The Biology of the ArtsA BIOLOGICAL APPROACH TO HOW H. SAPIEN AND NEANDERTHALENSIS BEGAN TO CREATE ARTISTIC REPRESENTATION

BOIOLOGICAL ADVANCES ALLOWED FOR DEEPER THOUGHT AND IDEALS• Anatomic changes that allowed for expression• Genes thought to be involved• Artifacts that have been found on sites around the world

• Bone whistles and flutes• Red ochre spots found on cave walls• Cave paintings• Evidence of “Body Painting Kits”• Shell beads• Funeral sites for both species

• Tying it all together and the ties to Music

Anatomical ChangesI. The Hyoid Bone in Neanderthal and ancient H. Sapien

was almost identical. (Ruggero D’Anastasio, et al. 2013)II. Bipedal movement allowed for more potential for brain

growth AND caused what is known as the “obstetric dilemma” where birth canals had to accommodate growing brain sizes or reorganization of the frontal cortex (Falk, D., et al. 2012, Herman Pontzer et al. 2012)

III. Rapid climate change also spurred brain growthIV. Brain growth itself increased greatly over time

Brain Growth during evolutionI. a. Around 3.8 million ago, our ancestors Australopithecus

afarensis, had a brain that was 30 cubic inches (500 cubic centimeters) in volume.

II. b. About 1.8 million years ago, Homo erectus had a brain twice the size of Australopithecus afarensis.

III. c. When Neanderthals and Denisovans arrived, the brain had grown to 85 cubic inches (1.4 litres) in volume.

IV. d. Despite this increase in size, scientists believe human's intelligence may have more to do with how brain cells form that how large the brain grows.

V. (ELLIE ZOLFAGHARIFARD 2015)

Genes associatedFOXP2, ARHGAP11B, HARE5

Human brain growth vs chimpanzee in gestationI. Most of the genes to be discussed have to do with neonatal

brain growthII. D. Hirata and colleagues Tomoko Sakai and Hideko

Takeshita now find that human and chimp brains begin to show remarkable differences very early in life. In both primate species, the brain grows increasingly fast in the womb initially. After 22 weeks of gestation, brain growth in chimpanzees starts to level off, while that of humans continues to accelerate for another two months or more. (Human gestation time is only slightly longer than that of chimpanzees, 38 weeks versus 33 or 34 weeks.)

III. (Tomoko Sakaiemail et al, 2012, PHYS.ORG 2012)

ARHGAP11BI. A neural stem cell (called a progenitor) II. Creates more brain matter and neocortex

foldingIII. B. This allowed for folding and allowing

more brain to fit into the skull. IV. This gene is located in a region known for

reasoning language and sensory perceptionV. Only found in Neanderthals and H. Sapiens

FOXP2I. “FOXP2, which contains two human-specific amino acid

substitutions that were initially attributed to an episode of positive selection early in modern human evolution (∼200,000 yr ago) …….

II. “FOXP2 is of particular interest as it is suspected of having a role in the evolution of language, which is widely considered to be unique to modern humans” (James P. Noonan 2010)

III. This particular version is also specific to H.Sapiens and Neanderthalensis

IV. Allowed for communication

Hare5 (short forhuman-accelerated regulatory enhancer number 5) I. Makes brains biggerII. Paves the way for more neurons which increase brain

size.III. One of the scientists doing the HARE5 (specifically

human HARE5) study which injected mice with HARE5 from humans it increased 12% (Tomoko Sakai et al. 2012)

IV. This is an enhancer type gene and they enhance properties of other genes

V. This one is also specific to Neanderthal and Homo Sapien

Burials of the AncientsNEANDERTHAL HOMO SAPIEN

Burial Rituals of NeanderthalsI. In Neanderthals, burials were fairly simple “The Neanderthals had occasionally

practiced burial of the dead” (IAN TATTERSALL 1998)II. “They presumably buried relatives and friends in shallow graves dug into the soft soil

