of stone. Although stone tool-dependent societies and cultures still exist today, most stone tools are associated with prehistoric, particularly Stone Age cultures that have become extinct...
s (from about 2.5 million years ago), and eventually also control of fire (from about 1.5 million years ago), are emphasized in the "hunting hypothesis", and de-emphasized in scenarios that stress the omnivore
Omnivore
Omnivores are species that eat both plants and animals as their primary food source...
status of humans as their recipe for success, and social interaction, including mating behaviour as essential in the emergence of language and culture.
Advocates of the hunting hypothesis tend to believe that tool
Tool
A tool is a device that can be used to produce an item or achieve a task, but that is not consumed in the process. Informally the word is also used to describe a procedure or process with a specific purpose. Tools that are used in particular fields or activities may have different designations such...
use and toolmaking
Toolmaking
The term toolmaking may refer to:* The act of making tools of any kind, from the simplest handtools made of plant fiber or stone, to the most technologically advanced tools. This form of toolmaking is a topic of interest in anthropology. Some non-human animal species also use tools.* Tool and die...
essential to effective hunting were an extremely important part of human evolution, and trace the origin of language
Origin of language
The origin of language is the emergence of language in the human species. This is a highly controversial topic. Empirical evidence is so limited that many regard it as unsuitable for serious scholars. In 1866, the Linguistic Society of Paris went so far as to ban debates on the subject...
and religion
Prehistoric religion
Prehistoric religion is a general term for the religious beliefs and practices of prehistoric peoples. More specifically it encompasses Paleolithic religion, Mesolithic religion, Neolithic religion and Bronze Age religion.-Burial:...
to a hunting context.
See also
- AcheuleanAcheuleanAcheulean is the name given to an archaeological industry of stone tool manufacture associated with early humans during the Lower Palaeolithic era across Africa and much of West Asia, South Asia and Europe. Acheulean tools are typically found with Homo erectus remains...
- Behavioral modernityBehavioral modernityBehavioral modernity is a term used in anthropology, archeology and sociology to refer to a set of traits that distinguish present day humans and their recent ancestors from both living primates and other extinct hominid lineages. It is the point at which Homo sapiens began to demonstrate a...
- Homo ergasterHomo ergasterHomo ergaster is an extinct chronospecies of Homo that lived in eastern and southern Africa during the early Pleistocene, about 2.5–1.7 million years ago.There is still disagreement on the subject of the classification, ancestry, and progeny of H...
- Homo NecansHomo necansHomo Necans: the Anthropology of Ancient Greek Sacrificial Ritual and Myth is a book on ancient Greek religion and mythology by Walter Burkert, which won the Weaver Award for Scholarly Literature, awarded by the Ingersoll Foundation, in 1992...
, an award-winning book whose title translates as "Man the Killer" - Hunter-gathererHunter-gathererA hunter-gatherer or forage society is one in which most or all food is obtained from wild plants and animals, in contrast to agricultural societies which rely mainly on domesticated species. Hunting and gathering was the ancestral subsistence mode of Homo, and all modern humans were...
- Killer ape theoryKiller ape theoryThe killer ape theory or killer ape hypothesis is the theory that war and interpersonal aggression was the driving force behind human evolution...
- Oldowan
External links
- Human Evolution - MSN Encarta (Archived 2009-10-31) and http://www.mnh.si.edu/anthro/humanorigins/faq/Encarta/culture.htm - Discussion of the hunting hypothesis from Encarta
- http://www.indiana.edu/~origins/teach/P380/P380hominid.html