ENV435E

Prehistoric people and environment

(ART)

Dr John Grindrod and Ms Isabel Ellender

6 points + 2 hours per week + First semester + Clayton

Synopsis: The evolution of humans in Africa from hominid precursors, to the genus Homo. The movement of humans out of Africa and subsequent world colonisation. Animal precursors to human behavioural traits. Archaeological evidence for the development of tool use and increasingly complex lifestyles. The ecology of pre-industrial people especially Homo sapiens. Case studies of the early arrival and sustained ecological influence of people in Australia and the Pacific region.

Assessment: Essay (3000 words): 60% + Field report (2000 words): 40%