of their living areas at the mouths of caves and rock shelters. Usually the bodies were flexed in a fetal position. Frequently, the bones were stained with hematite, a rust-red iron ore. It is likely that the bodies were either sprinkled with hematite powder or the powdered pigment was mixed with a viscous liquid medium, such as vegetable seed oil or animal fat, and painted on the bodies. In nearly half of the 33 known Neandertal burials, stone tools and/or animal bones were found in the graves. Not all paleoanthropologists agree that these objects were intentionally placed there in funerary rites. If they were, however, it implies that the Neandertals were trying to prepare the dead for what was ahead of them... Apparently, the body of a man was placed on pine boughs in the grave and flowers from 8 different species (including hyacinths, daisies, hollyhocks, and bachelor's buttons) were sprinkled on top. It is difficult to account for such activity by Neandertals unless it is assumed that they believed in some sort of afterlife. If they thought that their dead relatives and friends were only food or garbage, it is highly unlikely that they would have carefully buried them in this way.” (http://anthro.palomar.edu/homo2/mod_homo_3.htm 2012)

Burial Rituals of Cro Magnon Homo SapienI. Unlike Neanderthals Cro Magnon were very

elaborate, the photo above is a very famous example

II. “dressed in clothing onto which more than three thousand ivory beads had been sewn; and experiments have shown that each bead had taken an hour to make. They also wore carved pendants, bracelets, and shell necklaces. The juveniles, buried head to head, were flanked by two mammoth tusks over two yards long. What's more, these tusks had been straightened”(IAN TATTERSALL 1998)

Body DecorationI. These kits are dated around 50,000 years agoII. They are perforated and have colors inside of

them presumably for transportIII. Colors include dark red, to black, yellow, red IV. Suggested use is for social status, demographic

regionV. Animal teeth and bonesVI. (João Zilhão et al. 2010)

Body Decoration

Body Decoration

Body Decoration

Shell Ornaments

Bone FlutesBetween 42,000-43,000 years old

found in Geißenklösterle Germany

other similar ones being found

“They also found a collection of perforated teeth, ornaments and stone tools at the site.” (Jennifer Welsh 2012)

Cave Paintings

Cave Paintings

Cave Paintings

Cave Paintings

Cave Paintings

Red Ochre Spots on Cave Walls • Red Ochre “dots” have been appearing on cave near

walls near the most open and safe places within caves• 90% of cave drawings appear near these “dots”• Suggested theory is that these “dots” were used as

markers for good areas• A theory of echolocation is suggested for finding good

areas for safety and for open areas in caves• (Reznikoff 2008)

Cave Echolocation • Caves were dark and immense and even with fire only so much of the cave

would be lit• Another method needed to be found to explore new caves• Enter echolocation-not only was it possible, it was exceedingly effective• Enabled with the genes associated with and needed for problem solving a

strategy was devised, and with the hyoid bone, Neanderthals and H. Sapiens could now use vocal sounds as sonar

• The sounds “OH” and “MMMMM” were found to be the best for echolocation• An experiment was carried out where a professional archeoacustic vocalist

was taken into a cave and found that it was indeed possible • (Reznikoff 2008)

CLASS EXPERIMENT!!!!!!!!

So How does this tie into Music?Ideal rules for the experiment1. Cave art and symbology is found to be in proportion to

resonance, however, it must ALSO be good for pictures2. Most (90%) ideal resonant and pictorial locations are

decorated with signs and pictures3. Certain signs are only accounted for in respect to resonance4. Deep Male Voices were known to be best for cave

exploration/echolocation as female voices would be dampened by the cave itself

5. (Reznikoff 2008)

So How does this tie into Music?Echolocation was originally used to find safe places to go that were large and had good acoustics. It has been suggested that these were also places of ritual and social gathering(welsh 2012, Reznikoff 2008)They have found bone flutes over 40,000 years old(Welsh 2012)Cave art is found to be most plentiful where resonance and wall space are found 90% of the time (Reznikoff 2008) Science and Music combined to make artful expression and ritual and evolved into the music we have today!

So How does this tie into Music?Our brains began to expand allowing us for deeper thought processes and unique problem solving skillsGenes that caused this change allowed for speech as wellThey hyoid bone allowed for some vocalization and it served to aid in exploration in caves for safe and large havens possibly for safe fire use for the tribeThe most resonant areas with plentiful cave wall space were used, later this turned into ritualistic and celebratory areasCelebrations and rituals included voices possibly rocks as percussion, flutes made of animal parts, and art on wallsThis possibly served to allow for a musical expansion into other areasThis needs much more exploration and research to be able to say for certain one way or the other!

