Verified Document

Human Ecology And Evolution Research Paper

Human Evolution and Ecology Meadowcroft Rockshelter is an excavated archaeological site for human remains located near the Avella in the Washington County at Jefferson Township in the southwestern part of Pennsylvania in the United States. The site is a rock shelter that is overlooking the bluff Cross Greek of the Ohio River. Typically, the site is located 27 miles of the west-southwest of Pittsburg within the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The site was created by the Monongahela Culture in 1570, which was operated within the Heinz History Center. Moreover, the artifacts of the site reveal that the site may be inhabited for over 19,000 years ago, which was since the times of Paleo-Indian.

Objective of this paper is to apply the scientific method to investigate the impact of humans on ecosystems and biodiversity of the paleontological data of the Meadowcroft Rockshelter excavated archaeological site in the United States. The paper also evaluates the findings from the linguistic, genetic and paleontological point-of-view to explore the changes within the geographical distribution innovation (tool use), gene expression, language and culture (architecture, art) within and across human societies.

Impact of Human on Meadowcroft Rockshelter excavation archaeological site

The human occupancy at the Meadowcroft Rockshelter excavated site dated back to 16,000 and 19,000 years ago. However, there is still a controversy on the exact date based on the recent survey conducted by the Society for American Archaeology where 38% of the American archaeologists support the early date and 20% reject the date. However, if the early date is authentic, the site will be the oldest archaeological site in the North America. (The appendix 1 reveals the photo of the Meadowcroft Rockshelter site). (Adovasio, Donahue, Stuckenrath, 1998, James, & Jake, 2003).

Selker, (2010) believes that the site should be about 16,000 years old. The archaeological team who conducts a research on the site found an array of artifacts that include whole tools, projectile...

"To figure out exactly how old these artifacts actually were, the archeological team conducted radiocarbon dating testing on them. To everyone's surprise, the tests revealed that some of the artifacts dated back 16,000 years." (Selker, 2010 p 10). (The appendix 2 reveals the layers found the amazing artifacts).
Essentially, the Meadowcroft archaeological site was the first site that contains the evidence of pre-Clovis populations. The sophisticated tools found in the site reveal the evidence that the early occupants were hunters and gatherers. Selker, (2010) argues that the ancient tribe of the site use the flint spearheads for hunting, and generally hunts large game such as elk, deer and other large animals. When they did not succeed catching large games, they search for variety of smaller protein sources that include birds, fish, as well as mollusks from the water source.

One of the impacts of human activities on the Meadowcroft Rockshelter is attributed to the extinction of megafauna. Moreover, the site provided the earliest collection of fauna, and flora materials ever been recovered in the North America. Based on the 149 remain animals excavated from the site, there are evidence that human at the site also hunt for smaller animals and engage in agricultural activities and produce food such as corn, fruits, seeds, nuts and squash. Moreover, the site produced the Pre-Clovis remains found at 11.5 feet beneath the ground. Additionally, the site also yields many tools that include pottery, lamellar blades, bifacial fragments, chipping debris and lanceolate projectile point. Goodyear, (2007) argues that Meadowcroft reveals the longest standing for the archeological pre-Clovis evidence. Essentially, the debitage, and stone tools consists of highly collection of tool kit in the site.

Several hypotheses have been proposed to on the genetic and linguistic evidence of the earlier settlers at the Meadowcroft site. The Clovis hypothesis argues that early settler…

Sources used in this document:
Reference

Adovasio, J.M., J. Donahue, D.R.P. Stuckenrath, R. (1998). Two decades of debate on Meadowcroft Rockshelter. North American Archaeologist, 19(4):317-341.

Goebel, T. et al. (2008). The Late Pleistocene Dispersal of Modern Humans in the Americas. Science, 319, 1497-1501.

Goodyear, A.C. (2007). Evidence for Pre-Clovis Sites in the Eastern United States. Paleoamerican Prehistory.

James, A. & Jake, P. (2003).The First Americans: In Pursuit of Archaeology's Greatest Mystery.
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Human Ecology at the Beginning of This
Words: 827 Length: 2 Document Type: Essay

Human Ecology At the beginning of this course, I offered that my stance on the human ecological situation was generally pessimistic. That stance has not changed, because I do not see how any thinking human could be optimistic about the present state of human ecology. However, I would like to note that pessimism is not the same thing as quietism -- this course has inspired me to change my thinking about

Human Ecology Climate Change
Words: 1030 Length: 3 Document Type: Article Review

Human Ecology - Climate Change Human Ecology -- Climate Change The article selected for this paper is a book review. The article, "Evert Van de Vliert: Climate, Affluence, and Culture" is a review of the book "Climate, Affluence, and Culture" by Evert Van de Vliert. Climate has a great effect on the behaviors, social linkages, and sociocultural factors of the societies. This fact is being asserted by the author as he reviews the

Human Nature and Capitalism the
Words: 3200 Length: 10 Document Type: Thesis

In this regard, Sayer advises that: The distinctiveness [of bourgeois capitalism] lies as much in its organization of production. It is the continuous and rational employment of capital in a productive enterprise for the acquisition of profit, especially in industry which is characteristically modern. Bourgeois capitalism alone has produced a rational organization of labor, which nowhere previously existed. Of course, not everyone has experienced the Horatio Alger "Ragged Dick" rags-to-riches story

Evolution What Is Evolutionary Theory and What
Words: 2198 Length: 7 Document Type: Term Paper

EVOLUTION What is evolutionary theory and what are causes of evolution and the evidence of evolution? The term 'evolution' evokes varied connotations. In simple and direct terms it is a process of change or development over a long period of time. Defined so, evolution can refer to any phenomena-- evolution of universe, evolution of human culture etc. -- that change over a period of time. However, in common parlance, evolution refers to

Human Evolution Cultural Variation and
Words: 1335 Length: 5 Document Type: Term Paper

This postmodern view of culture is applicable in the 20th century analyses and discussions introduced by Boyd and Richerson. In effect, the first assumption explicates how culture brings forth history, and in history, "qualitative different trajectories" occur: "...the dynamics of the system must be path dependent; isolated populations or societies must tend to diverge even when they start from the same initial condition and evolve in similar environments" (186). After

Humans As a Diverse Species
Words: 3179 Length: 7 Document Type: Term Paper

It is not startling that some remarkable variation exists between the great apes as well as humans with regard to mental capabilities. Humans possess a lot higher intricate types of verbal communications compared to any other primates. Humans are the sole animal to make and apply symbols as a way to communicate with each other. Humans also have diverse as well as complex forms of social organizations compared to

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now