ANTH 150 : Human Origins
This course introduces students to biological anthropology and anthropological archaeology – those
portions of the discipline concerned with human prehistory and continuing human development. The course examines
reconstructions of the human record based on fossil and artifact-based evidence of human biological and cultural
change over time. It considers various theories of human biological evolution and the emergence of culture –
humanity’s unique ecological niche. The course examines the origins and development of world civilizations, and
takes a critical look at theories that try to explain the development of social complexity.