BibliographyWORKS CITED:“Human brains outpace chimp brains in the womb” PHYS.ORG Biology Plants and Animals September 24, 2012 http://phys.org/news/2012-09-human-brains-outpace-chimp-womb.htmlTomoko Sakaiemail, Satoshi Hirataemail, Kohki Fuwa, Keiko Sugama, Kiyo Kusunoki, Haruyuki Makishima, Tatsuya Eguchi, Shigehito Yamada, Naomichi Ogihara, Hideko Takeshitaemail “Fetal brain development in chimpanzees versus humans” Current Biology Volume 22, Issue 18, pR791–R792, 25 September 2012Science AAAS Elizabeth Pennisi “Human DNA enlarges mouse brains” Feb. 19, 2015 , 12:15 PMThe Washington Post Rachel Feltman “Scientists pinpoint a gene regulator that makes human brains bigger” February 19, 2015Science AAAS Marta Florio1, Mareike Albert1,*, Elena Taverna1,*, Takashi Namba1,*, Holger Brandl1, Eric Lewitus1,†, Christiane Haffner1, Alex Sykes1, Fong Kuan Wong1, Jula Peters1, Elaine Guhr1, Sylvia Klemroth2, Kay Prüfer3, Janet Kelso3, Ronald Naumann1, Ina Nüsslein1, Andreas Dahl2, Robert Lachmann4, Svante Pääbo3, Wieland B. Huttner1, “Human-specific gene ARHGAP11B promotes basal progenitor amplification and neocortex expansion” Science 27 Mar 2015:Vol. 347, Issue 6229, pp. 1465-1470Daily Mail.com ELLIE ZOLFAGHARIFARD “'Big brain' DNA found in humans: Single gene that made us more intelligent than chimps is identified for the first time” PUBLISHED: 18:38 EST, 27 February 2015 | UPDATED: 06:25 EST, 28 February 2015 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2972875/Big-brain-DNA-humans-Single-gene-intelligent-chimps-identified-time.html#ixzz40OxssIR2

Bibliography ContinuedI. Reznikoff “Sound resonance in prehistoric times: A study ofPaleolithic painted caves and rocks” Acoustics

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IV. David Frayer, Editor “Micro-Biomechanics of the Kebara 2 Hyoid and Its Implications for Speech in Neanderthals” PLoS One. 2013; 8(12): e82261.

V. Lucia Mancini “Hyoid bone analysis supports hypothesis of complex language in Neanderthals” PHYS.ORG December 19, 2013

VI. Falk, D., et al. (2012). Metopic suture of Taung (Australopithecus africanus) and its implications for hominin brain evolution. PNAS, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1119752109Dean Falka,b,1, Christoph P. E. Zollikoferc, Naoki Morimotoc, and Marcia S. Ponce de Leónc,1

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Bibliography ContinuedJoão Zilhãoa,1, Diego E. Angeluccib, Ernestina Badal-Garcíac, Francesco d’Erricod,e, Floréal Danielf, Laure Dayetf,Katerina Doukag, Thomas F. G. Highamg, María José Martínez-Sánchezh, Ricardo Montes-Bernárdezi,Sonia Murcia-Mascarósj, Carmen Pérez-Sirventh, Clodoaldo Roldán-Garcíaj, Marian Vanhaerenk,Valentín Villaverdec, Rachel Woodg, and Josefina Zapata “Symbolic use of marine shells and mineral pigments by Iberian Neandertals” PNAS January 19, 2010 vol. 107 no. 3 1023–1028

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University of Arizona “Excavations at Üçağızlı Cave , Turkey” 2007

A. W. G. Pike,1* D. L. Hoffmann,2,3 M. García-Diez,4 P. B. Pettitt,5 J. Alcolea,6 R. De Balbín,6C. González-Sainz,7 C. de las Heras,8 J. A. Lasheras,8 R. Montes,8 J. Zilhão “U-Series Dating of Paleolithic Art in 11 Caves in Spain” SCIENCE 2012Vol. 336 Issue 6087, June 15 2012.

B. Prishtina High School“Lascaux Cave Art” Art History A Prehistoric art http://arthistorya.weebly.com/prehistoric-art.html

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