Becoming Human: Introduction to Biological and Archeological Anthropology

Catalog description

Where do we come from, and what makes us human? This course takes students on a journey spanning more than seven million years of human biological and cultural evolution, from our earliest primate ancestors, to the emergence and spread of modern Homo sapiens around the globe, and through the origins of states and empires. Through engagement with major fossil and archaeological discoveries, we will explore how anthropologists piece together the story of our species: examining debates around the human fossil record, surveying human biological variation, the concept of race, primate biology and conservation, and the deep prehistory of human culture and society. Weekly laboratory sessions bring this story to life through hands-on activities with fossil casts, artifacts, and comparative materials. This course is an ideal entry point into the fields of biological anthropology and anthropological archaeology (and sometimes a prerequisite for upper-level courses in these areas), and an invitation to see yourself and your species with fresh eyes. Students must select and sign up for one 80-minute weekly lab section.