Chapter 3: Africa and Human Origins

The origins and early dispersal of Homo sapiens sapiens, our direct ancestor, is a matter of controversy. Questions: When did Homo sapiens sapiens first appear? Where did the transition between homo sapiens sapiens and archaic homo take place? Two major theories: The Multiregional Hypothesis and the out of Africa model or Complete Replacement Model (Recent African Evolution).

The Out of Africa (or Recent African Evolution) Model

Postulates that the origins of modern humans is in Africa: anatomically modern humans emerged in Africa around 200,000 years ago, later migrated from Africa and replaced populations in Europe and Asia. Thus the transition between archaic Homo sapiens to modern Homo sapiens took place in Africa and only in Africa.

Homo sapiens sapiens is the result of a speciation. As a different species, Homo sapiens sapiens could not have
interbred with other populations.

The Out of Africa Model (continued)

This model has been reinforced by the use of genetic data (analysis of Mitochondrial DNA). Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is inherited only through the mother.

Family trees constructed from mitochondrial DNA seem to show that the world human population in its entirety descended from a single African mother.

The out of Africa Model (continued)

Further evidence suggests that the Complete Replacement Model has gained more credence. Genetic studies have shown that there is much variation among Africans than in other contemporary human populations. It has also been shown that Neanderthals MTdna has a distinct nature, different from that of Homo sapiens sapiens. Thus the idea that Neanderthals could not have mixed with Homo sapiens but only could have been replaced.

The Multiregional Hypothesis

Postulates that all populations of archaic H. sapiens derive from earlier populations of H. erectus from the same regions. There has been a continuity between archaic H. sapiens and anatomically modern humans in every region of the world (indigenous evolution). The physical and genetic similarities between modern humans is the result of a gene flow (from migrations). Consequently, modern humans are not a distinct species as compared to archaic forms.

Concluding remarks

The earliest Homo sapiens sapiens and their ancestors can all be found in Africa. Shillington: They were probably brown-skinned and similar in appearance to one or more of the many variations of African peoples today. (P.5). The same hypothesis has been made earlier (in 1974) by the Senegalese historian and anthropologist Cheikh Anta Diop. The present-day races are the result of adaptation to various environments.