Question

How has our cultural behaviour affected how we evolved from archaic hominins to modern humans?

What did our ancestors achieve that they would not have otherwise were it not for our
cultural adaptations?

Answer 1

ANSWER 1 :-

1. First of all, I would like to highlight how cultures existed in the previous hominins communities such as Homo heidelbergensis and Homo neanderthalensis. Culture should include their interactions basically as they would form a group and hunt. They used various mechanised and well crafted tools for hunting as well as for other associated activities. Although, these tools were being modified in an evolutionary manner depending upon three important traditions that were being followed in the order of Oldowan, Acheulian and ultimately the Mousterian which was ultimately followed by the pre-existing Homo sapiens.
2. These are basically considered as cultural adaptations as one traditional ultimately improved and developed into a new subset which led to greater improvements in hunting, eating lifestyle and communication. This reflects human evolution of complex brain.
3. During the Oldowan to Mousterian transition, one prominent event that occured was flaking of the tools from the stone. This was supposed to be an important event into making a tool work according to the needs. Most important technique used was the Levallois method in which the stones were provided with many flakes along the length with curved edges on either sides. Ultimately, one side was being flattened resulting into a tool that was being used extensively for slaughtering purposes. The Neanderthals were more involved into development of such equipments and can be seen in the form of flakes tools like knives, and even spears.
4. The spears produced during the Mousterian traditions has stony edges which were pointed and flakes which provided an upperhand during hunting sessions and at the same time were also used to defend.
5. Although, in case of more ancient hominins, the spears were not prominently pointed and restricted their use only for predation preference. This was the ultimate way which initiated cultural adaptations and modernisation that led to evolution in terms of ways of hunting and communicating.
6. Although, the traditions also marked some important events which cannot be highlighted due to lack of substantial evidence to support but can be indicated in the form of use of better shelters and clothings that suited their lifestyle until they became extinct post evolutionary changes that led to modern humans.

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